“UNDERSTANDING THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT“
Let’s make a confession: “This is the word of God; I believe God will speak to me, I will open up my heart; I will allow my spirit to hear God’s voice; the word says that I am an overcome. I am more than a conqueror. I can do all things through Christ. I am a victor. I believe in God for revival in my family, in my church, and in my community. I will receive what God has for me today. amen
INTRODUCTION:
The spiritual arena is an expansive reality.
- There are many ways for satan to influence a believer’s life.
- Every sin & temptation has a demon attached to it.
We fail when we do not acknowledge God in all our ways. Thus we become deceived.
ILLUS.: Kim Queen. Spoke in satanic tongues. Put hexes on other students at Independence High School. Kim was powerfully impacted by the gospel of Jesus Christ and gave her heart to the Lord. Bonnie and I served as her youth pastors. Kim brought a number of youth to our church from the local WICCAN coven.
There was a lot of occult activity in our local area, and God led us to partner with a local TV station anchorman who was a born-again Christian and Spirit-filled to have a Wednesday Power Encounter to combat satan’s message to our youth. Hundreds came, and many were saved. I remembered having conversations with some of these youth who came from the local WICCAN coven about spiritual matters, and Kim mentioned that when they used to have seances and worship events -that demons would arise out of the fire.
I asked what they looked like. She said, “You know what was odd, pastor Greg? They looked like the Aliens that everybody sees on TV.”
- She said, “People are not seeing aliens they are viewing demons.”
- A couple of other of her friends verified the story. They saw the same thing.
I began to think about that, and I remember preaching in 1989 that one day, demons would be introduced as Aliens on the earth. It is very plausible that what people are seeing as UFO sightings are nothing more than manifestations of demonic activity in the atmosphere.
Ephesians 6:12
Our nemesis, the devil, will increasingly use satanic influence to gain control of people’s minds and hearts.
FOR THOSE WHO STILL THINK THAT WALT DISNEY IS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL-
ILLUS.: “Little Demon,” a new animated series on FX, which is distributed by Disney and streamed on Hulu, sets out to normalize paganism. [Satan impregnates a woman and has an Anti-Christ, Daughter in this new Disney FX Animated series. IN THE SHOW: Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter’s soul,” the show’s description says.
- Rebellious Spirits, Absalom Spirit, Judas Spirit……
WHY THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT – Because it is so prolific in its diabolical control in the church.
Ezekiel 44:23
WE ARE SEEKING THE GLORY OF GOD AT ROL.
- To receive God’s glory, you must anticipate it and look for it.
- You must respond to it, yearn for it, embrace it.
- You must believe that you will have it.
“Without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord.”
-To reap a blessing, you must send a blessing. Reaping what you sow is the law of the harvest.
-You cannot sow good and bad in the same house and expect God’s presence.
ILLUS.: Someone asked Billy Sunday once: “Reverend Sunday, how can I stop exaggerating?” He said: “Just call it lying.” – God cannot bless something that is profane. You can call things white lies, green lies, or exaggerations.
God calls them: Lies.
It is one thing to acknowledge that God has promises in His word; it is another thing to believe that they are for you. The BIBLE is God’s personal love letter to His Church, this isn’t just a good book; it is God’s book.
-There are personal messages just for you and your family.
QUICKEST WAYS TO HAVE FREEDOM: Openly admit your mistake and admit your need of Christ.
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed.”
Usually, when the problem is admitted, then God can work.
POINT: It is hard for God to do something with somebody when they don’t need anything.
-There are a lot of people that God can’t do anything with because they have become their own person rather than God’s person.
- With the Anti-Christ Spirit released in the world, the Jezebel spirit has intensified.
- For many centuries, men and women both have fallen prey to the vengeful attacks of the JEZEBEL SPIRIT.
As we dive into the word, I pray that you will become knowledgeable so that you may war against the attacks of the enemy of our souls,
The Bible calls satan a liar, thief, and murderer.
