Hidden Spirits (4)

Jezebel: The Hidden Enemy of the Flow of the Spirit of God and Presence of God!

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

The Psalmist speaks symbolically of “streams” and “rivers” as being places the Spirit of God flows powerfully!

Psalm 46:4 “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High.”

Jesus also speaks symbolically of there being rivers inside of us where the Spirit of God flows powerfully!

John 7:38 ““He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ 

There should be a flow of the Spirit out of our spirit that promotes and protects unity in the Body of Christ, but there are enemies that seek to destroy our unity and stop the flow of the Spirit!

Psalm 104:26 “There the ships move along, And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.”

We have identified our own flesh (the dimension inside of us that argues with the spirit), and last week we identified the spirit of Leviathan as being enemies of the flow of the Spirit and Unity in the Body of Christ.

Today, I want to shed Light on another demonic spirit that needs to be recognized and cast out of our midst. It’s name is JEZEBEL and it is mentioned in the O.T. and the N.T.!

I. The WOMAN Jesus IDENTIFIED!

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

What do we know about the woman Jesus identified as Jezebel?

1 Kings 16:31 “It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him.”

Jezebel was Young-Seductive-Manipulative-Evil

1 Kings 19:1 “Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.”

1 Kings 19:2 “Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.””

1 Kings 19:3 “And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.”

II. The SPIRIT Jesus PERSONALIZED!

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Most people agree there was a woman at the center of the problems in the church that was at Thyatira, but her name was probably not Jezebel.

By using the name Jezebel, Jesus walked Jezebel through 1800 years of history into a present-day scenario operating in this local church.

Revelation 2:26 “‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;”

Jesus was referring to overcoming the demonic spirit of Jezebel!

III. The AGENDA Jesus VERBALIZED!

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

The spirit of Jezebel attacks LEADERS.

Revelation 2:18 ““And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:”

Who is the ANGEL of the church?

Who did Jezebel attack in the O.T.?

Jesus said the spirit of Jezebel goes after His bond-servants!

How do you know if you are being attacked by a spirit of Jezebel?

A. A spirit of FEAR will also attack you!

1 Kings 19:3 “And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.”

B. A spirit of ISOLATION will attack you!

1 Kings 19:3 “And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.”

1 Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness”

C. A spirit of FATIGUE will attack you!

1 Kings 19:5 “He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.””

D. A spirit of DEPRESSION will attack you!

1 Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.””

E. A spirit of SEDUCTION will attack you!

Revelation 2:20 “‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

IV. The OPPORTUNITY Jesus PRIORITIZED!

Revelation 2:21 “‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.”

Jesus teaches us an important principle to remember whenever we are dealing with a person the spirit of Jezebel is operating through.

Love the Person but Hate the spirit!

V. The PUNISHMENT Jesus SPIRITUALIZED!

Revelation 2:22 “‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.”

VI. The ANOINTING that must be RECOGNIZED!

Notice what Jesus said to the church at Thyatira:

Revelation 2:25 “‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.”

What do Believers have that we need to hold fast to until Christ returns?

1 John 2:26 “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.”

1 John 2:27 “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”

God gives His leaders, His followers three things Jezebel seeks to destroy:

A. ANOINTING includes RESPECT!

B. RESOURCES includes MONEY!

C. INFLUENCE includes ACCEPTANCE!

Jezebel goes after your anointing, resources and influence and uses seductive things to lead you into acts of immorality with the world!

What does Jezebel hope you don’t hold fast to until Christ returns?

Revelation 2:26 “‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;”

The anointing and authority we have, overcomes the spirit of Jezebel by CONFRONTING the spirit of Jezebel and her “children.”

2 Kings 9:30 “When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.”

2 Kings 9:31 “As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it well, Zimri, your master’s murderer?””

2 Kings 9:33 “He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot.”

2 Kings 9:35 “They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.”

The anointing and authority we have, overcomes the spirit of Jezebel by CONQUERS the spirit of Jezebel and her “children.”

2 Kings 9:36 “Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;”

If you recognize evidence of the spirit of Jezebel operating through you repeat this out loud:

Father, I come to You in the great name of Jesus. I confess and renounce as sin my actions and attitudes of manipulation, domination, and controlling other people.

I repent for operating in the ways of Jezebel. Forgive me. I receive Your love and obediently submit to You. I resist the devil and stand against this demonic stronghold constructed by the spirit of Jezebel and or her children in Jesus’ mighty name!

By the power of the Holy Spirit, I receive by faith my freedom. By the grace of God, I will honor delegated authority in my life and not displace them. Thank You for a new beginning of purity, humility and holiness based in the truth of God’s Word!

If you recognize evidence of the spirit of Jezebel operating against you, repeat this out loud:

Spirit of Jezebel, come to attention, I recognize you and I renounce you and all of your children (helpers), Fear, Isolation, Fatigue, Depression, Seduction, Pornography, Sexual Immorality,

by my breath, you will leave me and go to the places my Savior Jesus Christ sends you . . .

Now say, Holy Spirit, I surrender control of my body, soul and spirit to You, fill me with your Presence, Peace, Power and Protection from this moment forward! In Jesus Name!

BREAK EVERY CHAIN!