A Time For Repentance

73

with sin when he reports, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not;
and we have borne their iniquities" (Lamentations 5:7). We actually
carrythe results of our parent's iniquities in such a way that we are
seriously influenced by them. Sometimes I have wondered why I
behaved just like others in my family, when I knew I disapproved
of the very thing I saw in them. The weight of family iniquity is
heavy upon us, and it is strongto influence us to sin.
One of the most holy men in the Bible was a repenting
intercessor. He poured out his life praying for his people. He spent
his years confessingthe sins ofthe stubborn and the rebellious, the
unbelievers, and the idolaters. Daniel identified himself with the
sinful people of his day as he confessed their disobedience to God.
In identificational repentance Daniel would repent for them and
confess one area of their sin and then another. He cried out to God:

And now, O Lord our God, Who brought Your people

forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and
secured Yourself renown and a name as at this day, we
have sinned, we have done wickedly. (Daniel 9:15, AMP)

Daniel did not point his finger at others for their failures. He
took up their fallen state as his own, and he humbly repented for
them. He acknowledged not only their sins, but also the sins and
iniquity of their forefathers. Daniel provides us with a picture of
God's solution for family iniquity. He was willing to repent for the
transgressors and do all that it took to resolve the problem, and see
captives set free. Daniel confessed,
O Lord, according to all Your Tightness and justice, I
beseech You, let Your anger and Your wrath be turned
away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain.
Because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers,
Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach and
a byword to all who are around about us.
(Daniel 9:16, AMP)
Daniel made his appeal to God based on God's reputation. He
did not offer excuses. He boldly went to the throne of grace and

74

A Time For Repentance

spoke the truth. Daniel knew that apart from God, they were
without hope. He knew the character and the promises of God and
he appealed to the Heavenly Father on that basis. Daniel prayed:
For we do not present our supplications before You for
our own righteousness and justice, but for Your great
mercy and loving-kindness. (Daniel 9:18b, AMP)

Daniel continued to plead with God, seeking forgiveness and

mercy for his people. He claimed no personal rights, but prayed on
the basis ofGod's character and reputation for mercy. Danielknew
the ways of God. This prayer is an excellent example for us to use
as we approach the Father and repent for our family iniquity.
Daniel prayed on:
O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, give heed and
act! Do not delay, for Your own sake, O my God,
because Your city and Your people are called by Your
name. (Daniel 9:19, AMP)
Believers are instructedto repentjust as Danieldid. He provided
a model for us to follow. Our families need the same repentance
work that Daniel prayed for God's people.
We can review events in the New Testament when Jesus spoke

and ministered healing to the afflicted. In the gospel of John, we

can observe that it was common knowledge among the people to
question sin inthe ancestral lines whenthey were seeking the source
of suffering. When Jesus noticed the blind man; "His disciples
asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he
should be born blind?" (John 9:2, AMP) They believed there had to
be a cause and effect reason for this blind man's affliction.

We serve a merciful God who does not just put suffering on us

without reason. The vast majority of the suffering in my own life
has come as the result of the unconfessed and unrepented sin,

transgression, and iniquity of my forefathers. Many of my

ancestors were wicked people. They were God haters, and the
consequences of their sins have come down upon me. Our lives are
affected by the sins of others, and we need a solution for this
problem.

