Spirit Of Jezebel – Recognise It!

Revelation 2 : 2 0

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

“The ‘Jezebel spirit’ is named after King Ahab’s wife in ancient Israel. This spirit is born out of witchcraft and rebellion and is one of the most common spirits in operation today. It is a powerful enemy of the ‘body of Christ’-the church. It operates freely on even sincere believers.

Jezebel

This spirit obviously existed long before Queen Jezebel, but she was so totally controlled by its nature that she has become its namesake.

Queen Jezebel

Jezebel, the Biblical character, first appears in First Kings i6, when she marries Ahab, king of Israel. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, the king and high priest of the Baal worshipping Sidonians. Baal worship was closely associated with obsessive sensuality and often involved sex acts. Jezebel, as a daughter of this perverse kingdom, was raised in an atmosphere where sex was a path to power and influence.

Ahab, King of Israel, was completely subdued and dominated by Jezebel. Jezebel then introduced the worship of Ash toroth to Israel. This goddess, represented in Canaanite culture by the moon, was a power-hungry goddess of love and sensuality. Priestess-prostitutes filled her shrines and serviced her worshippers. The lure of these legal, readily available erotic encounters was more than the men of Israel would resist. By Jezebel’s influence, 3.0 million Israelites left the worship of God for Baal and Ashtoroth. Only 7000 people in the entire nation were not swayed by her control.

The Characteristics Of The Jezebel Spirit

A Jezebel spirit seeks control through manipulation. It has a deep hatred of true spiritual authority, and uses emotional pressure, witchcraft and obsessive sensuality in its pursuit of power. It uses subtle persuasion to gain influence and get close to those in control. It then uses this position to gradually dominate.

In the Hebrew, the name Jezebel means literally “without cohabitation”. She will not live or “cohabit” with those she cannot dominate and control. She will have no equals. Control is what Jezebel wants more than anything. Even when Jezebel appears to be submissive, it is usually out of a carefully wrought plan to gain influence.

Since Jezebel initially tends to establish control without the actual use of physical force, she is more easily associated with classic feminine persuasion techniques.

Jezebel likes to appear close to leaders, and use their influence. She likes to use the power and influence of others to accomplish her goals and control her environment. In 1 Kings 21:8 we read ” Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of the city.” This is typical of Jezebel. She prefers to remain concealed in the background, while she manipulates situations and leaders.

Jezebel is often associated with pleasure, especially sexual pleasure. She will use any form of sensuality at her disposal to gain influence and control. Jezebel uses sensuality, but make no mistake, Jezebel is seeking CONTROL. Lusts are merely tools used to weaken others in order for her to accomplish her goal of control. In many cases sex is not involved at all.

Jezebel’s greatest enemy is true spiritual authority. As Jezebel opposed Elijah and Herodias opposed John the Baptist, so Jezebel today opposes righteous authority. In her heart, she despises all moral authority.

Further description of the spirit of Jezebel

The mission and purpose of this demon can be seen in fivefold:

1. To masquerade as a protector

In order for this spirit to gain access to it’s captive, the spirit of Jezebel will enter through negative emotional doorways that have already been opened by other demons, including fear, rejection, jealousy and anger. As a protector, the spirit of Jezebel promises its captive ultimate elevation through recognition and domination of the lives of those around him or her. Spiritual seduction is Jezebel’s religious goal. The Jezebel demon tries to convince those in Christ-particularly leadership- that the captive is spiritually mature, trustworthy, loyal and reliable-persons who by virtue of their works are prematurely granted privileges and opportunities to minister and to hold positions of authority.

2. To kill the prophets.

As was the case in the life of Ahab’s wife, this demon will seek those who by nature have a jealous, envious spirit, hostile to all spiritual authority. Like a shark or a snake, these captives can be most cleverly vicious and dangerous, particularly to one who are called those in leadership. For example, these captives will circle the lives of others within a congregation, looking for teachable, fleeceable, controllable disciples of his or her own. For these captives, like to birth spiritual babes unto itself, disciples that will eat false doctrine from their own tables. Toward this end, some of these captives will seek out others who are in rebellion, yet who are weak, wounded, or those who are in conflict with their pastoral leadership.

