Seven Demons That Attack The Church, Part 2

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).