The Jezebel spirit in the LSM

[countmeworthy]

To help me deal with controlling personalities that seemed to follow me for most of my life, I did an indepth study on topics like "Transfer of spirits" "Soul ties" and 'The Jezebel spirit'.

So from gotquestions.com here is an exposition to consider:

There is a variety of opinions about what constitutes a Jezebel spirit, everything from sexual looseness in a woman to the teaching of false doctrine—by a man or a woman. The Bible does not mention a Jezebel spirit, although it has plenty to say about Jezebel herself.

Jezebel’s story is found in 1 and 2 Kings. She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre/Sidon and priest of the cult of Baal, a cruel, sensuous and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness. Ahab, king of Israel, married Jezebel and led the nation into Baal worship (1 Kings 16:31). Ahab and Jezebel’s reign over Israel is one of the saddest chapters in the history of God’s people.

There are two incidents in the life of Jezebel which characterize her and may define what is meant by the Jezebel spirit. One trait is her obsessive passion for domineering and controlling others, especially in the spiritual realm. When she became queen, she began a relentless campaign to rid Israel of all evidences of Jehovah worship. She ordered the extermination of all the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4, 13) and replaced their altars with those of Baal. Her strongest enemy was Elijah, who demanded a contest on Mount Carmel between the powers of Israel’s God and the powers of Jezebel and the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18). Of course, Jehovah won, but despite hearing of the miraculous powers of Jehovah, Jezebel refused to repent and swore on her gods that she would pursue Elijah relentlessly and take his life. Her stubborn refusal to see and submit to the power of the living God would lead her to a hideous end (2 Kings 9:29-37).

The second incident involves a righteous man named Naboth who refused to sell to Ahab land adjoining the palace, rightly declaring that to sell his inheritance would be against the Lord’s command (1 Kings 21:3; Leviticus 25:23). While Ahab sulked and fumed on his bed, Jezebel taunted and ridiculed him for his weakness, then proceeded to have the innocent Naboth framed and stoned to death. Naboth’s sons were also stoned to death, so there would be no heirs, and the land would revert to the possession of the king. Such a single-minded determination to have one’s way, no matter who is destroyed in the process, is a characteristic of the Jezebel spirit.

So infamous was Jezebel’s sexual immorality and idol worship that the Lord Jesus Himself refers to her in a warning to the church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29). Most likely referring to a woman in the church who influenced it the same way Jezebel influenced Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality, Jesus declares to the Thyatirans that she is not to be tolerated. Whoever this woman was, like Jezebel, she refused to repent of her immorality and her false teaching, and her fate was sealed. The Lord Jesus cast her onto a sick bed, along with those who committed idolatry with her. The end for those who succumb to a Jezebel spirit is always death and destruction, both in the physical and the spiritual sense.

Perhaps the best way to define the Jezebel spirit is to say it characterizes anyone who acts in the same manner as Jezebel did, engaging in immorality, idolatry, false teaching and unrepentant sin. To go beyond that is to engage in conjecture and can possibly lead to false accusations and divisiveness within the body of Christ.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Jezebel-...#ixzz2oMsKGJRv

[bearbear]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

To help me deal with controlling personalities that seemed to follow me for most of my life, I did an indepth study on topics like "Transfer of spirits" "Soul ties" and 'The Jezebel spirit'.

So from gotquestions.com here is an exposition to consider:
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Jezebel-...#ixzz2oMsKGJRv

Have you ever heard of John Waller's music? When I first listened to his album "As for me and my house" I literally felt feelings of fear, doubt and anger leave my soul. I understood then how David's music could have chased away the evil spirits from Saul and give his soul rest.

Here's one of his songs I feel is anointed by the Holy Spirit and can chase away unwelcome spirits attacking you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedoSXylNcM

Here's one of my favorite songs when I need encouragement to serve the Lord whole heartedly and look away from the false idols of this earth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjRiNL1HKns

[awareness]

Well if the tales are true, the founder of the local church movement, Watchman Nee, did act like Jezebel. I don't know if I can let him off the hook, by blaming a spirit of Jezebel. Methinks that Nee was just all too human.

