Witchcraft and the Church

Part 6 – The Confrontation and the Casting Down

               In the first five installments of this series, we have discussed how witchcraft operates, who it operates through, and how it entered into mankind. We have also discussed some specific spirits of witchcraft and detailed their operations. Now we get to the good stuff: how to confront and cast down witchcraft when it is operating in our lives or in our churches.

               One thing that we need to understand about witchcraft is that it is never just going to go away on its own. Once it obtains power in a person’s life or ministry, it will continue to take ground and work on the heart and mind of that person until they are so bound up that they are of no use to man or the kingdom. Once witchcraft roots itself into a ministry, such as a church, it will continue its operations until the assembly splits or shuts down completely. Both of these results are a manifestation of broken covenant, and this is one place where witchcraft thrives.

               The only solution to this problem is to confront and cast down witchcraft before it can attain its goals. In the life of an individual, this may require intercessory prayer, casting the spirit down, retraining of the flesh, and some intense Christian Counseling to fully bring healing and restoration. In a ministry, the head of the ministry may have to step aside for awhile so that healing and restoration can be sought out. It may also require intense prayer on the part of those involved in the ministry, asking the Lord to send in someone anointed for the job. One thing that is always required to root out witchcraft is a man or woman of God who is anointed for the task; and they must have the will and the intestinal fortitude to see it through to the end.

               The Bible contains some pretty in-depth information on witchcraft. It tells us how witchcraft is introduced into a body, what can be expected of the operations of witchcraft, who it considers its primary enemy among men, and how to root it up and cast it down. 

               Gen. 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”. Through craftiness, deception, deceit, and promises of illegal power, witchcraft will enter into the life of a person and begin to operate. We see this played out in Genesis chapter 3 between the serpent and Eve. Once we allow ourselves to be deceived, it is only a matter of time before we become a tool used to destroy the lives of others, as well. We see this in every manifestation of witchcraft presented in the Bible.

It should be noted here that witchcraft cannot enter into a ministry unless it first enters into the life of someone in authority in the headship of the ministry. This person may be the pastor, the pastor’s wife, a board member, the worship leader, etc. Once it has entered the life of an individual in authority in a ministry, it will seek to form sin covenant bonds with other spirits of witchcraft operating in the same ministry. The two, working together, will then form other alliances and open doorways for other spirits of witchcraft to operate.

               1 Kings 16:31-33 tells us how this takes place. It says, “And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jereboam, the son of Nebat, that he (Ahab) took as wife Jezebel        the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonaians (Phoenicians); and he went and served Ba’al and worshipped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Ba’al in the temple of Ba’al, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a wooden image. And Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”

               So here we have it all laid out. Ahab is living a life of walking in his father’s sins. In other words, he has inherited a generational curse, just like many of us. Instead of seeking the Lord and walking righteously before God to have that generational curse removed, he chooses to allow the sin lifestyle to take more of his life than did anyone that came before him. Unfortunately, the same could also be said of many of us.

               The biggest mistake Ahab makes is to then form a sin covenant with Jezebel. Many of us probably do the same thing. Jezebel was not a Hebrew girl; and being a king’s daughter and a worshipper of Ba’al, she was most likely a priestess of Ba’al; meaning that she was most likely a high dollar prostitute. So Ahab’s lust for her gets him into this situation, and she takes full advantage of him. This is very typical of the Jezebel and Ahab sin covenant. It is also very typical of the Ahab spirit to use lust to entice a person into some places where they really shouldn’t go.

               The next thing we see is that Ahab goes and begins to serve Ba’al. This is typical behavior when a person is oppressed by a spirit of witchcraft. It will work tirelessly to open doorways for other spirits of witchcraft to enter into a person’s life.

               So what does Ahab do next? He builds a temple and an altar for Ba’al, effectively introducing witchcraft into his ministry. Because of the operation of Jezebel and Ahab, the entire nation of Israel was led astray into Ba’al worship.

               We see the same things happening in ministries all over the nation. A pastor, board member, or other authority figure in a ministry will make some bad decisions and allow spirits of witchcraft into their own lives. As a result, doorways are then opened for witchcraft to begin its operations in their ministry. From this position, witchcraft is then released to attempt to open doorways in the lives of their congregation because they are then used as a tool without even realizing it.

               For instance, a minister under the influence of witchcraft will get up behind the pulpit and preach about prosperity. He will indicate that God blesses those that give. He will then extol his congregation to increase their level of giving, promising anything from monetary return to actual signs and wonders if they will give. This is manipulation and it is witchcraft. Every person that then gives has become complicit in his witchcraft by trying to manipulate the hand of God with money. As a result, everyone that gives has opened up doorways for witchcraft to operate in their own lives. Even though giving is a kingdom principle, giving in order to influence God to give you a miracle is witchcraft. It is the motivation that is in sin.

