YOU SHALL NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM NOR SERVE THEM. FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO HATE ME
(Deuteronomy 5:9).

Do you have a parent or grandparent who misused alcohol or other substances?  Do you have a parent or grandparent who reacted to life situations with violence, abuse, and uncontrolled anger?  Are you afraid that the iniquities of your ancestors have come upon you and your children?

I bless you to be comforted that the sins of your ancestors do not need to carry over to you.  Be encouraged that the way your ancestors reacted to life situations does not need to determine how YOU react to life issues.

Know that your parents and their parents had the same enemy you have—the father-of-lies—and that they had decided to react to his negative, destructive beliefs with a certain behavior pattern.  You do not need to do the same.  You do not need to serve the father-of-lies and his beliefs of abandonment, shame, rejection, and condemnation with sinful defense pattern of rage, abuse, alcoholism, or other dependencies.  You can choose to serve God!

WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM
(John 14:21).

I bless you to love God enough to choose a different behavior pattern than substance abuse or rage to deal with the father-of-lies’ painful beliefs of abandonment, shame, rejection, and condemnation.  Choose to surrender these oppressing beliefs to the Lord Jesus, who will cherish your relinquishment and reveal His Love, Hope, and Truth to you.  Know that the Lord God will keep his covenant of Love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and surrender their iniquities to Him.

KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD; HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD, KEEPING HIS COVENANT OF LOVE TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
(Deuteronomy 7:9).

How do you deal with life’s pain—the father-of-lies’ beliefs of abandonment, shame, rejection, and condemnation? Have you chosen the same behavior patterns that your ancestors have chosen…or have you chosen God as your Refuge, your Salvation, and your Redeemer?

PRAYER: Lord God, I know that without You I can do nothing. Without You I will fall into the same sinful behavior patterns that my ancestors have chosen to deal with the father-of-lies. Thank you that You have died to conquer the Law of Sin and Death and risen to set me free through Your Law of Life, so I may choose to serve You instead of the father-of-lies.