But on the front end Nee portrayed himself as a true follower of the Word of God . And the spirit of Jezebel fits Nee very well there.

Hey, Lee dismissed parts of the Bible. Does anyone know if he dismissed the Jezebel verses? I'd just like to know if Lee covered that up too.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by bearbear

Have you ever heard of John Waller's music?

I appreciate your suggestions BB. I don't struggle with those entities as I once did.

The reason I brought this thread up is so the LSMrs lurking might learn to think outside the box. It was also a possible answer to the question as to how people got sucked in by Lee's teachings & can't break loose from the controlling 'spirit'.

That is just one website. People can google controlling personalities, manipulating people, soul ties, transfer of spirits.

There is a lot of good info out there.

That said, I do a lot of Praise, Worship, and Thanksgiving & have a very close walk with our Lord. At least I think I do. :-)

Blessings,
Carol

[bearbear]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

I appreciate your suggestions BB. I don't struggle with those entities as I once did.

The reason I brought this thread up is so the LSMrs lurking might learn to think outside the box. It was also a possible answer to the question as to how people got sucked in by Lee's teachings & can't break loose from the controlling 'spirit'.

That is just one website. People can google controlling personalities, manipulating people, soul ties, transfer of spirits.

There is a lot of good info out there.

That said, I do a lot of Praise, Worship, and Thanksgiving & have a very close walk with our Lord. At least I think I do. :-)

Blessings,
Carol

Ah oops, sorry I misread you

The observation of the Jezebel spirit in LCs is very interesting. Looking back at my time in the LCs it seemed like there was always this presence that was restricting everyone's freedom. I'd always feel guilty for stepping out of the line for things like not dressing up on Sunday or sharing points straying too far from the HWMR or the outline. I remember some times when I'd share stuff, I'd occasionally get rebuked albeit politely because the ministry didn't teach what I said. (This is in California)

There does seem to be a spirit in the LCs that is trying to make everyone look, talk and dress like Witness Lee. That's unfortunate because God made everyone different for a purpose and it's because he loves variety. He made different nations, cultures and peoples because he desires that everyone worship him whole heartedly, but in a way that is unique to their personality. I think it's beautiful and it could be a picture of what heaven is like. Imagine if everyone in heaven wore the same clothes and everything was the same color- it would be bland and uninteresting.

You get a picture that God delights in this variety in Revelation 7:9 -

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

And elsewhere in the OT in verses like this:

Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

In fact when all the nations were under one government and tongue prior to Babel, God seemed to despise that, instead choosing to disperse everyone across the globe while giving them different languages.

One of the greatest comforts leaving the LC and going to church where I'm at now is that there is so much freedom in Christ. I remember introducing some pre-trib revelations I had with my pastor but I was really hesitant to because they were all die hard post-tribbers. To my surprise he really liked it and even forwarded my blog post to the rest of the ministry leaders. I was almost panicking after I sent the e-mail because I was afraid of being rebuked, then I realized I had nothing to worry about because I wasn't in the LCs anymore.. hallelujah!

[OBW]

Is there any verse in which the term "Jezebel spirit" is used? I know this may seem to run counter to my comment on the creation of the word "excommunication" which is not found in the scripture, but is there value to trying to pin down a defined kind of "spirit" that is not even mentioned in that way in the scripture?

Not saying that there are not characteristics that could look like the actions and ways of the historical Jezebel. But does labeling certain kinds of error or evil in this manner make it anything other than what it actually is as described? Does distilling it down to two words, "Jezebel spirit," make it any worse or any clearer?

It can't be any worse than it actually is. Either it is the evil that is seen or it is not. And it cannot be any clearer than what it actually is. Either the error/evil/whatever is seen for what it is or it is not. Giving it this label does not better define it. It is not made clearer by adding a term that is nowhere defined or commonly understood.

