Seven Demons that Attack the Church, Part 2
IV The Spirit of Jezebel 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:19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance , and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.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.26 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations...Rev 2:18-20, 26 (NASB)
A This spirit is a spirit of control.
1 1 Kings tells us of Jezebel’s marriage to King Ahab. 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. 1 Kings 16:31 (NASB)
a She demanded a “hit” on Naboth to get his vineyard.
b She hated the prophets (men of God).
aa ...for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) 1 Kings 18:4 (NASB) Obadiah
bb Drove Elijah to depression & suicidal thoughts.
c Jezebel’s character was controlling, wicked, sexually immoral, murderous & demonic.
2 Her spirit is still found in congregations when we find those who want to control, manipulate, and subvert the men & women of God.
B Five facts about the Jezebel spirit:
1 Recognizing the spirit (man or woman)
a Some think it’s a woman who dresses in a certain (sexual) manner. False!
b This is a spirit of domination & unwillingness to cohabit peacefully.
c When you find a spirit of Jezebel, you’ll also find a “Ahab” nearby, someone in leadership who is allowing this spirit access & control.
2 The strategy of Jezebel (manipulation)
a In 1 Kings 21, we learn King Ahab pouted when he didn’t get his way (wanted Naboth’s vineyard)-laid on his bed & sulked.
b Jezebel assured him he’d have it!
aa Had Naboth killed, seized property to gain power.
bb She introduced Baal worship-would do anything to advance her agenda.
3 The seat of Jezebel. '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
a When the spirit of Jezebel begins to manifest in a church, it seeks a high seat in the church, or a place of dominance.
aa Usually, it will manifest in someone who wants to lead, teach, be a deacon (but not everyone who wants to do these things are under this spirit’s influence).
bb For Jezebel to get these positions, it must act & appear spiritual.
b Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action,2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" Num 16:1-3 (NASB) I believe Korah operated under the Jezebel spirit...wanted to be the preacher! God called Moses, pastors. When church members see the pastor as just another member, their hireling...the Jezebel spirit is present.
aa Korah, with Dathan & Abiram as his power core, with 250 other princes as structure under them.
bb Moses took immediate action-fell on his face before God & prayed. ...is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? Num 16:9-10 (NASB)
cc Judgment came to this Jezebel spirit.
• Korah & two leaders devoured by an earthquake.
• Their followers were consumed by fire.
4 Jezebel’s targets (this spirit wiggles into the church, undermining everything believers hold dear through manipulation, domination, & control).
a The spirit hates the prophets (won’t go along with them, try to kill them).
b Hates the preaching of the Word (try to reduce the messenger/message).
c Hates the praise of the church (people get fixed up, passionate about powerful worship- her carnality is exposed).
aa When Elijah prayed fire down from heaven on the Baal prophets in 1 Kings 18:39, praise broke out. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God." 1 Kings 18:39 (NASB)
bb Jezebel lost, & the praises of God filled the air.
d The Jezebel spirit hates the preeminence of Christ.
aa First time/place He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Col 1:18 (NASB)
bb I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 3 John 1:9 (KJV) First place belonged to a person, not Jesus!
5 Banish the spirit
a Do not hate the person being controlled by the spirit of Jezebel-recognize that it is a spiritual power one must fight.
b The enemy is not fleshly, but spiritual.
c Let your prayer be: "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." 2 Chron 20:12 (NASB)
V The Spirit of Traditionalism To the angel of the church in Sardis write:He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.2 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.3 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.4 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.5 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.6 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' Rev 3:1-6 (NASB)
A The church has been the victim of rumors, hostility, negative press, but our greatest hostilities come from within the church.
1 The church at Sardis had a great reputation, favor of men.
a Jesus ignored their reputation, press clippings.
b He told them they’re in the obituary section.
2 Spirit of traditionalism
B Three facts on the spirit of traditionalism:
1 Environment of death
a Sardis was a city of wealth & sin.
aa In 550 B.C., King Croesus found gold in the city’s river & issued the first gold coins in history (even in New Testament times gold could be found along its rivers).
bb A city also known for paganism, the god Cybele, & wild, frenzied worship that included sexual immorality.
b The town was at peace (self-sufficient).
c Also invaded the church, co-existence between secular/sacred-all they had was reputation!
2 Evidence of a church’s death (5 signs)
a It ignores the Holy Spirit
aa Jesus told the church at Sardis that it had a spirit of religion, not the Spirit of God.
bb When the complete work of God’s Spirit isn’t embraced in a church, that church is already headed for the grave.
cc The Holy Spirit is not to be managed, contained, controlled by religious tradition or preferences.
dd "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NASB)
b There is a lack of godly leadership.
aa To the angel of the church in Sardis write:He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Seven stars are the messengers (or pastors) of the seven churches in the letters.
bb Needed pastors who would wholeheartedly serve the God who called them to be pastors.
cc Churches who are looking for pastors: resume, reputation, physical appearance, recommendations...find out later it was a big mistake.
dd Background information is important, but not more important than the fruit in the pastor’s life/his walk with the Spirit of God- superficial doesn’t matter as much as supernatural.
ee Hiring only on the superficial may result in a short-tenured, flash-in-the-pan, or morally bankrupt leader.
c The church values reputation over reality (the church is an organism, not an organization).
aa Sardis was a busy little church, good reputation...but was D.O.A. & didn’t know it!
bb (IL) Nana’s trailer: furnace was running, running, running, and it wasn’t getting any warmer. The pilot light was out! The fire was gone!
cc Going to church is good if you’ve met God.
dd Worship is good if it brings on God’s presence.
ee Giving is good, if you give of yourself first.
ff Prayer is a good thing if you deal with sin first. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear. Psalms 66:18 (NASB)
gg Wal-Mart: tons of stuff up front, nothing in the storehouse.
d There is growth in numbers without growth in people.
aa Churches must offer ministry that encourages its members to grow in the Lord.
bb Even living members can die if the environment is too cold.
e Ministry & work were incomplete.
aa Starting a new ministry/outreach is easy, seeing it to completion is tough!
bb A dead church is a graveyard of partially-fulfilled goals, half-backed visions...went part-way with the Lord & then backed up & sat down.
cc A church that goes backwards is doomed to death.
3 How does a church escape death?
a Church leadership gather & repent of religious death (Kingdom is coming & we’ll have to give an accounting for what we’ve accomplished in His name).
b Also, in almost every dead church there is a group who live in triumph & are alive for God (lift them up/encourage them).
c Rebuke the religious pride that strangles the church.
aa Reject reputation, love of religion & its rules & fall in love with Jesus.
bb Determine to listen to the voices of the Holy Spirit in all decision making regarding the church.
cc Let His Word edify, rule, & reign from the pulpit.
Conclusion:
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