Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Relationships and Religion
Breaking Generational Sins In Your Family Tree

Breaking Generational Sins In Your Family Tree

Last updated on: July 16, 2026 at 4:38 pm by Pastor Kelly M. Williams

Breaking Generational Sins In Your Family Tree 2026-07-16T16:38:06-06:00 Pastor Kelly M. Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If you are a child of King Jesus, the enemy can’t curse you, but you can still curse yourself. And some of the ways that we best curse ourselves is through family and generational sins and secrets that get handed down to us from generation to generation within our own family.

The nation of Israel was held in bondage for 430 years in Egypt. That’s a long time to be slaves!

God sent a burning bush experience to Moses and called him to go free Israel from the bondage they had experienced for many generations and lead them to the Promised Land.

Moses initially resisted but eventually said yes to this mighty calling of God to lead God’s people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

Moses performed a series of miracles and eventually Pharoah released his grip and allowed God’s people to leave Egypt.

They traveled to the Red Sea and God gave them a great miracle allowing them to cross while drowning their enemies. But this was not enough for Israel and eventually the day-to-day grind of going from bondage to blessing wore them down and they gave into their flesh and said, “We want to go back to Egypt.” This forced them to struggle for another forty years in the wilderness and yet after a generation died off, God still delivered them. He’s just that good!

Because Moses was unfaithful in how he demonstrated God’s holiness to the people at the waters of Meribah, God raised up Joshua to take his place.

Joshua was commissioned by Moses to lead the people the rest of the way to the Promised Land. At the final stop before they crossed the Jordan, at the place called, Shittim, King Balak hired the prophet Balaam to curse God’s people.

Before Balaam could curse God’s people, God came to Him in Numbers 22:12-13 and said,

“12 God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

Balak tried again to get Balaam to curse God’s people. Balaam responded again to Balak in Numbers 23:11-12

11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.”12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

Balak and Balaam learned an important lesson. The enemies of God’s people cannot curse them. The enemy can’t curse you. So, does that make you full proof in Christ?

Almost!

Balaam told Balak, “I can’t curse God’s people, but you can get them to curse themselves.”

Numbers 31:6 records this experience:

16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

Balaam couldn’t curse God’s people, but he did tell Balak how to get God’s people to curse themselves.

Jesus speaks more about this plan of Balaam in the book of Revelation. He says in Revelation 2:14,

14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam knew what the eternal enemy of our souls knows, “We are susceptible to the sins of the sins of our ancestors. In Egypt, they were susceptible to idolatry and sexual immorality. Balaam taught Balak how to seduce the people of God to curse themselves based off the generational sins of their ancestors. The enemy does the same to us today.

The story of how this occurred is recorded in Numbers 25:1-3,

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

The enemy can’t curse God’s people, but he can get us to curse ourselves and that is what God’s people did to themselves at Shittim.

Maybe you find yourself in a place called Shittim. How do you leave Shittim?

Recently I wrote a book called, “Leaving Your Places Of Shittim: A Journey From Bondage To Blessing.” This book can help you stop cursing yourself and teach you how to rise above the enemies that try to curse you in your life.

Shittim is a metaphorical place but it is also a real place in all our lives today.

It is possible to break free from the bondage and live blessed in Jesus Christ.

It begins by recognizing and identifying the enemies of our lives that seek to destroy the good work of God in our lives. It then requires us to see that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Mosaic Covenant and through Him we can overcome and live in the Promised Land God intended for us. But it won’t be without sacrifice on our part.

Jesus died on a Shittim tree. He was cursed for our sins.

He has called us to take up our Shittim tree and follow Him. Our cross represents His blood shed for us. We are no longer cursed because He was cursed on our behalf. (Galatians 3:13)

He who knew no sins became sin, so we could become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus says, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Generational sins are broken when we say no to our selfish flesh and yes to Jesus.

This happens when we live thankful to God, free from secrets, and committed to His call on our lives.

Forward with Jesus is your only way to freedom from the generational sins of your past.

He has bore upon himself, your shittim tree, so you don’t have too!

No matter how lost or broken or in bondage you may be write now. God wants you to have hope that Shittim is not the end of your story.

Joshua 3:1 says,

Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan,

Shittim is not your end.

Cross the Jordan and head to the Promised Land God has given you through the eternal blessings found in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Shittim is a place in your life, but heaven is your eventual eternal home.

Jesus is seated now making intercession on your behalf. He is praying prayers of blessings over your life.

Only you can decide to live a life of blessing in Jesus.

Receive it today in Jesus’ name!

(If you would like to read more about how do this, you can order the book here:

Relationships and Religion

Leaving Your Places Of Shittim

Previous Post

July 14, 2026

The SBC Helped Plant My Church. Now It May Expel Us.

Next Post

July 16, 2026 Intro Leaving Your Place of Shittim From Bondage to Blessing

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Peter Abortion Asbury Revival Bearing Burdens Blessings of God BOOK OF MICAH charlie kirk Charlie Kirk and Steven Furtick Christmas Church Church Scandal Covid disicpleship Dr. James Dobson Ezekiel Fear Finances Francis Chan Gender Gender and Sexuality Gospel Grace Hearing the Voice of God Heart For God Homosexuality Israel Jesus Kayne West Kayne West and Joel Osteen Lauren Daigle Lauren Daigle and Steven Furtick Lauren Daigle and Steven Furtick Leaving Your Places Of Shittim Live Courageous Love Making A Name For Yourself For God Pastors and Churches Peace and Encouragement Personal Philip Yancey Politics Presidential Election Real Relationships Same Sex Ceremonies Sexual Abuse in the church Song Review Southern Baptist Churches and Women Teachers Suffering Thanksgiving Day The Bible The Good Pastor The Mystery of 23: God Speaks The Mystery of 23: God Speaks Again Uncategorized Visions and Dreams William Tyndale Woke Women Pastors

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 June 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 February 2023 January 2023 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In this Gospel, Jesus' first miracle is not recorded, and the narrative begins with a voice crying in the wilderness. Which Gospel starts with John the Baptist's ministry?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Matthew Luke Mark