Overcoming the Jezebel
I first heard of the Jezebel in September l985 at Water of Life Christian Training School. Doyle was talking and describing this spirit one night, and afterwards I made a comment to a couple (who are no longer with this ministry) that I must have that spirit! That was the honesty of my heart that could see and admit it, and because of that God started dealing with that spirit in my life and setting me free. After seeing it in myself first, I could then see it in my mother and sister, and then all around me. If you cannot see this spirit in yourself, you could never see it in another person.
Later I heard someone describe the Jezebel as an octopus. The head is the Jezebel and all the tentacles are other spirits that root from the head. (I do not know if that was God, but it sure seemed to describe it appropriately). I will say that it is one wicked spirit, and one of the toughest spirits I have had to overcome (as well as taking the longest to overcome). This spirit bound me from my mother's womb, so no wonder it has taken so long to overcome it, and I am still overcoming the works (or effects) that it has done to my soul (the soul being the will, intellect and emotions). One encouraging thing is that Jesus dealt with this spirit and overcame it when He was raised from the dead. In Colossians 2:15 it says He spoiled principalities and powers, and made an open shew of them and triumphed over them, so we can too if we believe this power that raised Him from the dead. All powers, principalities, rulers of the darkness of this world and wicked spirits have been judged and God's grace is sufficient for us to overcome, if we believe the gospel. Praise God.
I grew up walking in my emotions, and if you do not walk by faith then you walk in the flesh. The soul (the will, intellect and emotions) is a part of the flesh. I was always a very sensitive person and moody at times, which was a work of that spirit in me. (Being sensitive to the Spirit of God is totally different). But in the years growing up, the Jezebel had done tremendous damage to my soul, and when the Spirit of God began dealing with this spirit in my life, it was no fun. The foundation that God was laying in my heart (which is what the ministry of an apostle-prophet does) is what was dealing with this spirit in my life, and a revelation of the death, burial and resurrection power of the Lord Jesus was exposing it so God could set me free. I Peter 1:22 talks about purifying your soul by obeying the truth through the Spirit, and that is definitely what was going on with me. As I would obey this gospel from the heart and walk down these righteous paths that God had ordained for me, being led by His Spirit, things in my soul were being purified, or cleansed. There were days I felt like every emotion in me was coming out - and sure enough that is what was happening. God knows the exact situation to put you in to expose the things in your heart so he can set you free. And that is the love of God to do so. I am not saying it is joyous, because it is not. As a matter of fact, it is grievous, but afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).
Ezekiel 13 describes the Jezebel as making the heart of the righteous sad, whom God did not make sad; and strengthening the hands of the wicked. I could see this had taken place over the years. Many things that had taken place in my life that had made my heart sad and it was not God that had done them. I remember one time Doyle was praying with me and God started taking loneliness and sadness out of my heart. I never remembered being real lonely, but that was in my heart - the sadness I definitely knew was there. The Jezebel had also bound me with much fear. But there is a specific incident that I can go straight back to when a spirit of fear hit me. It happened after my mother remarried (I was 16 years old). I had had fears before, but nothing like what was getting ready to happen to me this particular day. I was in school and my teacher asked me to read something out loud in class and when I did, my voice started trembling and I could not even finish reading. In previous years at school, I use to get up in front of the class and give reports and I was even in plays at school. But that day this 'thing' hit me and I had no idea how or even why it did. I ended up (on occasions) taking zero's in class, or sometimes just a lower grade, so I would not have to read or get up in front of the class. I have had spirits hit me 'suddenly' like this over the past few years and it was nothing but the Jezebel trying to put fear on me and bind me up. Thank God I have this gospel in my heart and can overcome these wicked attacks. (And they are wicked). Jesus said He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. I have had to meditate on this scripture many times. There were times I felt like I was in prison and my soul definitely was. In the Psalms it says God will bring our soul out of prison so we can praise Him, and that is exactly what has been, and is, taking place in my life. I could go on and on about what this spirit has done to me and the pressures it has put on me, and whenever God directs, I will.
When we came to Water of Life Church in August 1985, this spirit had already broken out and I started to shake, scream and tremble all over. My clothes would be soaked with perspiration. The laughter never did hit me, but all of these other emotions were manifestations of this Jezebel. During a three to four year period, we would have baby and bridal showers at different ladies houses, and this laughter would break out just about every time, at least to the ones I went to. By this time God was starting to sober me up, and one day Doyle and I were talking and I said to him, "You don't act this way - you're a very sober man." If the one God sent here to lead this place did not act that way, by letting his emotions run wild, then I was going to look at him and not any one else in this church. In Philippians 4:9, Paul said to the Philippians, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." I am convinced that I started overcoming this spirit that day. Tremendous pressures came on me because of it too. At times I thought they were more than I could bear, but I would be reminded of I Corinthians 10:13. What was happening was I started walking against that spirit - not in it. When you walk in that spirit, it will leave you alone and you will think you are one 'cool cat'. It is when you go against it, that every thing and every one around you will get mad and pressure you in the Spirit like you would not believe. I also mentioned to Doyle that I was not going to any more 'showers' unless God told me to, but He would have to speak and tell me, because I had had enough. You know, God never did tell me to go to one, and after that there were not too many more given.
When we would all meet to pray at Water of Life, I noticed how sober Doyle was in his praying. It was hard, steady praying, with no emotions involved. Just faith! I have learned much by watching the Spirit of God in this man, and I thank God for him. I am not talking about taking what someone else does and applying it in a legal sense, because that is the flesh and it only produces death. (That is an emulating spirit). But it is letting the Spirit of God lead you and guide you into all truth. And this is exactly what God has done with me.
In August l989, Amy and I had been invited over to Doyle's house to go swimming with a few of the girls from church. Little did I know that this day God was going to take something out of me that would change my life in overcoming the Jezebel to a greater degree than before. (This spirit knew what was going on too).
I had a slight headache when we got there, but the longer I sat there, the worse my head got. I did not say a dozen words that day - just listened to people talk. My headache kept getting worse so I finally excused myself and told them I was leaving, and Amy stayed. I went to the church and Doyle had me come into his office and he started praying for me. God delivered me from, and laid the axe to, a root of the Jezebel. When this root came out, it literally felt like a metal rod coming out of my head. It says in Matthew 3:10 that God will lay the axe to every root, and this absolutely took place in my life that day (August 1989). It was one of the most painful and powerful deliverance's I have experienced. But after that day, there was a drastic and noticeable change in my soul. I could finally continue in my believing this gospel when all kinds of pressures would hit, and not 'melt' like a stick of butter that someone threw out on the pavement on a hot July day. I absolutely would cave in and quit believing before this root of the Jezebel came out. The Jezebel had my soul so bound and paralyzed, I could not use my will to stand and believe through anything. It says that through faith and patience (continuance) you inherit the promises, and God had made some promises to me and it was so frustrating when I would cave in and quit believing. Since that time, though, the faith and love and patience and inward strength God has built in me even amazes me. The kingdom of God that is in me cannot be moved. And whatever of that 'other' kingdom is left in me, God will take it out also.
As my faith and love has been perfected the fear has come out, and I have had my share of fears. But the foundation that has been laid in me, and the false ones that have been destroyed and pulled down in me, is what allows me to stand and believe this gospel. And believing it is to trust in, rely on and adhere to it.
As I stated earlier, the Jezebel did not bind me up in one day, and therefore I have not overcome it in one day. But I am pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14).
I would just encourage you to believe this gospel, because nothing is too hard for God and there is no situation beyond His help. He already did everything for the human race that will ever be done - all we have to do is believe what He did and see it manifest.
