Familiar spirits and generational spirits target our families and situations that are familiar to us. These spirits have been assigned to our genealogy and know our families’ past mistakes and weaknesses. We also need to be aware of the word curses and generational curses in our family members’ lives so that we don’t repeat the past and bring what is dead, buried, and gone into the future. We need to make sure that we are speaking life and freedom and not cursing and bondage. By the words we speak, we can replant and build what the enemy has stolen of our past.
What curses are you putting on yourself? What generational curses are you putting on your children? Statements such as the following should not be spoken:
- “She can’t read.”
- “She sings off key.”
- “He always drops something.”
- “My kids are loud and obnoxious.”
- “Her middle name is Troublemaker.”
Don’t curse your children and spouse with your words. If it doesn’t edify, encourage, or exhort, don’t say it. Find a way to speak about a condition or happening that is not going to speak against anyone. Better yet, don’t speak it at all if you aren’t trying to find a solution to the problem.
How many times do we speak over ourselves and aren’t even aware of it?
- Never say, “That makes me sick,” when someone tells you something. It can open a doorway to sickness. You are speaking or claiming that something makes you sick!
- Never say, “She’s driving me crazy” or “I can’t take it anymore.” Such statements can lead to emotional doors being opened. Do you really want to lose your mind and go crazy? How many times have you spoken that out over the years? Remember the law of sowing and reaping.
- Never say, “My daughter has the flu, and I’ll catch it next.” We are redeemed! We don’t have to get the flu or a virus. Don’t claim that it’s going to attack you. Expectation is the breeding ground for miracles. Expect not to get sick; don’t expect to get sick!
- Never say, “I can’t afford to tithe!” Change your poverty mentality; you can’t afford not to tithe.
- Never say, “Over my dead body,” “I’m going to kill you for that,” or “You’re going to kill me for this.” Such statements open a door for spirits of death to come in.
- Never say, “They irritate me.” That statement leads to a spirit of irritation. When you say that you are irritated or frustrated, you can’t get rid of it in a few days because you opened the door to those spirits by speaking it. Now you need to cast out a spirit of irritation or frustration. Listen to the words that you repeatedly say within a week.
We have been filled with concerns that create negativity in our minds. Worrisome parents think they are doing good when warning us what to do and not to do. The problem is that it causes us to have negative thoughts and worry. When those thoughts are spoken into our lives we can take them in and have them become who we are and what we speak. When we have those negative words spoken to us all of our lives, how can we not, out of habit, speak the same things to our children? As we grow up, it only becomes natural that we speak out what has been spoken to us. Therefore, our word choices aren’t the best. Since death and life are in our words, we have now spoken negatively over our children.
I remember several years ago as my children were starting to drive I had to hold my tongue back so many times. I knew I did not want to speak negative words as they left the house that could put them in fear and worry instead of joy and happiness about where they were going and what they were going to do.
Instead of saying, “Good-bye. Be blessed and highly favored, and have a great time tonight,” and speaking life into them, we speak worry and negativity. When your children are going out the door, avoid saying, “Drive careful,” “Watch out for deer or animals running out in front of you,” “Be careful; it will be getting dark and rainy,” or, “Make sure the kids in the car aren’t goofing off and distracting you.” Why not say a blessing over them? Turn the negative words you used to speak into positive declarations over your children. Speak to them as they leave with: “Good-bye. Have a good time. I love you. May the blood of Jesus cover you.” “Love you, honey. I dispatch angels to guard and protect you tonight.” Or “Have a great time. The Lord, our God, goes with you and before you, and no weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
By taking a few Scriptures and incorporating them into the natural things you say when your child leaves your home, you can build their faith and teach the power of the out-spoken word. Our words are impactful, and we have choices to make every day. Be slow to speak and quick to discern and pay attention when the Holy Spirit says, “Don’t speak that,” because He will. {eoa}
Kathy DeGraw is a prophetic spiritual warfare strategist releasing the love and power of God, to ignite and activate people, release prophetic destinies and deliver people from the bondage of the enemy. She is the founder of Kathy DeGraw Ministries and Be Love Outreach. She is the author of several books including; Speak Out, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, Warfare Declarations and more. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook @ facebook.com/kathydegraw or visit degrawministries.org.
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