October 2002

Dear Prayer Partner,

With the help of the Holy Spirit you can determine your influence, identity and integrity. The following article is about Donnis Brock Griffin who made these determinations as a teenager, and she fulfilled her destiny as an apostle of Joy. Her ministry of exhortation inspired others to know God. The following article is about her faith that is a part of the legacy she left us.

Let us rise up and proclaim 2 Corinthians 9:8 one for the other: And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work….

A Mother of Faith

My mother, Donnis Brock Griffin, prayed daily for her family, and it was her delight to share about meeting the Lord, and how God directed her life. Dressed in her Christmas skirt and sweater with the glow of the lights reflected on her joy-filled face, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, she once again told us the story that never grows old. Her story is an illustration of Proverbs 16:9: A man’s heart devises his ways, but the Lord directs his steps. We listened with rapt attention to the words of this Mother of Faith.

A Grandmother’s Admonition

Believe it or not, at one time I was a teenager with dreams just as you have today. My dad was a farmer, and a young man who lived on the neighboring farm asked me to marry him. He was so good looking, and I was thrilled with the beautiful, sparkling diamond that he had placed on my finger. I was the envy of every girl in our community.

One day Frank moved to a nearby state to find employment and buy a house for us. While he was away a young minister came to preach in our village, and my pastor insisted that I meet him. We began seeing each other. When this itinerate preacher moved on, I never expected to hear from him again. But before long, I was receiving romantic letters, and over the next few months I enjoyed the attention of two men who were declaring their love for me. Yes, your grandfather is a romantic!

Well, one day he came back to preach a revival where I was the church pianist, and we saw each other every night. One moonlit night after church we went to my parents’ home for refreshments. The night was bathed in moonlight and the sweet perfume of gardenias wafted across the porch where we sat gently swinging back and forth.

Of course, you know what happened; he asked me to marry him and I said yes. Shortly, we said goodnight. Humming a joyful tune I went inside when reality hit. I was engaged to two men! Preparing for bed, I begin praying, “O God, tell me what to do. I’ve known Frank all my life, and Buck only a few months. I have been eagerly awaiting my marriage to Frank. He is buying me a house; Buck doesn’t even own a car. Show me what to do.”

The next morning just before waking, I had a dream. I heard my mother’s voice saying, “Buck has called you. Now you call him.” Startled, I awoke and ran to the kitchen. “Mama, why did you say that? What do you mean?” Low and behold, she hadn’t even called me to get up. Then I heard that still small voice that is so precious to me, “Donnis, remember, you prayed.”

Then I knew—I had made my plans—plans that were exciting to me, but God directed my steps. Your grandfather and I went through valleys and walked on mountain peaks, we’ve experienced heartaches and joys, but I’ve never doubted, never questioned God. I’ve lived all these years knowing that I am in the will of God for my life. The Heavenly Father knew Buck and me before the foundation of the world, and He brought us together as husband and wife for His purpose. Wait on God to reveal your life partner, and fulfill your destiny.

Donnis Brock Griffin went to be with the Lord at the age of 81. She and her husband, Rev. A. H. “Buck” Griffin, were married almost 64 years at the time of her death. They served as pastors over forty years and continued in ministry the remainder of her life. My Dad, 96 years old, resides in a nursing home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Breaking Generational Curses

Father, you have set before us life and death, blessing and cursing. We come before you choosing life that we, and our children might live. We love you, Lord our God, and we will obey you and cling to you, for you are our life and the length of our days.

You have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We turn away from everything wrong, whether of spirit, soul or body and purify ourselves, living in the wholesome fear of God, giving ourselves to you alone.

Father, we believe in our hearts that you raised Jesus from the dead, and we confess Jesus is Lord over our spirits, souls and bodies. As Your representatives we are anointed to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted. Your anointing comforts the broken-hearted, and we announce liberty to the captives…the time of God’s favor has come to all those who mourn…. Father-God, you planted us like strong and graceful oaks for your own glory, and anointed us to rebuild the ancient ruins… reviving them though they have lain there many generations.

Thank you for sending Jesus who brought us out from under doom by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself. We have witnessed the fruit of disobedience—the iniquities of the fathers and mothers passed down to the present generation. We repent and renounce our sins and the sins of our ancestors, and ask you to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In the name of Jesus we break every generational curse of our earthly fathers and mothers, and bow ourselves before you, our Heavenly Father who is faithful, forgiving, loving, kind, compassionate, and full of mercy.

In the name of Jesus, we use powerful weapons of warfare to tear down, annihilate, crush and smash strongholds (thought patterns and philosophies) handed down to us from our forefathers. We capture and bring into obedience mindsets that are in opposition to the Word of God.

Forgive us for exalting our family culture, customs and traditions above the Word of God, and loving the world more than we love You. Forgive us for being stiff-necked, stubborn and rebellious, and insisting on having our own way. We repent of and renounce cynicism, selfishness and self-centeredness.

Forgive us for teaching and training our children to fear man, for planting and fostering in them the fear of _________ (rejection, failure, abandonment and judgment). Forgive us for entertaining lying spirits, and winking at sin. We repent of our sins, the sins of our forefathers back to the third and fourth generations, and we renounce the spirits of antichrist that has been at work in our families on both the paternal and maternal sides.

Father, forgive those who have trespassed against us for they did not know what they were doing, and forgive us our trespasses that have separated us from your love, from ourselves and from one another.

You have given us power to tread on serpents and scorpions, over all the power of the devil. In the name of Jesus, we charge familiar spirits that have created various breakdowns in the souls (minds and emotions) of our children to come out, and enter no more into them.

We pray that our children will keep themselves from idols (false gods) – (from anything and everything that would occupy the place in their hearts due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place).

In the name of Jesus we bind the minds of our children and future generations to the fear of God, to the will of God, to the grace and mercy of God and to the blood of Jesus. We bind our children’s minds to truth that makes them free, and whom the Son has set free is free indeed. We loose from their minds wrong perceptions about God, bad feelings toward others, thoughts of self-hatred, anxieties, the fear of rejection and the fear of man.

Father, your kingdom come, your will be done in our family even as it is in heaven. Father, hallow your name in the _______ family. You chose us before the foundation of the world, and you will pour your Spirit upon our offspring, and your blessing upon our descendants. You are contending with us, and you will give safety to our children and ease them day-by-day.

Thank you for forgiving all our iniquities and healing all our diseases, and crowning us with loving kindness and tender mercies, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture References:
Deuteronomy 29:19-20, Ephesians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Romans 10:9-10, Isaiah 61 Galatians 3:11, 1 John 1:9, Exodus 20:5, Nehemiah 9:2, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Luke 10:19, Mark 9:25, 1 John 5:21, Matthew 18:18, Matthew 6, Isaiah 44:3
Psalm 103

Copyright © Germaine Copeland 2002

Germaine Copeland is the author of the best selling book series, Prayers That Avail Much. She has written scriptural prayers for the family. Read your Bible, pray and attend church where you can soak up the love and faith of God. You will receive emotional healing, experience spiritual growth and become more intimately acquainted with your Heavenly Father, and your relationships will grow stronger.