18 Mar Generational Blessing

All our lives we have heard the word ‘blessing’. The subject of blessing is mentioned in the Bible about 600 times, and its opposite, cursing, about 200 times. That makes this subject a major theme of the Scriptures. Whilst we have heard much about curses and their power, and how to pray against them, blessing remains a much misunderstood subject and has been taught little.

A blessing is a pronunciation which imparts spiritual power, opening the way for us in life, giving us approval and confidence, and power for us to succeed; it is grace to enable us to become what we are meant to become, and to achieve what we are meant to achieve.

To amplify that, a blessing is a form of words, often spoken by someone in authority, that imparts, enables and helps you to achieve and overcome. Do you not think that you just might need a blessing? And man, having been made in the image of God, also has the power to both bless and curse. Jesus said that we were to bless even our enemies. Paul said that we were to bless and not curse. The power of blessing is meant to be expressed by each of us in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What then is generational blessing?

This is a term that defines a certain kind of blessing – one which flows from one generation to the next. A generational blessing is that which passes from father to son, a blessing which, when carried by one generation, can and should be passed on to another. Very often, if you do not receive that blessing by impartation, it is lost.

Understand then, that amongst the most important blessing you can ever receive is a father’s blessing. And by extension, the leaders Christ appoints as the shepherds of the flock, especially when mature, have an important role to play as fathers in the faith.

In the section about spiritual fathers, we already discussed the power and influence of a father. When a father speaks approval and blessing, spiritual power flows, and even the Son of God needed to hear the voice of His Father (at His baptism).

Virtually all blessing in the Bible is of a generational nature. Even the blessing of salvation by faith in Christ has a strong generational aspect. The Bible puts a great importance upon the blessing of Abraham being passed to Isaac, then to Jacob; then to his 12 sons – and then proclaims that the blessing of Abraham comes to every believer in Christ.

The obvious fact here is that Isaac could only receive the blessing from Abraham. There was no other person who was going to provide that blessing. Jacob could only receive a blessing from Isaac, and in fact he coveted the greater blessing so much as to deceive to get it. Esau despised the birthright, and as a result also lost the blessing, and earned the title as the only man God hates. (Romans 9:13)

Generational blessing comes from a father. It cannot come from any person. Esau despised the birthright (the inheritance of his father) and therefore dishonoured his father. He received no blessing. Many believers today despise the source of their inheritance in the faith, and receive no blessing from the only place they can get it, that is their spiritual father/s.

However when a believer recognises their spiritual father and honours them, then like Jacob they are able to receive not only the birthright of inheritance, but also a great generational blessing.

It is common to honour in our heart, the Wesleys, Luthers, Zinzendorfs and Calvins of this world, but have no respect or little regard for the pastor who faithfully teaches us each week and prays for us each night in his home. When we think little of the spiritual leaders we have been given, we despise our birthright and lose our blessing.

That is why the spirit of sonship is essential to receiving generational blessing. When we have the heart of a son, that loves, honours and respects, we open our heart towards them and are able to receive from Christ.

Inheritance belongs to sons. If you want an inheritance from God, you need to have the heart of a son within you. Generational blessing will go to sons. These thoughts remind us that doing things the way Christ did them is the only way to life.