He has stolen from Christians, families, and from Churches.
- You and I have watched as countless numbers of individuals have been destroyed due to their lack of knowledge.
1. GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE SPARED, PROTECTED, AND WATCHED OVER.
Hosea 4:6
As God reveals things to His people, and as truths are made manifest, there is the responsibility of each person to apply them to their lives. If we choose to ignore the truth, shun the evil, and if we reject the knowledge, then God says we will no longer have His Blessing.
WHY? Because we have forgotten His law.
When God teaches us new things, along with that knowledge comes tremendous responsibility.
Knowledge is not the problem…it is the wrong kind of knowledge…….let me explain.
Dan. 12:4 “In the last days, knowledge shall be increased upon the earth.”
WHY WILL GOD’S PEOPLE BE DESTROYED?
- We are destroyed for the lack of His knowledge.
2. We have rejected His knowledge.
3. We have forgotten the law of God.
-God judges Christians more harshly.
Why? “To whom much is given, much more is required.”
I have seen many Christians who seemed to be God-fearing people, Christ-honoring people, who seemed to be constantly hurt and devastated.
They live from one valley to another. They live from one HURT to another.
ILLUS.: Maybe you have seen some good Christian people who seemed to have it all together. They have served God for many years, but for some unknown reason, they have been led away and forsaken their first love.
They were the kind of people you could always count on. Faithful. Committed. Dedicated. Consecrated. But they no longer serve the Lord faithfully or committedly. Something is wrong with this scenario.
God wants His people to be victorious over the Jezebel Spirit.
Romans 8:37; I Corinthians 15: 27
THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT has played a part in the destruction of many anointed individuals.
2. WHAT IS THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT? I Kings 17
-Satan has increased His warfare against the body of Christ, particularly against ministries in these last days.
-If there is one thing that Satan fights, it is……MINISTRY.
-He will use people who are controlled, influenced, and manipulated by demonic spirits to fight the work of God and bring devastation to it. Some are not even aware of it.
The Jezebel Spirit is one weapon that Satan uses.
Know your enemy: II Corinthians 2:11
- Satan, the devil, has destined himself to thwart and stop you from being used by God.
The Jezebel spirit has but one goal:
“To destroy men and women of God, their reputations and families. The Jezebel Spirit will use people who have been hurt, maligned, and wounded in their past.
1. The Jezebel Spirit is a demonic force that desires to abort and cast off the anointing.
It fights when God’s presence is manifested. It attacks to rob you of God’s special gift.
- Some of you have felt that anointing. You carried it with you for 3, 4, or 5 days, but for some reason, you lost it. God wants you to keep it.
- Over years men and women of God have fallen prey to the insidious attack of SATAN. If you talk with those people and you would see them cry, shed tears, and tell you, “They don’t know what happened to them.”
- One minute they were fine, and almost seemingly without hesitation, they went and made a decision that cost them their ministry, their family, and their influence.
2. The Jezebel spirit is a force that comes over a person of God, and it is usually at a point after a great victory.
- What caused King David to commit adultery?
- What caused Peter to deny the Lord 3 times?
-There are many men and women of God who have fallen astray.
-They still have a call of God upon their lives. They still have a mission to accomplish.
-Satan trapped them, and they fell into a trap, but they are still worth salvaging.
-God is trying to teach us to help restore people back to the body of Christ.
-We believe in the ministry of restoration @ROL.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS:
People can be bound and not even know it. Living in denial and carrying on as though there are no problems in our lives.
Q-HOW ARE YOU? FINE – EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
BUT inside you are eaten up. Nervous, jittery, edgy with everyone around you. The joy of the Lord is not what it once was. You are not patient with people. You think everyone is out to get you all the time. You feel more and more disconnected all the time.
How did things get so out of hand? What went wrong? Can anybody help me?
Have you ever wondered why a person who loved God, lost out? I Kings 17….turn and stay there…
Here is a story about Elijah, a man of God who became influenced by Jezebel.