3. To weaken all men.

Although biblical Jezebel is a woman, the demon that bares her name is a spirit, and therefore is neither male nor female. Therefore, the Jezebel nature can be found in both sexes. These captives tend to be strength snatchers, extremely jealous when others receive recognition and acceptance. Whether male or female, these captives may appear to be mild mannered and somewhat passive, serving at the feet of some prominent male figure, whom the spirit of Jezebel will use these captives to destroy.

4. To curse others.

A master of criticism, murmuring and complaining, captives will believe that their stand is righteous. With heartless disregard for the well-being and independence of others, these captives have been convinced by this seductive demon that others who disagree with the captive deserve to be cursed. The Jezebel spirit will send demons of fear and discouragement against anyone who confronts it. It will put a spiritual contract out against anyone who goes to war with it, not taking defeat ‘lying down.’

5. To appear to desire to destroy evil.

Through projection, these captives are generally bent on destroying evil in others, completely blind to the evil within their own souls. When life threatens their blameless self image of perfection, the Jezebel spirit uses these captives to be actively engaged in hating and destroying those who resist them, usually in the name of righteousness. Generally, people of deep convictions, these captives may have a zeal for God and a desire to serve Him, and they will be convinced that they are serving the one true God. Even so, their true hidden agenda is self-worship.

Yet another facet of the hidden motives behind the Jezebelian form of religiosity is to seek self exaltation as well as to blind the eyes of the last generation to prepare for the return of the Lord in His Second coming. This spirit kills prophets of God.

Jezebel demands recognition for herself while serving as the enemy of the true prophetic ministry. Jezebel was the greatest enemy of one of the Old Covenant’s most powerful prophets, Elijah, whose ministry especially represents preparing of the way for the Lord. The Jezebel spirit is one of the most potent forms of the religious spirit which seeks to keep the church and the world from being prepared for the return of the Lord. This spirit especially attacks the prophetic ministry because that ministry has an important place in preparing the way of the Lord. That is why John the Baptist was persecuted by a personification of Jezebel in the wife of Herod. The prophetic ministry is the primary vehicle through which the Lord gives timely, strategic direction to His people. Jezebel knows that removing the true prophets will make the people vulnerable to her false prophets, which always leads to idolatry and spiritual adultery.

In an attempt to weaken righteous leadership, Jezebel is the force that draws millions of Christian men into hours of television. She is behind the explosion of Internet pornography. Today she is luring men of God into secret lives of bondage and condemnation. Some leaders, once powerful men of prayer, are now too ashamed to even sneak into the throne room. They are wracked with condemnation. They have been reduced to being mere eunuchs of Jezebel. Men with the calling of David have become pleasure shackled Ahabs. (God still wants to free these!)

The Welsh Example

The great Welsh revival of 1904 is a shining example of a true move of God. It has been called the “pentecost greater than Pentecost.” Sadly, the revival’s demise is also an excellent example of how Jezebel works against the church.

In just two years, over 100,000 people were saved. Welsh society was revolutionized. Entire towns recorded no arrests for over a year. Places that formerly were hotbeds of vice suddenly became transformed. Police departments were forced to lay off idle officers. Professional sports teams disbanded because no one was willing to miss church for a game. Services continued virtually around the clock and there were demonstrations of God’s presence and power.

When God begins a work, he usually begins with a man. During the Welsh revival that man was Evans Roberts. Evans was only 26 years old at the time. Most of his leaders were only in their late teens and twenties. Evans was deeply devoted to the Lord, and his devotion to wait upon the Lord released a shower of blessings that was a marvel to the Church. Pastors and leaders from around the world streamed to Wales to behold it.