               We see the same principle displayed in Genesis Chapter 3 between the serpent and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent deceives her into believing that if she eats the forbidden fruit, she will be like God. Seeking the power that comes with that type of knowledge, she takes a bite and then gives it to Adam, also.

               Now, there is nothing wrong with seeking knowledge. In fact, Proverbs 1:7 says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. And Proverbs 10:14 says “Wise people store up knowledge”. In 2 Chron. 1:10, Solomon asks God, “Now give me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?” In 2 Chron. 1:11-12, God grants his request, and then promises long life and wealth in addition.

               God does not mind us seeking knowledge. He objects to us seeking knowledge for the sake of the power we presume it will bring. That is the difference between knowledge alone and knowledge with wisdom: Knowledge tries to figure out how to do something, where wisdom stops first to ask if it should be done. When we seek knowledge to bring us power, we are practicing witchcraft, just like Eve. When we seek knowledge and wisdom to better serve God, we are pleasing to Him.

               In the story of Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kings chap. 16), the very first thing Jezebel does is to convince Ahab to serve Ba’al. This is a very typical way of doing things in the world of witchcraft. One spirit enters a life because of a bad choice, then proceeds to make sure other doors are opened for other spirits. Notice, however, she has also succeeded in leading another person into witchcraft.

               In effect, Ahab was the head of the Church of his day. Being king over all Israel was his ministry to the chosen people of God. As such, he was bound by covenant with both God and the children of Israel. Once Jezebel entered the picture, both covenants were easily laid aside in favor of the worship of Ba’al. Thus, she had convinced him to allow witchcraft to enter into and destroy his ministry to Israel.

               We see the same thing in Gen. Chap. 3. Eve eats the fruit and then gives it to Adam. Witchcraft never operates alone, and when it is alone, it will find another person to entice into sin. Adam’s ministry was to tend God’s Garden. When he allowed sin to enter into the Garden, he broke his covenant with God and forfeited his ministry. He also damned all of humanity to be born into sin.

               And notice from the story recorded about Jezebel and Ahab, their primary enemy among men is always the prophet (1 Kings 18:13; 19:2; 21:20). This is because the prophet is the polar opposite to the witch. Witches use false prophecy to manipulate others into doing their will. Prophets speak prophecy to edify, exhort and comfort the children of God to keep them on track with the Father. Witches crave power and authority which is not theirs; prophets give all the glory to God. Witches believe that they are more powerful in numbers; a prophet knows all power in heaven and earth belongs to Christ Jesus. Witches lift up themselves; prophets lift up Jesus. A witch’s ministry produces false signs and lying wonders; a prophet’s ministry is followed by true signs and wonders from heaven.

               It is also the prophet that has the gifting necessary to expose the witch for what he/she truly is

(1 Kings 18:18). Prophets can discern through the Holy Spirit when a spirit of witchcraft is in operation, what spirit is operating, what its operations are, and whose life it has infected (although not all prophets will have all this information, they will have enough to do their job). While other ministers may possess discernment, the prophet’s sense of discernment is usually sharper, especially where witchcraft is concerned.

               As a result, witches will usually place a prophet very high on their list to destroy (1 Kings 19:2). They will be discredited, have their reputations soiled, directly challenged, called false prophets,  forbidden to minister within a body, and even get thrown out of churches. Each and every one of these avenues is a normal, expected avenue of attack. And all of the reasons for such actions will sound so reasonable. It is only the Spirit of the Lord that can truly identify witchcraft in operation.

               One of the main reasons that prophets are so disliked is because they carry the anointing for destroying witchcraft. A prophet walks in the anointing to destroy witchcraft as part of their calling and gifting. So getting rid of a prophet is just playing it safe if you are a witch.

               Casting down witchcraft is always done through direct confrontation. If Jezebel is operating in an assembly, someone with the anointing and the will and the authority to challenge her must step up to the plate and carry through. When the infestation is serious, God usually sends a prophet anointed for the job (1 Kings chap. 18), to either cast down witchcraft or to anoint the man who will (2 Kings chap. 9).

               Confronting witchcraft is never easy. Ba’al and Jezebel can root themselves very firmly in a body with very little time to do so. There are so many of us that are susceptible to promises of illegal power; or that struggle against lust or pride, that it makes the job of a spirit of witchcraft that much easier. The first thing to remember when confronting a spirit of witchcraft operating in a life is to never negotiate. It goes, the person stays.