A Time For Repentance

75

In this book, you will find there are two different ways for you to
approach repentance and the confession of generational sins. I want
to recommend that the first time you repent through the Breaking
Original Ground Sin List that you repent according to Dr.
Matthew's directions given with the list. You will be breaking up the
original groundthe enemy holds against you and your forefathers in
your ancestral lines. You will be repenting for the iniquity and
generational sins of all your ancestors as you work through this list.
It was helpful to me to work throughthis list more than one time.
The second time I repented through the Breaking Original Ground
Sin List, I used the Twelve Step Repentance Plan. When you work
through the list using this plan you will be repenting for yourself and
your forefathers. I suggest that you do both plans so that you
thoroughly cover these areas of sin with repentance. I regard this
first sin list a category list. You will discover that some of the other
sin lists that follow give a more detailed description of sins.
I recognize that you may be having a problem with what I have
written about generational sin and the consequences in our lives.
Many people resist this information when I talk about this problem.
Perhaps it would be wise for you to stop andwork through the Bible
verses given in Section Three, Scriptures Defining Generational
Sin, before you start your generational repentance work. It can be
very helpful to take your notebook and a pen and copy these verses
so that they will go into your spirit and your heart. When I invested
some time studying each of these Scriptures, I learned that
generational sin is very influential and powerful. It was then that I
knew I must thoroughly repent for myself and my forefathers. I had
searched for so long looking for the causes of many family problems
that I refused to turn my back on family iniquity and walk away. For
years I begged God for real spiritual help and the repentance of the
sins ofmy forefathers is where He lead me to find it.
It is my desire for you to have a clear understanding of why you
are confessing the sin and iniquity of your ancestors so that this
repentance work can have its full impact in your life. This sin list
from Dr. Victor Matthews was a wonderful help to me and I know
that it can make a difference for you, too.

76

A Time For Repentance

Breaking "Original Ground"

In Your Personal Ancestral Lines
1.

You will need to firmly stand against the sin or evil deeds
on this list and rebuke them as you speak. We do not know
the sin history of all of our ancestors. Those who lived only a
few generations ago can be guilty before God, and we are

targets for the consequences. Even if you know the genealogy

of many generations of your forefathers, you do not know the
condition of their heart before Almighty God; therefore, it
would be wise for you to humble yourself and repent for
everything on the list.

2.

Make the following statement over and over as you confess

and speakaloud five or sue sins and evil deeds at a time. This
is very powerful and is for your own good. Somepeoplehave
seen immediate results fromjust working through this list the
first time.

3.

State your father's full name and mother's full maiden name
and the full nameofyour spouse's father and the mother's full
maiden name each time to fill the blank at the end of the

statement. People who have never married need to fill the

blanks with the names of their parents. Divorced or widowed
persons should include the names of all of the parents of all of
their spouses. Repeat theirnames over and overas you break
and cancel the ground the enemy has held in your life. This
should stop the transference of iniquity to yourself and your
children.

Make this statement with firm, sincere conviction:

I break down the ground and revoke any and all

permission given to Satan and wicked spirits through
(name the sins/deeds)
, in the family lines of
(state all four names in full)
.

A Time For Repentance

11

4. Every so often as you are repenting, ask the Lord to take back
the ground given to Satan by you and your ancestors because
of these sins and ask Him to close the doors in your life to
enemy activity because of family iniquity.
5. Apologize to God and work through the list, repenting one line
at a time. This is serious business before the throne of Almighty
God. Take your time and work through this list. You will be
blessed by the results.
Note: The Bible makes a distinction between effects of generational
sins and personal guilt. See Ezekiel 18:19,20. If a person is
forgiven, as in salvation, that does not automatically wipe out all
effects of generational sins. See the times in the Scripture list given
in Section Three, Scriptures Defining Generational Sin, in which
Godly people like Nehemiah and Daniel confessed the sins of their
forefathers. Consider how often believers in the Bible were affected

by the sins of others. Note the evidence of demonic control in the

lives of young children who evidently were too young to have
committed some serious sin (Mark 7 and 9).
Dr. Victor Matthews

^-*$.\

&&iW\

78

A Time For Repentance

~*

Repent The Breaking Original Ground Sin List

S#\

Sins/Evil Deeds:

