WAR ROOM #10—DRIVE A STAKE IN THE GROUND!
I hit a point not long ago where I felt overwhelmed with adversities on many sides. Fiery darts of opposition, division, and infirmity were flying in every direction.
Lord, I’m accustomed to adversity, but this is insane. I have no idea how to cope with warfare of this magnitude on so many fronts. What do I do?
It’s time to drive a stake in the ground.
I want you to take authority over your family tree!
Authority over my family tree? I don’t have authority over anyone, let alone my family tree. So where does this authority come from?
Look closely at Genesis 1—Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the earth. . . God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it!’ Genesis 1:26, 28
Subdue! To take dominion. To come in OVER that thing, not UNDER it.
That’s it! Enough is enough! It’s time to drive a stake in the ground. The idea of coming in over the family tree in the position of God-given dominion rather than somewhere under all that foliage was growing on me.
Do you know, trees grow from the top? And the top of the tree is called the crown. So, God has given us authority over and within the structure of our family tree to govern and bring spiritual order, growth and abundance in our season.
It is time for our generation to speak to the tree.
This is not an invitation—it’s a command! It’s a war cry! This is how we fight—and win—the battle for our family trees, not in part but in whole.
This is our first and foremost battleground. Not simply to pray over the branches, twigs and leaves around us, but the whole structure and growth pattern of our particular tree!
So, how does this work? The Lord was very specific.
Decree to the tree, prophesy to the generations!
If speaking to the trees seems out of left field, notice that God’s first conversation with the first couple was about. . . Trees. Two in particular (see Genesis 2). All of our lives are about the battle between these two trees—the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. In the spiritual realm, trees represent kingdom structures of darkness or light. And your tree matters. Your authority to influence the pattern, growth habit and fruitfulness of that tree matters.
Jesus also spoke to the fig tree. He was on his way to the temple to take authority over the House of God as a place of prayer rather than a den of thieves. In fact, he decreed the same thing His Father had said in the Garden—Do not eat from this tree! The fig tree withered immediately from the roots. There’s more to this story, but that will come later.
For most of us, praying for family is hardly new territory. If you think about it, we mostly pray over micro matters and superficial issues that point to much deeper root problems that may never be confronted. But this is different. Here we align with God’s plans and purposes for our family tree to speak life, redemption, restoration, revelation, abundance, spiritual fruitfulness, strength, integrity, resilience, favor, etc. into the root structure of our family tree.
This is an opportunity to be God’s change agent on behalf of your family tree—the parts you know and the parts you don’t. This is a matter of faith to build and to fight for the victory Christ has won for us in the spiritual realm to manifest into the earthy realm. Like Nehemiah, we take a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. We speak to the roots, branches, leaves and fruit. But most of all, the roots. If the roots are rotten, the whole tree structure will rot also.
This is how we advance the kingdom, one family tree at a time. This is both kingdom building and kingdom warfare in which we have the victory.
GETTING STARTED—Don’t wait to figure all this out to begin—just start where you are and let the Holy Spirit lead you into new territory. Whatever you decree by faith, Father God will give you. Remember, you are taking back the dominion He gave you in the beginning!
Do not be afraid, for I am with you… Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms [and family trees], to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. Then the word of the LORD came to me, ‘What do you see?’ Jeremiah 1:8-10
DECREE TO THE TREE
DECREE scriptures and truths from the Word of God. Speak these aloud over your family tree.
A few examples:
I decree abundant spiritual fruit over my family tree.
I decree restoration of health, strength and vigor in the inmost parts of my family tree.
I decree peace, love and harmony into my family tree.
I decree realignment with God’s original design and DNA for my family tree.
I decree faith-fulness, deep love and devotion to God for my family tree.
I decree truth in the inmost parts for my family tree.
I decree that no weapon formed against my family tree will prosper.
I decree the Blood of Jesus over my family tree.
I decree eternal life to my family tree.
You can use command words other than decree. Note, these are imperative declaratives, action words that activate in the spiritual realm what is to manifest in the earthly realm.
I repent on behalf of my family tree for ungodly and unrighteous fruits.
I uproot serpent strands in the root system of my family tree.
I break off vows, curses and unholy alliances from my family tree.
I render null and void all contracts, vows and verdicts from the enemy camp.
I declare access denied to all unclean spirits.
I cut off all generational sin patterns from my family tree.
I cast out any demonic presence in my family tree.
I forbid trespass and infiltration from all lying spirits.
I reset righteous boundaries for my family tree.
I destroy all evil altars set up in my family tree.
I void all powers of darkness, spells, witchcraft, divinations and evil activations within my family tree.
I forbid all mental illness, mind-control and unrighteous mind-sets within my family tree.
PROPHESY TO THE GENERATIONS. As you decree to the tree, ask the Lord for revelation of His plans, purposes and spiritual gifts for your family tree. Prophesy these things the Lord shows you or puts in your heart by revelation, vision and dreams of His divine plans and purposes for your family tree.
I see the cords of unbelief wrapped around my family tree coming loose and falling away.
I call upon my family tree to produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
I see a generation of leaders that have served the world now rising up to serve the Kingdom of God.
I see the harnesses and helmets of world systems and mindsets falling away from this family tree.
The hand of the Lord covers this family tree.
The Word of the Lord permeates this family tree.
Warring angels and heavenly flashing swords are safeguarding my family tree.
Faith bonfires are igniting all places where love has grown cold in my family tree.
This family tree is set apart as Holy unto the LORD!
I see the glory of the LORD resting upon the canopy of my family tree.
The possibilities are endless. Don’t worry if the lines between DECREE and PROPHECY become blurred. They are part of the same river of faith, joy and revelation that the LORD will pour out as you rise up!
How does God see your family tree?
Is your tree a House of God or a den of thieves?
How will He use your obedience to DECREE transformation your family tree?
Decree to the tree, prophesy to the generations!
Rise up in splendor and be radiant,
for your light has dawned, and Yahweh’s glory now streams from you!
Look carefully! Darkness blankets the earth, and thick gloom covers the nations,
but Yahweh arises upon you and the brightness of his glory appears over you!
Nations will be attracted to your radiant light and kings to the sunrise-glory of your new day.
Isaiah 60:1-3
Know your enemy and know yourself,
and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.
Sun Tzu