A Thousand Generations
But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:6 (AMP)
This beautiful jewel is tucked right in the middle of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. It follows the commands to worship only God and is after God’s grave warning about the sins of the father being passed down to the third and fourth generation. We’ve all seen that verse come true as we have seen how generation after generation of a family can struggle with the same sins and addictions. We have seen generations of families pass down bad character traits and pet sins. God’s warning should be well heeded and we should all pray for any “sins” to stop with our generation and not be handed down to the next generation!
But I want us to look very closely at the promise God is making in verse six. He is promising that He will show “mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations” of those who choose to love and obey Him! A thousand generations! Can you imagine that? No matter what your past may look like, no matter what kind of family you may have come from, you have the opportunity to change the lives of the next one thousand generations! You can choose today to draw a line in the sand and say “No more!” to the enemy as you seek to claim the next one thousand generations for the kingdom of God. Your choices today can literally change the lives of your descendants!
Are you willing to be the one? Are you willing to be the one that determines in their heart to love Him and wholeheartedly follow His commands? If so, you have the opportunity to be a blessing to all of your descendants! I believe that God keeps His promises and I believe in prayer. I believe with all of my heart that God wants us to claim the promises He has given us and I believe that we can start today. We can stand on His promise and begin to battle for our descendants in prayer as we seek to fulfill our end of the promise by loving and obeying Him! If you are willing to do your absolute best to love and obey God then you can lay claim to His promise to show love and mercy to your descendants.
May I be really honest with you right now, my friend? Satan has already claimed too much ground in our families; enough is enough! I think it’s time that a few God-fearing and determined believers stand up and say “No More!” as they begin to take back what the enemy has stolen and stand in the gap for the next generation! I for one do not want my children to walk the paths that many of our ancestors have taken. I do not want my children to be handed down the sins of their fathers; I want them to inherit the blessings of God! I choose this day to draw a line in the sand and say “NO MORE!” Satan, you cannot have my children or any of my descendants! I am claiming them for the kingdom of God!
“You may ask anything in My name and I will do it” John 14:14 (NIV). Our children may run from God but they cannot outrun our prayers! Satan may attack but we “are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). We can stand on the promises of God as we battle in prayer for the next generation and trust God to give us the victory! God is able! Our job is to focus on loving and obeying God while we stand in the gap by praying for the next generation. They need our prayers and they need our Godly example. We must do all we can to make sure that all generational curses, sins, and bondages stop with us so that the generations to come do not inherit them!
Father, we come to You today and ask that every generational curse, every generational sin, every generational bondage be broken today in Jesus Name! Today we draw a line in the sand and say “NO MORE” to the enemy as we claim the next generation, the next one thousand generations for your kingdom! We ask that you help us to love You with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our might (Deut. 6:5). Lord, teach us to follow Your decrees and keep them until the end of our days (Psalm 119:33). Help us to walk in complete obedience so that we may be a blessing and a godly witness to the next generation. Help us to tell the next generation about Your praiseworthy deeds and the wonders You have done (Psalm 78:4) so that they may know Your commands and teach them to their own children someday (Psalm 78:6). Henceforth, may every generation bless Your holy name and seek to wholeheartedly follow You. Give our children the wholehearted desire to obey all of Your commands, laws, and decrees so that they can do all that You have planned for them to do for You (1 Chron. 29:19). Teach them to say “NO” to all ungodly and worldly passions so that they will live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this age that we live in (Titus 2:12). We pray that You would never stop doing good to them and that You would inspire them to fear You so that they will never turn away from You (Jeremiah 32:40). Father, protect them from the evil one and sanctify them by Your truth (John 15:15-17). Thank You, Father, that we can break these bondages from future generations because Christ took every curse upon Himself when He died on Calvary’s cross (Galatians 3:13). We ask all of this in the mighty name of Your precious Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
I know that you can do all things and that no plan of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2
Katrina Douglas