Cheating

Abandonment

Child sacrifice
Communication
with the dead
Conceit
Condemnation

Abortions

Abusing prisoners
Accusations

Adultery
All Abuse: Sexual,
Mental, Child,

Condoning and
encouraging sin in

Divination
Divorce

Dowsing
Dread
Drivenness

Contempt

Duplicity,
double-dealing
Eating human flesh
Eating rituals

Anger

Control

Elitism

Anorexia nervosa

Cooperation with

Anxiety
Apathy
Arrogance
Astrology
Baptism (Blood,
Urine, Feces)
Bestiality
Beating

sinners

Enjoying sin
Enjoying pain
Enjoying inflicting
pain
Envy

Covens

Cover-ups
Covering sin
Covetousness

*~*w\

A&'A,

Dreaming fantasy

others

Corruption
Coarse jesting

**

Doubt

Physical, Emotional,
Spiritual
Angel worship

Conflict

tfjEV%

^t^

iC^

iSBS\

4SSy

A^

0E&\
^STfy

Evil

Evil speaking
Exaggeration

4=*\

az\

Exploitation

Bondage

Critical spirit
Crystals
Cursing
Debauchery
Deception
Defrauding
Demonic healing
Depression
Deprivation

Foolishness

2R>\

Bribes

Destruction

Fortune telling
Giving control of
self to the enemy for
bargains
Giving control of
n

^S$\

self to addictions

=\

Belief in error

Betrayal
Bitterness

Blaming
Blood letting
Boasting
Bolemia

Burning people in
effigy
Burning bodies
Buying and selling

people
Carnality
Causing social
problems
Causing family
problems

Discord
Disdain

Dishonesty
Dishonoring God
Dishonoring

Extortion

False testimony
False guilt
False worship
Fantasizing
Fear

4w?\

Ai*iy\

*-*\

4St$\

jBfffiX

Flattery

Dismemberment

sex, drugs, alcohol,

nicotine, gluttony,

Disobedience

drunkenness

*^

Disrespect

Gloating
Gossip

*=>\

parents

Dissensions

A Time For Repentance

Hard-heartedness

Oppression
Orgies
Out of body
experiences

Hatred

Pacts with the

Self-Protection

Haughtiness
Holding grudges
Homosexuality
Horoscopes
Hypnotism

devil

Self-righteousness

Greed

Guided imagery
Guile

Icons

Idoltry, worshiping
false gods/idols
Imagination

/1*
rms

Impatience
Incest

Ingratitude
Insmcenty
*m

Intimidation

Irresponsibility

Seances

Self-centeredness
Self-mutilation

Self-pity

Palm reading

Selfish ambition

Panic

Skepticism

Perversion

Slander

Poisoning
Pornography
Pouting
Practicing
superstition
Praying for
miscarriages to
God or the enemy
Praying to the
enemy for
protection
Praying to the
enemy for healing

Slavery
Slothfulness

(Laziness)
Sluggardly
Social murders

Sodomy
Sorcery

Spirit channeling
Spirit mediums
Spirit writing
Spiritists
Spiritual blindness
Spiritual murders

.*>

Jealousy
Kidnapping
Lesbianism

Pride

Starvation

Promiscuity

Status

/m

Love ofmoney
Love of pleasure

Prostitution

Stealing

Lust

Psychic predictions
Quarrelsomeness
Quija boards
Rage
Rape

f^\

Lying
Magic
Malice

Manipulation
"*

/rt*>
^
"*>
^

79

Stiff-necked
behavior

Strife
Stubbornness
Suicide

Masturbation

Rebellion

Materialism

Reincarnation

Swamp KbO-warts
Swearing

Mental murders

Rejection

Transendential

Mingling blood
Misuse of money to
support sm habits
Mocking
Molestation

Resentment

Meditation

Resistance

Tarot Cards

Ritualization

Tattoos, marking or
cutting the body
Tea reading
Timidity
Torturing

Sadomasochism

Satanic prayers

Murder

Satanic curses

'^

Neglect

Satanic marriage

^_

Occult symbols

Satanism

Occultism

Scorn

Transvestite
Unbelief

80

A Time For Repentance

Unforgiveness
Ungratefulness

Shamanism

Spiritism

Unholiness

Voodooism

Unloving attitude
Use of evil eye
Using snares and lures
Vain imaginations

Environmentalism, Animal rights,

Media, Books, Videos, TV, Movies
The wickedness of governments

Violence

Consequences:

