#437

Exposing The Jezebel Spirit

The New Thing

I notice trends in entertainment all the time. And I’m not the only one who does either. In 1996 a movie about tornadoes was all the rage. It was called Twister and even now it is a favorite in my family. Not too surprising was the trend of movies about freak storms shortly thereafter. Then in 1998 movies moved to talking about an asteroid hitting the earth with two major ones being Armageddon and Deep Impact. As predicted, a lot of movies were made to capitalize on their success. That is until the next fad to come along. The common denominator is getting people’s attention and holding it for as long as one can. But there is a fad in Christian circles where people are talking about a spirit influencing our lives and how to not only recognize it but defeat it. It, of course, begs the question of is it real. Then, if it is real, what do we need to do about it. For better or worse, the current topic du jour is the spirit of Jezebel.

I Used The Term

Growing up as a Christian I heard the story about Elijah, Ahab, and Jezebel in the Bible. I think a lot of people know a little about the narrative and many of us know a lot about it. Regardless of our level of understanding the term is all over now and it’s a hot topic in Christian circles if only because we live in the information age. It’s like the newest movie or television show that everyone wants to see and it dominates the entertainment cycle and in some cases has a life of its own. But, as in most cases, it runs it course when the next biggest thing comes along. However, all the talk about spirits abounding now isn’t going to go away simply due to the source of such influence who isn’t going away either. And if it works, why stop using it. We’ll discuss that in a bit, but for now I can tell you that pegging a person with having a Jezebel spirit is hardly new and I and others talked about it as well, usually as it pertained to a person we knew at the time. This person would be acting much like the original woman in the Old Testament regardless of whether they knew it or not. But not everyone agrees that such talk is productive or even that a spirit even exists after Jezebel died. Is there anything to this at all?

The Bible Gives Us Help

Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. (Rev 2:20, NKJV)

It is here that many people see how a spirit can be evidenced in someone else long after the person who made it famous perished a thousand year earlier. And it also helps us see a few of the that spirit’s characteristics and how much God hates it. When people criticize the talk of a Jezebel spirit’s influence in the lives of people, this portion of the Bible shows us that it is not only real, but also dangerous. We as believers must not turn a blind eye to suggestions that people can be used by Satan in similar ways or we could be open to being rebuked like the believers in Thyatira were in the book of Revelation. So the first thing we have to come to grips with is that this spiritual and demonic power is not only real, but deadly to the Church. Even a church that was known for its good works and laudable qualities of love, faith, and patience were tolerant of a person who controlled them perhaps because they were too patient with her. Or worse, they enjoyed the things she encouraged them to do. In any event, it is safe to say that exposing that someone has the Jezebel spirit is not a made up flight of fancy. We’re not talking about myths and fables or any other imaginary thing. No, we need to take this thing seriously or ignore to our peril.

Defining The Spirit

In any battle with a spirit as powerful as the Jezebel one, knowing what you’re dealing with is of great importance. And for this we need to go back to the Old Testament where Jezebel first came on the scene. In her life we see at least eight characteristics although some have divided it into twenty-nine ones. The list I’m using is one that I gleaned from a teaching on this by Vlad Savchuk:

  1. It operates in both men and women
  2. It causes control
  3. It causes fear
  4. It is sexually immoral
  5. It teaches false doctrine
  6. It loves places of leadership
  7. It thrives in weak leadership
  8. It is usually not repentant

While you could see all eight in a person or persons, most likely you’ll see it in one or more of these traits or combinations of them. When you want to defeat the Jezebel spirit you must first be able to recognize it.

Ways To Defeat The Jezebel Spirit

There are some pretty detailed instructions to tackle the Jezebel spirit, but I found one that is pretty simple and it from a teaching by Mike Signorelli and it is only three points. The first one is to come out of hiding. Here is how he explains this:

The first step is to come out of hiding. The Jezebel spirit forces many into isolation within abusive or toxic relationships, causing them to hide their true circumstances. We must expose these issues because healing cannot begin without revelation. Remember Elijah from 1 Kings 18:13, who hid prophets from Jezebel, showing that even the strong can be driven to hide.

If we want to address this head on, then we can’t be cowering in fear and not even talking about it. The second way is to reclaim your identity as Signorelli points out this way:

The second key is to reclaim your true identity. Jezebel will try to convince you that you are worthless and without authority. However, you must remember your identity in Christ. For instance, Ahab tried to label Elijah as the "troubler of Israel," but Elijah knew his true role and defended it (1 Kings 18:17-19). Many of you might have been misled about your abilities and worth due to toxic influences. It's crucial to reclaim and remind yourself of your identity regularly.

We have the authority to take down this powerful spirit, but we need to remind ourselves of that. The third way to stand your ground and stick to your choice of being used of God. Signorelli expands on that this way:

Finally, stick with your choice. Elijah challenged the people to choose between God and Baal in 1 Kings 18:20-21. Similarly, you must firmly decide and stick to it, even if criticized or pressured. People often vacillate between options because of the fear of Jezebel's influence. Once you make a choice, expect criticism but see it as confirmation of your decision's correctness.

One Word Of Caution

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that if you are going to deal with the spirit of Jezebel you must remember that it is the spirit you are rebuking and not the person. Most likely, they are blind to what they are doing and in some cases it is just a learned behavior modeled by people they saw growing up. Yes, demons are right there pushing and promoting it, but we aren’t fighting against people as much as we are wrestling with the powers behind them. In very rare cases are we talking about a totally demon possessed person. So do your real fighting in prayer and intercession and then you’ll be able to focus on the person. Also, if you recognize the spirit in action in a person or group your part in fighting against it may only be prayer. Someone else might be used to actually speak to it personally. The anointing to confront is also almost always connected to having earned the right to speak into that person’s life. That happens not in an instant but over time or being known as a person of love and care and also having a reputation of knowing God’s Word and rightfully dividing it. Yes, it can happen other ways, but usually the person will respond better to someone they already know and trust. That might not be you so don’t be offended or disappointed if things play out that way. In the end, exposing the Jezebel spirit and defeating it can be simple or complex, but Holy Spirit will give us the guidance we need to navigate even the most difficult of paths to freedom for us and others.