-Elijah was God’s man(prophet) during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel.
-In I Kings 17:1, He prophesied to Ahab that the rain would not stop for 31/2 years. A terrible drought came. At the end of the 3 1/2 years, God told Elijah to go and prophesy that a great rain would come.
-The details of the rest of the story are found in I Kings 18.
-The prophesied drought was the beginning of many miracles performed in and through Elijah’s ministry.
-Elijah had a need for daily sustenance. God provided ravens who fed Him twice daily, and He received water from the brook Cherith. A widow who didn’t have enough oil and meal for 1 more person was commanded to sustain Elijah.
-The widow’s son even became ill and died, but God used the servant to raise Her son from death.
*One day, when Elijah was out looking for grass for horses.
Obadiah, the governor of Ahab’s house, was also looking for grass.
Elijah met Obadiah and asked Him to deliver a message to Ahab.
Elijah wanted to tell the wicked King Ahab something.
When Elijah met Ahab, the first words out of Ahab’s mouth were words of accusation. I Kings 18:17
Elijah Responded: I Kings 18:18
Vs.19-v.46 finds us in the prophetic confrontation and showdown.
-The confrontation that day prompted Elijah to test the false prophets; he asked Ahab to gather all the 850 prophets who ate at Jezebel’s table.
BACKGROUND ON WHO AHAB AND JEZEBEL ARE IN SCRIPTURE:
-Unlike today, names were of great value to people in Bible days. In most cases, a name gave reference & definition to a character. Let’s look at a few examples:
Esau and Jacob had names that described them.
- Esau was born red and hairy. Esau means: “hairy”. His name was later changed to Edom, which means “red”.
- Jacob was born holding the heel of Esau. His name meant: “Heel-catcher”, “supplanter”.
Their names foretold details about their lives that they would encounter later.
Genesis 25:25
POINT: 1. The name Jezebel has a specific meaning= [It means wickedness. It is synonymous with Idolatry. Or unhusbanded or not united.
-Jezebel doesn’t like to submit to authority, spiritual, governmental, or societal.
-IN AMERICA, THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT HAS BEEN UNLEASHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING FALSE GODS.
The books of Kings & Chronicles record the story of Queen Jezebel. Jezebel was a princess. Her father was King Ethbaal. Ethbaal was a Baal worshipper and served Pagan Gods. He committed murder to gain the throne.
Jezebel worshipped Baal like her father and married Ahab because of what she could gain. Theirs was a political marriage. She had no regard for the God of Israel. She was a priestess and a prophetess of Baal’s.
- Hebrew husbands were considered to be the owners of their wives. The name BAAL means “Lord, husband”. Jezebel means “unhusbanded”. She was married to Ahab but, in reality, was married to Baal.
- She served as a priest over her own home. She deep down craved the pattern of having a marriage after God’s plan.
3. AHAB’S ORIGIN. I Kings 16:30-33
-Ahab was a prince, the son of King Omri.
-Omri was captain of the host, the 6th king of Israel. King Omri had fought king Tibni over the 10-tribe kingdom. Omri reigned for 12 years. During His reign, he purchased the hill of Samaria and built the city of Samaria on it.
-I Kings 16:25 states that he was the evilest king that Israel ever had to date.
Omri, committed all the sins of King Jeroboam who’d gone before Him, but in addition, he committed new sins and forced idolatry upon the people. When Omri died, Ahab, his son succeeded Him.
-Ahab was the 8th King of Israel and reigned for 22 years. He married Jezebel.
-He was even eviler than king Omri and surpassed Him in wickedness.
I Kings 16:30-33
A child raised in a Godly atmosphere will feel CONVICTED for the smallest sin.
Whereas a child raised in a sinful environment will become desensitized to sin.
-There is no greater example of this than through the lives of Ahab and Jezebel.
-Ahab sold himself out to Jezebel; he forgoes all He knew to please her.
-To please her, he built a temple to Baal and built an altar within.
-He also became a worshipper of Baal.
