Breaking generational curses isn’t as easy as speaking out loud one time, “I command all generational curses to be gone in Jesus’ name.” The Word of God says He will bring the iniquity upon the generations (see Ex. 34:7). However, it also says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us—as it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'” (Gal. 3:13). This means there is freedom and deliverance available through Christ.
Family curses can be brought on by things we have witnessed as a child such as extreme yelling or verbal abuse. As a child, this becomes a learned behavior on how we should treat other people. When our parents act out in fear, control and anger, we take on those characteristics, and over some time, they become a stronghold and manifest as a generational curse because we have never broken agreement with them.
How do we break agreement with a generational curse?
I want to stress the importance of speaking out loud the following guidelines. The demonic realm cannot hear what you pray in your mind. These things need to be spoken out into the spiritual atmosphere. Learn more about the importance of praying audibly, and how Jesus and the Father spoke out, through my book, Speak Out, by Creation House.
- Repent for your generations. Say, “I repent for the sins of my grandparents, parents and those before me. Father God, I ask for your forgiveness on their behalf, and I call off any assignments this has put on me and my generation.
- Repent for your actions. Speak, “Father, please forgive me for behavior patterns, habits and addictions I took upon myself. Forgive me for what I knew and didn’t know and for that which I didn’t try to stop and change.”
- Break agreement. Proclaim, “I break agreement with the demonic spirits of generational curses. I call off any ill effect they have had on me. I command I will not co-labor with these spirits anymore. I decree and declare I have broken their legal right to take action against me.”
Whether a learned pattern that has manifested into a generational curse or a generational demonic spirit of affliction and infirmity, we need to cut and break that tie. When we don’t break the tie, we have co-labored with their legal right because we did nothing about the situation to change or remove it. Therefore, we need to repent and set things straight in the spirit realm.
Demonic operations don’t want to give up their rights.
After you break demonic agreement operations could still be activated. How do we go further and deeper in deliverance? You need to recognize what spirits are truly attached to your situation. (In my book, Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan, I have a chapter dedicated to this subject, along with generational curses, and how to tell if a spirit is there or has left.) Seek and ask the Holy Spirit through prayer and discernment to reveal the hidden spirits activating against you.
Simple spirits: If you have a spirit of fear, look back and see if a parent had fear. If you can discern, see if they had a spirit of fear and a generational spirit of fear, in which case, both need to be cast out. Demonic spirits are stubborn, and sometimes you need to cast them out very specifically in order to get them to leave.
Jesus did not cast spirits off or say, “Go away and leave them alone.” He cast them out.
“Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!'” (Mark 1:25).
“For Jesus said to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!'” (Mark 5:8).
Familiar spirits: Familiar spirits are acquainted with your generational line. Familiar spirits can be witchcraft spirits, but they can also be lesser spirits acquainted with your generational line. Therefore, when discerning, evaluate is this a generational spirit or a familiar spirit in operation with a generational spirit. If through the Holy Spirit, you discern it is both, cast them out individually, such as by saying out loud, “I command a generational spirit of fear to go in Jesus’ name. I command a familiar spirit of fear to get out of me in Jesus’ name.” Afterward, make sure you pray and ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill you and close those doors to the past.
Territorial spirits: These can exist on family property, land, objects or in the family home. We can reference the story of the swine who didn’t want to leave the territory, “Now there was a great herd of swine feeding near the mountains. All the demons pleaded with Him, asking, ‘Send us to the swine, so that we may enter them'” (Mark 5:11-12). Discern and do spiritual housekeeping on your land and property. See my articles on charismamag.com titled, “How to Rid Your Home of Uninvited Demonic Guests” and “These Objects May Be Opening Your Home to Demons” on how to do this. After you have done a spiritual housecleaning and discern what objects should not be in your home, command and proclaim out loud, “I command all territorial, familiar and generational spirits to go now, in Jesus’ name.”
When casting out generational spirits sometimes, it is not as easy as saying, “All generational curses be gone, in Jesus’ name.” We must go deeper to receive total victory. If you aren’t walking out in total freedom, try breaking agreement and casting out the spirits. If you need further deliverance, my book Discerning and Destroying the Works of Satan—Your Deliverance Guide to Total Freedom has more self-deliverance and education on the spiritual realm that will help you receive the deliverance you desire. {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, Identity Invasion, Who is Speaking? and Warfare Declarations. You can connect with Kathy on Facebook, facebook.com/kathydegraw or visit degrawministries.org.
Abby Trivett 
James Lasher 
Michelle Corral 