               Spirits of witchcraft will generally seek the highest position in a ministry as possible, and will always work in teams. The couple that writes the biggest tithe checks, serving on the board, and calling all the shots in a church is a near guarantee, and must be confronted if the ministry and they themselves are to be saved. Otherwise, the ministry will split or close completely, and Jezebel and Ahab will take a good many of the congregation with them to another assembly to do it all over again.

               The elder who just recently divorced and remarried two months later, amid rumors of marital infidelity is another nearly sure bet. The older woman who always sits in the front pew, scowling at anything she doesn’t like, who writes tithe checks that pay the pastor’s salary is another place to check. Any church member in authority that has issues with covenant relationship, or seeks to control the ministry should be approached prayerfully.

               Jezebel and Ba’al will resist being cast down. They will split the church, get the pastor fired, have the visiting prophet thrown out, and have the worship leader replaced with a close friend that is not anointed for the job (thus placing a spirit of witchcraft in the driver’s seat for worship). In short, they will pull every dirty trick in the book to retain or grab hold of more illegal authority. And they will always reproduce themselves in disciples. Two spirits of witchcraft will always work together as a team, but will train disciples to do the same thing they are doing.

               The pastor who won’t allow anyone else except family to flow in their giftings is one good example. The busy-body that brings a troop of ten women with her to complain about the new Sunday School teacher is another one. Or the new couple in the church that brought five other couples with them. All of the above situations should be carefully monitored, so that a spirit of witchcraft can be shut down before it gains any real power in the Body.

               Once a spirit of witchcraft is found out and cornered, it generally is rather cowardly, preferring to run instead of facing a direct confrontation with a true man or woman of God. The person that has been oppressed should be removed from power, and then deliverance and post-deliverance counseling (for retraining of the flesh) should be sought out. If the person will not be convinced to be prayed for and counseled, then the only choice left is to ask them to leave. That should always be the last resort, and even then only when the Lord endorses it. People are not disposable just because they are oppressed, but if they are unrepentant and unwilling to submit to church authority, then the rest of the Body must be protected.

               Ministers that exhibit signs of witchcraft in their ministries need to be prayed for through serious intercession. Only when the voice of the Lord says to do so, should they be asked to step down for a long enough period to seek healing and restoration. Then they should be gradually reintroduced to their authority in the Body. Close monitoring needs to be used for awhile, until it can be reasonably guaranteed that they are not falling back into the same trap again. Again, this should only be done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and should be confirmed numerous times through several individuals before it is acted upon. One of the first things a witch will try to do is to upset the power structure in a ministry through false prophecy. We need to be sure that it is definitely the Lord speaking.

               Confrontation needs to be direct and to the point, but done in a loving manner. Remember, these people are not demons, they are oppressed by demons. There is a huge difference. Guilt and shame should NEVER be used as leverage to make someone submit to prayer or to stepping down temporarily. Confronting witchcraft with witchcraft is not going to do any good.

               The most important part of deliverance counseling with those oppressed by spirits of witchcraft is the counseling. Pre-counseling needs to be used to be sure that it is indeed witchcraft that they are struggling with. Post-deliverance counseling needs to be employed to help them retrain their flesh. Otherwise, it is almost a guarantee that they will fall right back into the same trap. If a minister senses the presence of a spirit of witchcraft and does not have the time or the experience to counsel the individual involved, then the minister should intercede that the Lord will send a deliverance counselor to set them free.

               Most importantly of all, love those that are oppressed. We all have open doorways in our lives. To treat someone like a leper because they are struggling against something is not Christ-like. It is not good for them or for other members of the Body. And it is not the heart of God. The heart of God is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In other words, the Golden Rule definitely applies here. Treat those that are struggling with the same love and respect that you would want to receive. If you cannot, let another minister pray for them.

For more articles by this author, please be sure to check out www.thelighthousespeaks.blogsot.com

              

Witchcraft and the Church

Part 5 – The Forbidden Fruit of the Forbidden Tree

               In the last four parts of this series, we have discussed witchcraft in the Body of Christ, spirits of witchcraft, and even gone into some depth as to how witchcraft enters the Body. To fully understand how witchcraft operates, and how it manages to enter into the Body, I think it is extremely important to discover how witchcraft deceives individual believers, and how it enters the lives of our people as individuals. In order to do this, we will travel back to the very first time the Bible records witchcraft being employed against the people of God – in the Garden of Eden.

