This weekend, as King’s Church International celebrates its 80th anniversary, we are full of thanks to God for his faithfulness over so many years. The fires of faith in God that were lit in the first generation of a small group of sacrificial people in a Scout Hut in Slough, have never gone out. They have continued to burn throughout each succeeding generation.
Happily, we have different examples of three and four living generations represented in the church. Some families can trace a five-generation legacy in the church. God is a God who keeps His promises in all generations to those who follow Him. Psalm 119:90 says: ‘Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.’
God’s name is closely associated with generational blessings. The Bible continually refers to the one true God of heaven and earth as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The blessing of God on these three generations paved the way for generations to come, notably through the 12 tribes of Jacob and the nation of Israel.
In a modern-day culture that is so often me-centred and focused on the instant and here and now, the many generational teachings of the Bible help us to zoom out and see a much bigger picture of God’s ongoing plans for the world. When we understand that we are all part of a much bigger story we can gain a new humility, a clearer identity of who we are and have new hope and confidence for the future, no matter what may be experiencing in the present. Here are some keys to discovering the power of generational blessings:
1. Each generation can know the blessings of God who has blessed past generations (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 17:7; Psalm 105:8-10; Galatians 3:29)
2. Each generation has to overcome challenges to receive their blessings
3. Each generation needs to focus on ensuring the flow of blessing to the next generation (Judges 2:10-12; Psalm 145:4; Psalm 145:6-7; Psalm 22:30-31; Psalm 78:4-7; Psalm 71:18; Matthew 6:33; Acts 2:38-39)
Apply
Each generation can know the blessings of God who has blessed past generations. Abraham knew the blessing of God (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 17:7). And that’s what happened to Isaac and Jacob who also received the same promises from God about their descendants. What this means for us today is that any generation who commits to following the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob can also know the blessings of God’s promises, no matter how many generations we are removed from them (Psalm 105:8-10; Galatians 3:29).
Each generation has to overcome challenges to receive their blessings. Abraham’s wife Sarah, Isaac’s wife Rebekah and Jacob’s wife Rachel were all very beautiful women-interestingly that seemed to be part of the generational blessings- but they had great difficulty and delay in having children. There was a lot of sadness to overcome. There was a lot of pain in the journey. They had to learn to endure and to move past their problems. Abraham had to wait 25 years for the fulfilment of what God had promised but He persevered in faith even though his dream seemed to have died. Isaac had to overcome a lot of opposition from enemies who wanted to block him in any way they could. Conquests of his father in the previous generation were being lost in much the same way that the legacy of our Christian forefathers in this nation has been eroded over the past generation. He had to learn to rediscover the life-giving blessings of his dad. Jacob had to wrestle with God to come into his blessing and endure a lot of trouble and sadness. He was on the run from his brother and he was overcome with grief when his favourite son seemed to have been killed. Yet later he was stunned at how God worked things out for good in his life. God has many blessings for every generation, but you have to hold on to your dreams and persevere in faith to receive them. You must press on and pray on for your loved ones and for the fulfilment of all God has promised you.
Each generation needs to focus on ensuring the flow of blessing to the next generation. It’s not guaranteed that every succeeding generation will serve the Lord. The fires of revival and Christian influence can go out if not attended to. That has happened time and again in history and in many churches. Not every generation in the Bible served the Lord. Some deliberately and defiantly turned away from the Lord. After the years of amazing godly leadership from Moses and Joshua, ‘another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel’ (Judges 2:10-12). Subsequently, we read in Israel’s history of ongoing generational battles. Many generations decided to abandon God and served sex, money and power often leading to great violence, depravity and social disintegration. And then seemingly out of nowhere godly leaders appear who lead their generations back to God and rebuilt what was broken. The actions then of one generation have huge potential to shape generations that come after them…for good or bad. Today there are many who want to shape the future generations for various causes, religions and philosophies. As Christians and as churches such as King’s Church International we have a great responsibility to shape our generation and generations to come for Christ and His Kingdom. We, as a church, as parents and leaders, must pass on what we know and equip children and young people to be morally, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually strong. We must train the present and future generations in the way of the Lord. The Psalms particularly emphasise how we must be dedicated to doing this (Psalm 145:4; Psalm 145:6-7; Psalm 22:30-31; Psalm 78:4-7). What a responsibility and privilege we have then to shape the character and destiny of generations by the loving and faithful example of our lives, the power of our prayers and the consistent Bible teaching and training in how to live God’s way. We must never stop doing this in our homes, schools, life groups and churches (Psalm 71:18). As the founder pastor of KCI, Pastor WTH ‘Billy Richards would say, ‘no matter what anyone says or does always keep a sweet spirit and always keep on keeping on.’ Truly generational blessings are powerful. And each one of you and your families can be part of this when you full commit yourselves to the Lord (Matthew 6:33). For we can take hold of the promise that was made generations ago on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38:39).