And some guy with a web site does not a meaningful definition make. In fact, his own words make the meaning virtually useless.

There is a variety of opinions about what constitutes a Jezebel spirit, everything from sexual looseness in a woman to the teaching of false doctrine—by a man or a woman. The Bible does not mention a Jezebel spirit, although it has plenty to say about Jezebel herself.

The first sentence is revealing. "There is a variety of opinions. . . ." Then the second sentence just nails it: "The Bible does not mention a Jezebel spirit . . . ."

Perhaps the best way to define the Jezebel spirit is to say it characterizes anyone who acts in the same manner as Jezebel did, engaging in immorality, idolatry, false teaching and unrepentant sin

This one really sets it in perspective. It is almost entirely about wanton sinner who are pushers of religion that is not of God.

Don't get caught up on the word "religion." The point is not "religion," but "not of God." In fact, two of the most notable things about Jezebel are:

1. She was not a Hebrew of any kind. She was from Tyre/Sidon, not Judea or Israel. And she was a priest of a pagan religion/cult — Baal.
2. She was not representative of anything Jewish or Christian. She does not represent or typify any aspect of Christianity or Christian experience, rather of those opposed to it.

Let's face it. Non-Christians are just that, non-Christians. I don't need a label for them. Not even antichrist. (Not saying there is no Antichrist.) I sure don't need something called Jezebel spirit to describe them. It tends to squash the "love your neighbor" thing in me.

And I don't see that there is a valid transference of that kind of description to believers. Even the reference in Revelation does not declare the "Jezebel" to be a believer. Just one who is teaching wrongly or leading the faithful astray.

I think Paul said the same thing in different ways. He said to refuse to listen to certain kinds of teachers. He said to tell them to stop. He did not say to define them and label them. Even the sinful one in 1 Corinthians (who got excommunicated) was not labeled in such a way.

[bearbear]

Originally Posted by OBW

Is there any verse in which the term "Jezebel spirit" is used? I know this may seem to run counter to my comment on the creation of the word "excommunication" which is not found in the scripture, but is there value to trying to pin down a defined kind of "spirit" that is not even mentioned in that way in the scripture?

Revelation 2:20 seems to suggest that there is an entity behind Jezebel who has survived the Jezebel we know from Elijah's time and has persisted in the spiritual realm throughout church history to attack Christians, namely the saints in the Church in Thyatira.

Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Ephesians 6:12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Here's my personal experienced with named spirits:

One time I went somewhere to meet up with my wife where I'd also end up preaching the gospel to a few homeless, though I didn't know it at the time (it kinda just happened).

As I was on my way a man drove up next to me, rolled down his window and kept swearing and cussing at me because he had to go around me as I pulled into the left turn lane for like one second. I told him I was profusely sorry because it's never worth it to escalate a road rage situation, and I've become so detached to this world that I just don't care to argue or fight about these things. But he just continued to swear and cuss at me.

Later on I realized that Satan was trying to get me to respond in anger so that I would lose my anointing preventing me from being moved to share the gospel with a few homeless (one of them responded really well, and he thought that God had sent me to him perhaps in response to his prayers).

Another instance was I prayed once that God would give me the opportunity to share the gospel with a Jewish man. It was just a short prayer but God answered it when I didn't expect him to. To keep the story short, eventually I found myself with a Jewish man sitting next to me in my car- ASKING ME ABOUT GOD! (I'm quite shy IRL except when it comes to talking about God so I have zero Jewish friends, yet God arranged this circumstance without any of my effort. I understand when scripture says God prepared good works for us and we should walk in them. Many times I feel like an actor in this huge movie of his that God is orchestrating and all I have to do is to look for the cues where he wants me to step in, which we do by following the Holy Spirit. That's why we can experience God's rest while also working for his kingdom. )

I shared my faith with him and answered his questions about Christianity. Because I can't multitask I also missed a few exits and a 30 minute ride turned into an hour. At the end I had an crying baby and a very angry wife. I was perplexed at my spouse's anger because it was *really* severe. But I didn't understand at that time why.