Visioning
Voyeurism

ADD/ADHD

War

Aneurysm

Accidents

Warlocks

Arthritis

Water witching
Whoremongering

Blood diseases

Wickedness
Witchcraft

Diseases
Dissociation

Witches

Dyslexia

Withholding justice
Withholding kindness

Heart diseases

Cancer

Fever

Workaholism

Infertility

Worry
Worship ofmoon, sun, stars
Worshipping idols
Writing in blood

Inflammations

Learning disability
Mental illness

Multiple-personality
Natural remedies

Participation in Institutions and

Religions
Adopting their beliefs:
Freemasonry
Mormonism, LDS
Hinduism - Yoga
Islam-Muslims

All False Religions-Cults

Pain

Plagues
Respiratory diseases
Retardation
Schizoid behavior
Strokes

Suffering
Trauma

Rosicrucism

Exclusion of God and His Word

Problems:

from the public school system

Financial

Atheism

Mental

Agnosticism

Physical

Animism

Soulish

Evolution

Spiritual

Feminism
Rock music

A Time For Repentance

81

Reclaiming Surrendered Ground

Confession:

In Jesus name, I break down the ground and revoke any and all
permission given to Satan and wicked spirits through the following
sins. Heavenly Father, I confess our willful disobedience, rebellion,
and iniquity with the commitment of the sins of 1
,2
,

, 4

,5

, and 6

, on the part of myself and

my ancestors in the family lines of ffather's full name] and

{mother's maiden name! and of TfuU name spouse's father! and

fmaiden name spouse's mother! and all their ancestors before them.
Lord, I confess that as a family we walked contrary to You and as
a result You walked contrary to us because ofour iniquity, and that
You allowed us to be brought into the land of the enemy.
Lord, I confess that throughout the ages we have been prideful,
stubborn, and lived in opposition to You. As a family we deserve

all the punishment that Jesus endured on the cross for our iniquity,
and I claim the cleansing power of Jesus' blood shed on the cross
for us.

Lord, I ask You to take back all the ground given over to Satan and
wicked spirits by these sins and iniquity; and I ask You to close all
doors opened to Satan that gave him a chance to target me and my
family. I ask You, Lord, to seal those doors shut with the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am grateful to You, Lord Jesus, for making the provision of Your

blood available for me that I can be forgiven of all my sins and
Satan's power in my ancestral line neutralized for my family.
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your wonderful help.

82

A Time For Repentance

Courage To Finish
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the victorious
God of my salvation! The Lord God is my strength, my
personal bravery and my invincible army; He makes my feet
like hinds' feet, and will make me to walk not to stand still in

terror, but to walk, and make spiritual progress upon my

high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility.
(Habakkuk 3:18-19, AMP)
When we fail to confess our sins and repent, our forward
progress in the Christian life appears to be neutralized. As long as
we get along socially in the church with others who claim the name
Christian, regularly participate in church activities, and keep quiet
about our sins, troubles, and suffering, we will usually be found
acceptableto the group. If we fit in, followthe status quo, and keep
our spiritual problems to ourselves, then we will be classified as
acceptable. Repentance will upset this relationship because when
you are serious about getting more of God into your life and you
desire to know Him better, you will not be able to maintain your old
ways of living.
Repentance is meant for every believer, but repenting is not an
easy task. It stirs us up and it stirs up the devil. When God begins
to pour more of Himself into your life, you will look different and
behavedifferently, too. Such changes often rock the boat and shake
the status quo in an uncomfortable way. When the conviction ofthe
Holy Spirit is manifested in our lives, then our mere presence with
other people will bring conviction to them. Then, when the spiritual
wind around you changes direction, you will wonder what you have
gotten yourself into, and think that perhaps you have become a
target for persecution. Remember, the devil hates repenting people.
Repentance is a sifting device. It separates the shallow and the
deep, the brave and the fearful, the sinner who is self-satisfied and
comfortable in his sin, and the dear soul who is hungry for God and
willing to press on at the height of a storm. Repentance divides. It
is spiritual surgery. The more deeply you cut, the more radical the
consequences. Just like cleaningout a serious flesh wound, you will
be removing all of the "proud flesh."