The spirit of jezebel: Let's see what it really is

The Characteristics of the Spirit of Jezebel
(http://www.jonhamilton.org/jezebel.htm)

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.

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 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!

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!

Trampling Jezebel



First, we must rid ourselves of Jezebel’s ways. We can not cast out lust when we harbor lust in our lives. We can not bring down a spirit of control if we use manipulation and hype to control our congregations. We must examine our own ways, and repent of Jezebel.

Second, it takes Jehu. Although Elijah was Jezebel’s enemy, it took JEHU to trample Jezebel.

Jehu took no prisoners and showed no mercy to Jezebel. He had singleness of purpose and was driven. As he approached Jezreel those who saw his chariot noted he "drives furiously" (2 Ki 9:20) When others offered peace and compromise, Jehu responded "How can there be peace as long as the harlotries and witchcrafts of Jezebel are many?" (2 Ki 9:22)

Jehu would not rest until Jezebel was dead. Her pleasures could not attract him. Her threats did not deter him. He would not tolerate Jezebel.

Jesus says we too can not TOLERATE Jezebel. (Revelation 2:20) We must learn the prophetic power of the word "No!" We must give no ground!

When Jezebel attempted to captivate Jehu, he did not even allow himself to be drawn into conversation with her. Instead, he called on her eunuchs to cast her down from her balcony. Those with the Jehu anointing will call to Jezebel’s emasculated slaves, and they too will cast her down!

By Jon Hamilton
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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT

The individual, operating under the jezebel spirit, begins to secretly spin her web by winning the trust and confidence of those she wants to control. She works undercover and does not want to be exposed. Once acceptance is established, she begins to use truth, seasoned with well placed lies, to clandestinely spin a web of deception and entanglement. Clever methods induce fear in others. She then draws power and authority from their fear. Such individuals have mastered a sophisticated ability to manipulate and control without physical force. A jezebel person:

• May appear loyal and might volunteer for special service.
• Seeks teaching/leadership positions to gain position in organizations.
• Probes people’s character to locate weak areas and identify breaches that she can exploit.
• Exaggerate her own problems to flush out others.
• Betrays leadership through knowledge of their personal lives and blackmails them into compromise.
• Uses either truth or lies to destroy reputations.
• Uses or asserts another’s authority.
• Gains power by making political alliances, often in a seemingly submissive and demeaning manner.
• Wears individuals down to usurp their authority.
• Labels God’s prophets as false prophets.
• Orchestrates highs and lows in self and those she manipulates.
• Builds up and then tears down; stirs up or pacifies; is very positive or very negative depending on the situation.
• May be loud and bold, or quiet and cunning, depending on situation.
• Works friends against friends and destroys relationships.
• Mingles truth with lies and occasionally contradicts self - when challenged claims to have been misunderstood.
• Changes opinions according to situation and will compromise when necessary.
• Often manipulates several at one time. • Plays one person/group against another.
• Will enlist false witnesses to testify against others.
• Talks and pulls strings behind people’s backs.
• Undermines self worth and confidence in others.
• Will attack anyone who gets between her, her goals, and those she controls.
• Sets people up and springs ambushes/traps.
• Sometimes pretends submission to gain a strategic advantage.
• Stimulates, seduces, entices, persuades, provokes, sets up, stirs up.
• Uses masculine/feminine charms which are deceitful or enticing to manipulate or sexually harass.
• Dramatic and freely uses emotions to advantage.
• May use silent treatment at times or pout.
• Becomes rejected and depressed to gain an advantage.
• May repent verbally, but not from the heart.
• Those around her never know how to take her.
• Presumes God will not judge them–the fear of the Lord is absent–opening the door to their own destruction.
• When two people under the jezebel spirit are together, they usually contend with each other unless it is to their advantage to form an alliance to attain personal goals.

OUR RESPONSE Be compassionate toward people operating under the influence of jezebel, do practical acts of love and kindness as the Lord directs, pray for their eyes to be opened, and for strength to enable them to stand against this spirit and repent. But have no mercy, no compromise or sympathy toward the jezebel spirit itself. Do not tolerate the spirit of jezebel in any way!

If you challenge jezebel, she will fight you. If you confront jezebel, she will "erupt" and often flee in a rage, but later may either forgive you because she knows that you had a bad day and did not realize what you said, or attack a weak area of your life.

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