-He allowed his wife to import cults to God’s people=
I Kings 21:25 –26
I Kings 16:33, “Ahab made a grove to please His bride.”(Idol)
- Jezebel hired her prophets to prophesy what she wanted to hear.
- She had itching ears; she didn’t want to hear from a prophet of God.
- She did not want to be confronted with the truth.
- The 400 prophets of the groves and the 450 prophets of Baal were so close to her that they ate at the same table with her. She worshipped with them.
II Timothy 4:3-4
-We as Christians are aware that the truth will set us free.
-Many don’t want the truth because they can’t face it.
-They have decided to remain bound. They do not want to be free. When we are faced with our shortcomings, then we are responsible for dealing with it.
-We must allow God to burn away the weakness in our lives if we ever expect to walk in victory.
- There are individuals that are controlled by a Jezebel spirit and don’t know it. The Jezebel spirit operates through men as well as women.
- Jezebel uses manipulation as another tactic. The spirit causes them to want to manipulate to get their way. What happened to submission in the body of Christ?
- People can become political in the Church, jockeying for positions.
- People can become controlling in the church. They are acting as Jezebel.
-What about the person who disagrees with the Pastor and then sows seeds of division throughout the body to overthrow the Pastor’s decision?
-The devil will bring people into our lives in an unholy alliance to hinder us and overthrow us spiritually.
-Societally, people are affected by CONTROLLING SPIRITS, AND THIS OVER-ARCHING JEZEBEL SPIRIT.
-Discernment must operate in our lives. It is the only way that we can protect ourselves. God has given DISCERNMENT to us as a gift.
THE TWO AREAS I SEE: SOME PEOPLE OVER-SPIRITUALIZE EVERYTHING, AND SOME UNDER-SPIRITUALIZE THINGS.
-Some see a demon in everything, and some deny everything.
-I have seen people pick up an offense and get involved with someone, and it had nothing to do with them. It was for the purpose of deceit and manipulation. In the end -All were destroyed.
Protect what God has given you!
*Guard yourself, your family, and your reputation: I Peter 5:8
4. THE PROPHETIC SHOWDOWN.
The challenge came when Elijah instructed the people to follow whichever God proved to be greater. He took 2 bulls which were the same.
He instructed them in I Kings 18:24
Vs.26-29. They cried to Baal, and by noon, Elijah mocked them.
He then instructed the preparation of His sacrifice.
With 4 barrels of water, repeated two more times.
In Vs. 35-40, we find Elijah in the moment of victory.
Vs. 46, we read that the Lord empowered Him to miraculously run for 30 miles in front of Ahab’s chariot. He was a man of miracles.
In I Kings 19, we find a different scenario.
-Jezebel was enraged because of the humiliation of her prophets being killed.
-She swore to kill Elijah the next day.
-She was an intimidator noted for producing fear in people.
I Kings 19:4
WHAT HAPPENED? The man of God just lost the victory. Why? For years we thought Jezebel operated solely through the area of seduction. Not true.
There are three main areas of operation of a Jezebel Spirit:
- Manipulation 2. Intimidation 3. Domination
-Jezebel used evil powers to carry out her destruction of people all around her.
-Jezebel cursed Elijah when she issued a threat upon His life.
-Fear can be intimidating. It was as though a man of God came under her spell.
James 3:10; Prov. 18:21
-Elijah was the same powerful man under the juniper tree.
-What happens to make people get in this shape?
- How do people seemingly lose the victory in a very short period of time?
- How do people who were once supportive of the Church become antagonistic with the Church?
- Ever wonder what makes a person turn almost overnight?
-I have seen people with a beautiful spirit. Previously, they were an encourager, they were supportive of people, ministries, and the pastor. All of a sudden, they change, and they become vindictive, accusatory, and almost angry-many believing they are “BEING LEAD OF GOD.”
-I am telling you, get the mess out of your spirit – It will destroy you and wreak spiritual havoc in your life.
THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IS THE ANSWER.