What's in your DNA?
While my husband was on his last ministry trip to New Zealand, He had me order a DNA Kit for myself so I could find out what my heritage is. I did the swab test, mailed it back and then the results came shortly after he returned home. Growing up I was told that I was French, Irish, English, and Slovak. I was surprised to find that not only did it confirm the Irish, English, and East European, (Slovakia) but also Welch, Scottish, and a mere 1.5% west Asian. After some, discussion with my mother, I found out that the Turks invaded Slovakia and that is where that tiny little bet of West Asian came in. I also learned there is no French.
So I began digging into my family history. In doing that, I discovered many things such as my great-grandmother who I thought was completely Slovak, had a Hungarian maiden name. Her grandmother was a Hungarian Countess who lost her title because of who she married. So, I can add Hungarian to the East European part of my DNA. I am finding the research very exciting and have spent hours tracing back my lineage on both my mother's side and my father's side of my family, even spending time on microfilm finding death records and naturalization records.
In the excitement are also disappointments and challenges. My Irish lineage seems to be the most difficult in tracing right now. Trying to find where in Ireland my great-grandmother migrated from in 1907 will involve a drive to Massachusetts in the near future so I can view her naturalization papers on microfilm. The history of Ireland certainly is an oppressive one, though also rich in the miraculous. I am sure there is both good and not so good to be found in any part of my lineage.
So, why spend time doing all this research? For one thing, I find it fascinating, as though it is a great mystery and I am the detective trying to find all the clues and connect the dots. The other reason is that in light of the Word of God, I am looking at my family history differently. While I can see areas that have affected my family and even affected myself and my children, I no longer need to be controlled or affected by them. I also don't have to be embarrassed by them either. Do you have skeletons in your family closet?
You're not alone. Take a look at the personalities that are in Jesus's family tree! In Genesis 38 Tamar sleeps with her father-in-law while disguised as a prostitute. In Joshua chapters 1 & 2 we read about Rahab the prostitute. Without her though, we wouldn't have the victory of Jerico. What about Ruth the Moabite? Read the end of Genesis chapter 19 and you'll find that the father of the Moabite people was born out of incest. Though without Ruth we wouldn't have King David. In 2 Samuel chapter 11 King David who commits adultery with Bathsheba and has her husband murdered. Last but not least is King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines! So you can see that even Jesus himself had quite the family history and yet, out of that came God's gift to humanity. See, because of the generational curse of sin and death, there is no such thing as the perfect family lineage, except one; those that belong to a new lineage that begins with Christ.
You can read Deuteronomy 28 to learn about the generational blessings and curses that come and the causes of them. Deuteronomy 5:9 tells us that the sins of the fathers visit the third and fourth generation. Vs 10 also says likewise that He shows love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. What are His commandments that we are to keep? Matthew 22:37 tells us to Love the Lord our God with all our heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. We're called to love God, to enjoy Him. To enjoy Him you will enjoy what He enjoys and guess what He enjoys most of all? - You! Love what He loves and you will love others too! My husband frequently tells the story of how he came to love shopping. Yes, you read that right. My husband loves to shop! He says he learned to love shopping when he was first married to his late wife. She loved shopping and so to be with her, he learned to love shopping too. Sometimes in order to spend time with those we love, we learn to appreciate the things they appreciate. God loves you and so if you don't love you, then you are not loving what He loves.
And guess what? You can redeem the past. Generational sin, that is sin that is passed down from one generation to another, doesn't have to have a hold on you. The power of sin and death has been defeated at the cross. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guild and iniquities, the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. - Isaiah 53:4-5. If you have an issue in your life that you have sincerely repented of but still can't seem to move beyond, it could be a generational sin or curse passed on through the family line. The sins and weaknesses of others in our family tree can have an impact on us and likewise, our own sins and weaknesses have impact on the generations after us. It is very important to deal with persistent issues that keep revisiting us and affecting our lives, not just for our own sake but for the sake of those after us. How do we deal with generational sins?
The first step to dealing with generational sin is simply recognizing it. If you are dealing with a sin in your life that you can't seem to break free of and especially if a parent or grandparent had the same sin or weakness, chances are, it's a generational sin or curse. Some generational sins are
obvious such as addiction, sexual sin, etc... but there also also those that are less obvious such as a particular mindset that holds you hostage such as a fear, doubt, and unbelief or pride, self-righteousness, an inner vow, or even religion. The first step is first seeing the sin and recognizing all lies and thought patterns we've embraced personally or inherited from our family line. The second step is simply to repent. True repentance is not just saying we are sorry but it means to change ones mind, turning away from the sin and turning towards God. Then after you've repented for yourself, if that sin is in your family ancestry, you can do what is called identification repentance even for those who are no longer alive. You can read Nehemiah 1:6-9 for more information. Daniel was another one who repented for the sins of his people. You can then renounce that sin...meaning to give up claim to it. Then verbally, you break it's power over you and your family line using your authority as a believer in Christ. After that, you obey God and every day choose to live in the blessing!
It is important to know that your your DNA in Christ has much more powerful than any earthly DNA you could ever have.
So, I will continue on in my family research while being mindful that my spiritual inheritance is far more valuable and powerful than any earthly heritage. Am I living in a way that keeps me from receiving my inheritance like my great, great, great, grandmother the Hungarian Countess? I think I will chose to be like many of my other ancestors who left behind a life of bondage for the unknown to experience a brand new life! I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
I'd like to end this blog by sharing an article from Charisma Magazine that touches on the subject of spiritual DNA: