Personal Experiences in Generational Healing

by Judith MacNutt
Spring 2000

Two prayer experiences in relation to healing of generational influences have touched me profoundly. You see, my dad is a nearly full–blooded Cherokee, descended from those ancestors who fled into the forests 150 years ago in order to escape the tragic Trail of Tears, when so many Cherokees died on the long march to Oklahoma. I am proud of my Cherokee heritage.

Yet, I had a disturbing experience about 25 years ago. At that time, I was a missionary in Jerusalem and had fallen victim to a mysterious fever that would not respond to medical treatment. To my surprise, a female missionary whom I scarcely knew came bustling into the room where I lay in bed.

Although she had no natural means of knowing about my Native American ancestry, she proceeded to ask me if I was Cherokee. When I said yes, she told me she believed God was leading her to pray for me to be healed of the generational effects of witchcraft related to my Cherokee ancestors' occult involvement. When I gave her permission to pray, this woman uttered a powerful prayer of deliverance.

Immediately my fever disappeared.

Twenty years later, a beautiful generational blessing followed this healing. Our friends, George and Rena Larson (George went to be with the Lord last year) were praying for me to receive an inner healing. Unexpectedly, God gave me a vision in which I clearly saw the Cherokees, suffering as the soldiers forced them West along the wintry roads. Naturally, I responded by praying for my people. Then the vision ended with the scene changing: Jesus appeared to me after He had brought me in prayer to my favorite childhood spot — a natural stone bridge overlooking the Red River Gorge in my native Kentucky. Stretching out his arm over the luxuriant forests below, Jesus turned to me with great love and majesty and said, "All this is yours." When I asked what this meant he added, "This is your inheritance."

I believe the Lord was telling me through this vision that He had released me from the negative effects of that part of my family background but was continuing to bless me through the holy and godly parts of that same ancestry.

These two powerful experiences in generational healing were remarkable moments in my life. One broke the negative effects passed down to me through my ancestors' occult involvement. The second balanced the breaking of the curse: Jesus blessed and affirmed the beautiful part of my Cherokee heritage!

Judith MacNutt is author, teacher, conference speaker and co–founder of CHM.