I also had another moment recently where I preached to my wife's aunt in the car. I can't speak cantonese so I had to have her translate. During one of the translations I got impatient and asked my wife what she was saying because she was spending almost a minute on a one liner I gave (I wanted to move on to the next point quickly). She got really mad at me and I realized I had made a mistake and profusely apologized, embarrassed about the testimony we were giving to her unbelieving aunt. Eventually it all worked out though But it was really weird that of all the times we got angry that day it happened during the sharing of the gospel.

One day I was reading Ephesians 4 and I meditated on such experiences I had while gospel preaching. Then I asked God to name the spirit that seemed to always attack me. Right after I asked this I came across verse 26-27:

Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

I believe God was telling me that the spirit of anger was attacking me. So now I know to take authority over this spirit and bind it in the name of Jesus before I share the gospel.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by OBW

Is there any verse in which the term "Jezebel spirit" is used? I know this may seem to run counter to my comment on the creation of the word "excommunication" which is not found in the scripture, but is there value to trying to pin down a defined kind of "spirit" that is not even mentioned in that way in the scripture?

Not saying that there are not characteristics that could look like the actions and ways of the historical Jezebel. But does labeling certain kinds of error or evil in this manner make it anything other than what it actually is as described? Does distilling it down to two words, "Jezebel spirit," make it any worse or any clearer?

It can't be any worse than it actually is. Either it is the evil that is seen or it is not.

The long & short of it :
Jezebel was an evil, controlling, woman who practiced witchcraft. Ahab's mistake was marrying a pagan.

She suffered a horrid death which I'm sure you know.

From what I have read, evil controlling demonic influences are called entities or evil spirits. Demons exist but for the majority of people, we (thankfully) never see them. However, we can feel their presence.

I will give you an example, a personal experience I once had. One day I went window shopping in a quaint little neighborhood town. I stopped to admire the jewelry & scarves that were being displayed. So I decided to walk in and take a look around. The store keeper was not around, probably in the back but I did not need a clerk anyway.

As I was looking at the earrings & necklaces, I suddenly felt a very heavy unsettling presence. I started looking around the store from where I was standing. Within seconds I saw witchcraft books, tarot cards, incense & evil dragon pictures & statues.

I walked out the store & sensing I was dirty, I 'dusted' myself off and asked the Lord Jesus to cleanse me in His Blood.

What I felt was a 'spirit'. An evil entity. A demon. I had to look around to find it. It wanted to get on me not in me.


Bringing it closer to home, in the 70s, when we were youngsters and came into the LC, remember how we 'talked' the same? How when we stood up, many would tip-toe back & forth, clenching their fists as they 'testified'?

Sure we were parroting one another...but that 'spirit' was jumping from one person to another. Remember how 'new ones' fresh from the street did not look, talk or act like us but after a couple of months if that long, they picked up on the lingo, their dress attire changed, and they became an official LCr. It wasn't evil in the beginning. But look how screwed up the LC people have become as a whole.

Good parents watch their children's friends. They do not want their children to be around any kid who is going to be a bad influence. What makes a child be influenced by another child? A spirit.

These types of influences, be it in the LC, or church organization, etc.. have a name: transfer of spirits. Not all transfer of spirits are bad. Hanging out with people who are a positive influence on us both spiritual, mental & emotional is a good thing. That is why the scriptures tell us not to be "unequally yoked".

The reason God did not want the Israelites to marry or mix with the Amelikites or Amorites, etc.. is because they worshipped very evil idols. They were evil people. They often killed to sacrifice their own children.

There was a lot of witchcraft, idolotry, sexual immorality etc..
When you get a chance, revisit 1 & 2 Samuel & 1 & 2 kings.

So much for the long & short of it all.

Blessings,
Carol