Many people became associated with the revival as it grew. Among these was a well-to-do woman named Jessie Penn-Lewis. For years Penn-Lewis had considered herself a Bible teacher, but she had never found a broad acceptance for her teachings. She had largely been rejected or ignored by most church leaders in Wales. At first, Jessie Penn-Lewis appeared as a friend and financial supporter to Evans Roberts. She gained his confidence, and began speaking into his life.

Long time friends of Evans Roberts expressed concerns that she appeared to isolate Roberts too much, but Roberts trusted Penn-Lewis completely. She began to minister certain messages to Roberts, which appeared to him to be profound corrections from the Lord. These filled him with condemnation. He was convinced her deep “truths” were things he needed to hear.

Mrs. Penn-Lewis began to express her “concern” to Evans that with the revival’s great success, perhaps too much glory was going to Evans Roberts instead of to God. The thought of stealing God’s glory horrified the sincere young man. He began to think that perhaps others should lead for a while. Penn-Lewis convinced Evans Roberts to withdraw from public ministry, and to move into the Penn-Lewis home.Evans Roberts never returned to the ministry

After a short time in the Penn-Lewis home, Evans Roberts began experiencing severe bouts of depression. Often he was unable to leave the bed for days at a time. He appeared nervous and anxious. By today’s standards he was in severe clinical depression. It took a toll on his health.

Meanwhile, Penn-Lewis began writing articles and letters in Evans Roberts’ name, and on his behalf. These were published in both Roberts and Penn-Lewis’ name, and eventually, in her name alone. According to many former close associates of Evans Roberts, some of the works attributed to him could not possibly have had his approval. Certain publications were highly critical of other movements, especially the newly emerging Pentecostals. Unfortunately, few people were able to see or speak with Evans Roberts. He was kept guarded in the Penn-Lewis home. He was completely dominated.

Evans Roberts spent many dark years of depression in the house of Jezebel. Mercifully, he eventually broke all ties with Penn-Lewis, but not until his health was broken and his ministry just a shadow of its former glory.

Evans Roberts made contributions in two years of ministry, that most never see in a lifetime. His memory should be honored. Nevertheless, he is a sad reminder of the old proverb “Age and treachery will always defeat youth and enthusiasm.” A revival that in 24 months saw 100,000 salvations and a glory some called greater than Pentecost, was destroyed by a single unwitting servant of Jezebel, seeking control in order to gain recognition and acceptance.

First, we must rid ourselves of Jezebel’s ways. We can not cast out lust when we harbor lust in our lives. We can not bring down a spirit of control if we use manipulation and hype to control. We must examine our own ways, and repent of Jezebel.

Second, it takes Jehu. Although Elijah was Jezebel’s enemy, it took JEHU to trample Jezebel.

Jehu took no prisoners and showed no mercy to Jezebel. He had singleness of purpose and was driven. As he approached Jezreel those who saw his chariot noted he “drives furiously” (2 Kings 9:20) When others offered peace and compromise, Jehu responded “How can there be peace as long as the harlotries and witchcrafts of Jezebel are many?” (2 Kings 9:22) Jehu would not rest until Jezebel was dead. Her pleasures could not attract him. Her threats did not deter him. He would not tolerate Jezebel.

Jesus says we too can not TOLERATE Jezebel. (Revelation 2:20) We must learn the prophetic power of the word “No!” We must give no ground!

When Jezebel attempted to captivate Jehu, he did not even allow himself to be drawn into conversation with her. Instead, he called on her eunuchs to cast her down from her balcony. Those with the Jehu anointing will call to Jezebel’s emasculated slaves, and they too will cast her down! Jezebel steals your vision. Jezebel will even make you depressed and anxious when there is nothing significantly different in your circumstances. If there are difficult circumstances, this spirit will tell you they are insurmountable, impossible, and overwhelming. Jezebel will make you feel like dying when in reality, you are God’s man or woman of the hour.

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