Daily Devotion

October 20, 2018

You Can Break That Stronghold!


“The weapons of our warfare are…mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” 2Co 10:4 NKJV

When a pattern of evil passes from one generation to the next, the Bible refers to it as a “stronghold.” David had a problem with lust, which resulted in an affair with another man’s wife. That same spirit passed on to David’s son Amnon, and he raped his sister (See 2Sa 13). When David heard about it he was angry, but he did nothing. What could he say? Abraham lied to a heathen king, saying his wife was his sister in order to save his own neck (See Ge 20). Amazingly, his son Isaac did exactly the same a few chapters later (See Ge 26). Experts report that children of alcoholic parents are four hundred times more likely to become alcoholic, and over 80 percent of child abusers were themselves abused children. Sometimes you can actually see the pattern coming at you from both sides of the family. But there’s good news. God heals dysfunctional families—and the healing can begin with you! Just because your parents were emotionally frozen doesn’t mean your children have to grow up without affection. God can teach you how to break that stronghold in your family so you can give your kids what you yourself never received. Gideon tore down the altar his idol-worshiping father built (See Jdg 6:25) and by God’s grace you can do the same in your family! Pray over your children. Lay your hands on them and declare that the past will not invade the present; that God’s blessings will flow through you to them. Go ahead, do it and see what happens.

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