Scripture: Revelation 2:20 – 25
Title: “THE SINISTER MINISTER”
Introduction: As John was writing to the “Seven Churches” of Asia he began his remarks to the Church of Thyatira by saying, “I have this against you: You sufferest (TOLERATE) that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.”
John is using a reference to the wife of Ahab, who seduced the Israelites to worship Baal.
John was speaking of some woman who under the pretence of being a prophetess and approved the doctrines of the Nicolaitans and for that reason was designated a new Jezebel.
This false prophetess John mentioned here may actually have been named Jezebel; more probably, however, she was a well-known woman whose actions made her a contemporary counterpart of the notorious Jezebel of 1 Kings 16 and 21, and 2 Kings 9.
This church of Thyatira was allowing a woman to teach the servants of God to commit sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
Toleration of evil was the besetting sin of the church at Thyatira.
I. THE SPIRIT OF JEZEBEL.
1. Get the picture, the church of Thyatira was permitting a woman to teach and prophesy things that were of the devil.
2. This prophetess was advocating a loose attitude morally and religiously.
3. This woman John referred to as “Jezebel” claimed to be a prophetess.
4. She had a MESSAGE.
5. This Jezebel was under the influence of a “spiritual force.”
6. This spirit was encouraging this woman to say things that was misleading God’s people to do bad things.
7. Her message was AGAINST everything God stands for!
8. This woman and her demonic message had drawn the attention of God to the point God had warned her to repent.
9. This Jezebel refused to repent even though God had warned her.
II. TOLERATION.
1. Why would a Christian church “Tolerate” such a thing to work in them?
2. The things this Jezebel was teaching appeals to the “Flesh” part of mankind. (Sex and Idol worship)
3. “Just leave it alone and maybe it will just go away.”
4. “We are libel to upset someone if we try to stop this!”
5. Tolerating this demonic influence in the church had sapped the church of REVIVAL.
6. Toleration had also cost them their relationship with God.
7. Tolerating Satan’s intervention has given us a society full of needs that only a “Revival” from God will fix.
III. WHERE DO EVIL SPIRITS COME FROM?
1. Originally, Demons came from heaven. – “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Isaiah 14:12,13,14
2. When Satan and decided he would try to take over heaven and he gathered a great number of the angels to help him is when God threw him out of heaven. Ezek. 28:15 – Rev. 12:4
3. Angels are spirit beings created by God to minister for God. – Psalms 104:4 “Who makes his angels spirits (winds NLT - NIV); his ministers a flaming fire:”
4. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Mt. 25:41
IV. HOW TO IDENTIFY A DEMON SPIRIT.
1. God didn’t leave us without the ABILITY to know what we are dealing with in the spirit realm.
2. John 8:47 says, “Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t God’s children.” NLT
3. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Cor. 2:11, “for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Or Schemes.
4. Jezebel was dominated by a demon spirit because she hated the man of God named Elijah. (HATE!)
5. The Spirit of Jezebel hates the move of God’s Holy Spirit and some people allow that kind of spirit to move in them because the don’t understand the moving of the Holy Spirit.
6. A Demon Spirit hates “Correction” and Jezebel hated to be told that she was doing wrong which made “Rebellion” rise up within her.
7. A Demon Spirit is “Manipulative” just as Jezebel manipulated Ahab the king by her seduction. (MANIPULATES) (SUDUCES)
8. A Demon Spirit “Intimidates” by pressuring people into doing what is against God’s nature. (INTIMIDATION – PRESSURE)
9. A Demon Spirit will do everything it can to “Destroy” the work of God.
10. A Demon Spirit will do everything it can to “Undermine” the AUTHORITY of God’s prophet which will promote idolatry.
11. The enemy will cause you to “Doubt” God.
12. The enemy will encourage you to put off doing something God wants you to do. (PROCRASTINATE)
V. THE LIGHTS ARE ON BUT NO ONE IS AT HOME!
1. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 6:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – “ye are God’s building.” 1 Cor. 3:9
2. When Satan was cast out of heaven he landed on the earth and took on the BODY of a “serpent.” Gen. 3
3. Without a BODY Satan and his demons have a limited ability! – Satan can’t do physical things WITHOUT a body.
4. BUT Satan is very Effective in another way; “the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Rev. 12:10 – Satan’s WHISPERS and SUGGESTIONS within our minds is his ATTEMPT to get into our SOUL and “Control!”
5. Planting THOUGTS in our MINDS is one of Satan’s FAVORITE things to do!
6.Mt.12:43 – 45 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.” – Then it says, ’I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean.” – “Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”
7. Demon Spirits will leave a person BUT they will try to come back into that person again.
8. Satan’s Demons are cast out by the SIMPLE COMMAND of a “Believer!” – Mark 16: “The SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW “them” that “Believe”; In MY Name they shall cast out devils.”
9. THEY “Can’t” come back into a person that has JESUS living in their hearts!
CONCLUSION: Paul made this statement a long time ago, “Ephesians 6:12 NLT “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.”
· We see too many going right back to the world soon after they prayed and said they made things right with God.
· Rev. 3:20 “"Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” NLT
· Don’t stop with getting the house cleaned up and looking good on the outside invite Jesus to come into your heart and live in your life.
· Never forget you are the one who is in CONTOL of who CONTROLS YOUR LIFE!
