June - Week 1 - Breaking Generational Strongholds - Identifying The Root Of Your Struggle

"Every Tree That Bringeth Not Forth Good Fruit Is Hewn Down, And Cast Into The Fire." Matthew 7:19

Stonghold Definition: A place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic, a strongly fortified defensive structure.

Greek Definition: Fortress

Which areas of your life need to be stripped away and cast into a fire? Maybe it's a negative, self-defeating attitude, dysfunctional value system, poor financial management, lack of health conciousness, destructive relationship patterns, instability, a nonexistent, or neglected spiritual life, greed, a spirit of procrastination, a heart of unforgiveness, an unteachable spirit, and the list may go on and on.

This month as we enter the sixth month of 2010 we are going to tackle the root of many of the problems some of us are struggling to overcome. In some cases it may seem as if you have tried everything under the sun to correct dysfunctional behaviors, yet the same patterns continue to persist within your life. Often times the battles we are fighting are wars that have been waging for years within our families. Poverty, infidelity, violence, addictions, and other strongholds that can be identified within our lives and those around us do not suddenly manifest. In some cases there was a pre-established pattern in place that we inherited by our birthrights. This pattern tends to make us more vulnerable to ascribing to certain lifestyle patterns as a result of this predisposition.

It is our responsibility to examine our family histories and determine how we will increase the positive traits genetically acquired and decrease and/or destroy the presence of the negative influences that have been passed down from generation to generation.

This week I encourage you to identify the root of your current struggles and determine if it is indeed a generational stronghold that exists within your family in order to pave a smoother path for the generations to come.


Tips For Tackling Generational Stongholds:

1. Identify your current struggles, assess whether the root of your obstacles lies within mindsets, values, or habits acquired through your blood line.

2. Address concerns with family members to determine a course of action for breaking identified strongholds.

3. Create a plan of action for destroying the existing stronghold.

4. Monitor your progress daily. Strongholds are not easily broken, a conscious effort must be made daily to successfully conquer these destructive patterns.