Breaking the generational curse of rifts splits and divides. Click the title to expand.

Two Reformers Jeremiah and Elijah.

 For you shall go to all to whom I send you and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces for I am with you to deliver you says the Lord, then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said to me, behold I have put my words in your mouth see, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down to destroy to throw down to build and to plant. Jeremiah 1: 7-10.

Our first assignment in all things that need change is to let God do the work.  It’s not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord.

By prayer and intercession, and fasting, we begin to tear down the fortresses of lies that exalt themselves above the knowledge and wisdom of God. Traditions of men that make the word of God of no effect. To  pull up dead roots, that take up space robbing nutrients from the plantings born of the spirit. We turn up the ground in prayer, seeking, and waiting, on the Lord in corporate self-examination to expose bitter roots and ruts of stubborn resistance. Looking for opportunities to restore relationships in the body of Christ among a people. These are spirit led excavations to remove blocks and hindrances that won’t allow for change. Exposure of these deeply imbedded entanglements only comes by prophetic prayer ministry, intercession, and fasts. In order that the land can be cleared, rebuilt upon and planted in. That His word doesn’t fall on rocks, thorns, and brambles, but cultivated ground. So that there can be life in the WORD. All this is a spiritual work, and cannot be done in the flesh. 

Resistance to God moving his people out of deadness can be unsettling. There is often more disagreements unearthed in seasons of renewal than at any other time. Why? Because the dead want to rest in peace. They very much hate to have their graves disturbed. Bringing in restoration, renewal, and reform, raises Cain like nothing else in a church. As Cain strove with Abel who was just obeying God, so will those that love their sleep rise up to strive, who are normally unmovable.

Some divisiveness cannot be avoided; however, the weapons of are warfare are not carnal but they are mighty through God in the pulling down of strongholds. There comes a time when we just got to let dead things go. Why would we seek the living among the dead?  It’s time for a separation of ways. 

God led Separations, Unwise Departures, Rocky New Beginning’s, Reconciliation Always, Breaking Cycles Of Splits and Divides and Generational Curses in Church Plants. 

They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you for I am with you says the Lord to deliver you. To root out to pull down to destroy to throw down to BUILD and plant. Jeremiah 1: 17-19

An offspring church is one that has sprung from a parent church. The same rule applies whether it was a planting from the parent church, or a splitting from the parent church. Part of clearing out old root systems is making amends with any rift from the past buried in the history of a work. When a spiritual renovation is due.

Breaking the generational curse of splits and divides is much like eradicating the reoccurrence of generational sins.

The offspring church.

Children, honor your father and your mother that you may live long upon the Earth.

Sometimes, leaving a church was the right thing to do, but how it was done may have been wrong. Maybe that church in its construct wouldn’t let go, and made it impossible to leave without a rift. Nevertheless, If there was unresolved feelings that were left behind, that’s the old root system that needs to be cleaned up. So history will not continue to repeat itself.

Honoring the parent church is recognizing the fact that it was the parent church to the offspring church that exists presently. Specifically, if a leader exits and takes families with them to start another group. This happens quite often and there are few churches that have been around a long time that have not gone through a mass exodus. It’s never an easy thing to experience but there are ways to lessen the damage and avoid a rift. The first thing to look at is to ask the question, is history repeating itself? Did that body of believers now suffering a split come out of one in its history? Reconciliation after the fact, is not about rehashing over disagreements. It’s just giving honor to whom honor is due that you might live a blessed life as a body of believers and love one another as Christ loved the church. It’s about healing the family of God in the city you dwell in. A church on every corner that has nothing to do with each other is not a legacy of love but the carnage of division. As parents, we understand, we have to let our offspring go, our off shoots that were nurtured by us for a season then took that nurturing into a work of their own. We can’t make people honor us and do right toward us. But as much as it is in our power to do so, God will bless the effort. It is up to the offspring to go and pay respects to honor the parent.

Regardless of wrongs committed, mistakes made, or not seeing eye to eye, God‘s word says to honor those  that have parented you that you may live long upon the Earth. It doesn’t say in the Bible to hash through the past, it does say to give honor to whom honor is do. It does say to let the injured be heard. When a group leaves a church they need to remember the good times, when they were ministered to and prayed for, when they did feel they belonged. They should make every effort to do it right as much as it is in their power to do so. Rarely is it the right thing to do to take families with you. It’s better if you feel the call of God to plant a church, that you just go out and do it and trust the Lord will bring you people. To campaign for others to follow you out speaking against the assembly elders, and how they do things is wrong. Unless you’re dealing with apostasy.

 If the house that had the split has been openly apostate, then let the dead bury the dead. That parent Church is separated from the Head of the church, even Christ, you have no obligation to resolve anything. What can you do? But if the parent Church is in Christ, then we need to remember the whole point of our faith is the ministry of reconciliation. Put to rest Rift. Live in peace one with another as much as you can.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the WORD of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:18-19

So the spirit of Elijah is the For- Runner spirit to reform. Remember the spirit of Elijah made straight the paths of the Lord, the shed blood of Christ for the remission of sins sealed the new testament, the new wine, and established the new wine skin to carry it.

Malachi 4:5

Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers less I come strike the Earth with a curse.

This is a call of restoration between parent and offspring and is the will of God.

Endeavor to break the cycle of riftings. Even the prodigal was sent off with the blessing of his Father, people that don’t agree can be counseled to move on if they so desire, with a blessing, understanding it may be possible that it’s a Barnabas Paul type of departure. Both parties may be hearing from God to stand where they stand; clearly, Barnabas and Paul each believed their opinion in the matter was the right one, or they would’ve never parted company, one would have conceded to the other.  The body of Christ does not have to rift apart. If we can control our emotions and let the fruits of the Holy Spirit take over, even when we don’t agree that it’s the right thing to do for the other party or group to move on, it’s better than being divided, because where there is division and strife, there is every evil work.

If we treat it like the growth process of dividing cells that are doing nothing but duplicating itself, let us then see it as an extension for a greater reach, and agree to move apart. Even if one side is in error on how it is being done we can let go and agree to continue to pray for one another and support one another, and send them off. The worst that can happen is that people will feel welcomed to return. That’s not a bad thing. The best outcome is they will become an extended family, and an extension of the parent church enjoying fellowship. A mature fellowship surrounded by offspring. 

Splitting Hairs 

Error is not apostasy, falling away from the doctrine of Jesus Christ is apostasy. No one has to be compelled to choose sides in an amicable parting of ways. Lines are not being drawn in the sand over ideas and opinions. It’s just that each one needs to understand when they are not going the same  direction as the other and give each other grace. Remember, Abraham blessed and encouraged Lot, helped Lot to spread out because they were two distinct families. Encourage people in what they believe is their obedience to God. This disarms hostile take overs and threats to divide. Hug and say good bye, that is the example we see in scripture. The heartbroken father toward his prodigal, and Abraham’s wise dealings with his nephew, left a path to reconcile later.

That being said there will always be people that are influenced by the enemy seeking to do damage. These are hell bent to animate the full wrath of RIFT. God knows and is navigating his people toward victory, he will bruise Satan under your feet in due time, for what division and harm he has caused.

Romans 16:17-20

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the  DOCTRINE which ye have learned; and avoid them. [Mark, watch, and monitor.]

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

2 Tim 2:20-

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes and the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Breaking Cycles of Church Split