The Spirit of Jezebel

By Jon Hamilton

(taken from the book "The Nature Of Our Enemy")

In the book of Revelation, the Lord speaks to the church at Thyatira "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." (Rev 2:20) At first glance we might ask "What? Jezebel? Didn’t she die back in Second Kings? How can Jezebel be threatening the church in Asia?" Obviously, the literal person of Jezebel was not present in Thyatira. The reference is a prophetic parallel. Just as John the Baptist was "Elijah" because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah, this person or influence in Thyatira was under the spiritual control of the same demonic influences that controlled Jezebel of old. Thus, there is a type of demonic influence in society and the church that can rightly be called by the name Jezebel. This spirit obviously existed long before Queen Jezebel, but she was so totally controlled by its nature that she has become its namesake. In scripture, Herodias is also a type of this force. As Jezebel opposed Elijah, so Herodias opposed John the Baptist. A third example is found here in Revelation 2:20 Queen Jezebel Jezebel, the Biblical character, first appears in First Kings 16, 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 Ashtoroth 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, 10 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. Although it may be common to refer to Jezebel as "she", we obviously must conclude that as a spirit, Jezebel is gender neutral. Jezebel certainly has as many male slaves as female. However, 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. . Jezebel in Society In America today, Jezebel is the arrogant, angry spirit behind abortion, crying out "It’s MY choice! Don’t tell me what to do!" She has cleverly manipulated debate and positioned herself behind seats of power. She is the power behind the rebirth of witchcraft in our culture. She calls to millions of teenagers via popular music and movies, telling them that new age witchcraft will give them power. She is the force behind the psychic hotlines, which control and manipulate millions. She is also the spirit at the center of Hollywood. Jezebel is the reason so many homosexuals are drawn to the entertainment industry, desperately seeking recognition and acceptance. 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!) Jezebel in the Church Jezebel is not only visible in society. Jezebel is quite at home in the church pew. 1 Kings 21:9 In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death." With a heart of ice, Jezebel gained control of Naboth’s vineyard under the pretense of a FAST. She suddenly got religion when she needed it. Remember the adulterous woman in Proverbs 7? She first lured the foolish young man with, "I’ve just finished making my peace offerings, and have come looking for you." She made sure he knew she was a good religious woman before she seduced him! Likewise, Jezebel doesn’t let her sin keep her from church. Jezebel often manifests within the most "spiritual" people you will ever meet. In the Church, Jezebel will first attempt to get close to the pastor or other leaders with flattery. She will attempt to gain his confidence. She "calls herself a prophetess" and often manipulates others with her spirituality. Her deep "truths" usually result in condemnation and burdens for those in her care. If the pastor, like Elijah, sees and opposes her deceptions, he will find himself in a fight for his life! He may find himself unemployed! Many a man of God has unwittingly had this spirit of control drive out his godly leadership. While Jezebel often claims to have inspired messages, (she "calls herself a prophetess" according to Rev 2:20), she usually discourages other prophetic voices unless they are under her control. She will attempt to cause leaders to be suspicious of true prophetic messengers, which bear the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10) This same controlling spirit may manifest in very different, even opposite ways. For example, a controlling, super-spiritual, self righteous, manipulative mother (the kind that wants to run the church), will often be horrified when her daughter grows up to be sexually immoral. Little does she know that she released that very spirit into her child’s life! Demonic Depression and Loss of Vision For seven years, God had carefully protected Elijah. God fed him in the wilderness. When Ahab’s armies sought to kill Elijah, they were unable to lay a finger on him. Finally, in a showdown at Mt. Carmel, Elijah called down fire from heaven and resoundingly defeated and killed the priests of Baal. All Israel fell at his feet in repentance, worshipping the true God. Elijah was the man of the hour. He was vindicated, victorious, and clearly in charge. Nevertheless, when Jezebel sent Elijah a single threat, he suddenly turned coward and fled to the desert. Anxious, depressed, and miserable, he begged God to kill him! Think about this. It makes NO sense. Elijah enjoyed supernatural protection for seven years. He watched fire fall from heaven and defeat his enemies, yet when a single angry woman threatened him one time, he lost every shred of vision and ran away. He moaned in self-pity and depression, begging God to kill him! This is a great example of Jezebel’s powerful demonic "anointing" to intimidate, create fear, and cause men of God to withdraw. 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 of the hour. Jezebel’s witchcraft will attack key leaders in her targeted area through intimidation. Those under attack may awaken one morning to find it takes effort just to breathe. All joy seems to depart. Spiritual life seems irrelevant. Demonic voices will echo in their minds "something’s wrong with you!" They may suddenly find themselves in unreasonable anxiety, fearing tragedy or death. Much of what is called "depression" in the ministry is simply Jezebel! Jezebel wants to paralyze with fear, condemnation, depression, apathy or whatever it takes until we withdraw. The only answer for those under Jezebel’s attack is perseverance in battle. We must remain on course no matter how long it takes! This is War The war continues today between Jezebel and Elijah. Like all wars, there are casualties. Leaders sometimes fall. Soldiers sometimes withdraw. Jezebel wants to keep the church within its present boundaries. She claims to decide the extent of the church locally. We must not tolerate this.

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Taken from: http://www.jonhamilton.org/jezebel.htm