               The Bible gives us a very detailed account of the events in the Garden, and there is much we can learn from this account. For instance, in Gen. 3:1 we read: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, ‘Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden?’ “

               The first thing we need to understand about this passage is that the serpent is the universally recognized symbol for witchcraft. Secondly, notice how the text describes the serpent, the symbol of witchcraft, as “more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”

               So right off the bat, we understand that the serpent, the symbol of witchcraft, was not a creature God created. At least not in the form we see it represented here. Second, we are told that the serpent is very subtle; more so than any creature on earth. In this sense, “subtil” (Strong’s #H6175) means “shrewd, crafty, or sly”.  So now we know that God did not create this serpent in its present form, and that this serpent, the symbol of witchcraft, is the craftiest, the slyest creature on the earth.

               How does Eve respond to this sly creature? “And the woman said unto the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the Garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said ‘Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die’ ‘ “ (Gen. 3:3).

               Right away, I can see three major problems, here. First of all, Adam and Eve were given authority over every living thing that moved upon the earth (Gen. 1:28). Why doesn’t she just use that authority to tell this wily beast to stop tempting her? After all, she certainly had the God-given authority to expel it from the Garden, but she didn’t. I’m not sure why she didn’t use that authority, or why we still aren’t using our authority today. We have the same authority over witchcraft, but we make the same mistake she made – we negotiate with it and become deceived.

               The second problem here is that she does not answer truthfully. Check out Gen. 2:17. “But of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” She has perverted the Word of God in her own mind. She has in fact created the world’s first religion. God says don’t eat from the tree; her religion says don’t touch the tree. As in most religions, she has added to the Word of the Lord, rendering the Word of God useless when combating the enemy. Now she has given this serpent room to prove to her that God is a liar. Hang on just a moment and we’ll see this in action.

               The third problem I see here is this: God wanted a relationship with Eve, but in her own mind, she created a religion. Relationship is the way that God reaches out to man on His terms. Religion is the way that man tries to reach out to God on man’s terms. And boy, does it get her into trouble!  But here is the problem with Eve’s religion: relationship is a covenant with God; religion is a broken covenant. Even before the serpent successfully tempted Eve, the relationship had already been replaced in her heart with a religion; a religion of works. It is the broken covenant with God that really gets Eve into trouble, here.

               So witchcraft has begun its’ operations in the heart and mind of Eve. It has exposed the fact that she does not have a relationship with God, but a religion. It has worked its’ way past her defenses, and now is going to negotiate with her. She has given up her God-granted power over the entire earth, and her relationship with God, and is now going to seek illegal power in the form of a forbidden fruit. Sounds a lot like Jezebel, doesn’t it?

               And the serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4, 5) The first point that needs to be made here is that she was already like God. She already had what the serpent was promising her. And what’s more, she already had the knowledge of good and evil within her in the form of the Holy Spirit. She didn’t need a conscience of good and evil, because the Spirit of the Lord provides that service for all of God’s children.

But this is the promise that witchcraft makes to all of us. God is lying to you. I can show you how to attain enough power that you will be a god in your own right. And what’s more, she has given the serpent room to prove what he is saying by allowing the lies of religion to replace her covenant relationship with God.

               And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Gen. 3:6).

               Can you picture the scene? The serpent says she won’t die. Her religion says that if she touches the tree she will die. So she hesitantly reaches out to touch the tree, and guess what? She doesn’t die! God has lied to her, and this wonderful new friend of hers has pointed it out, exposing God for the liar that He is!

               This is religion at work. Instead of giving our people the truth of God’s Word, we give them religion and denominational rules that God never intended for us to be bound with. As a result, we give the serpent the opportunity to deceive our people because we have deceived them first. And they blame it on a lying God, when in fact it was us all along. And witchcraft wins again. Sure wish someone had told us that was going to happen!

               And notice what Eve was pursuing in her quest for god-like power: she was pursuing knowledge. I am not saying that the pursuit of knowledge in itself is a bad thing. It is when we get the idea that knowledge is power that the pursuit becomes a manifestation of witchcraft.

               Eve already had the Spirit of the Lord within her. He would have convicted her of any wrong doing. Instead, she needed to satisfy some inner need for power over her own circumstances; to be like God. We do the same thing every day.

               Let’s take one very well known example. Albert Einstein began to pursue the science of the atom in the hopes of developing technology for medical science. After some advances in his studies, he is approached by the U.S. government to develop the technology for them. Well, we all know how that turned out. The x-ray machine was developed, and so was the nuclear bomb. The pursuit of nuclear technology for use in a bomb was witchcraft. The pursuit of the science of the atom for medical use was godly wisdom. The knowledge gained was the same. It was the intent for which it was gained that makes the difference.

               Eve does the same thing. She does not desire knowledge to live a godly lifestyle. She desires knowledge to replace the godly lifestyle she has already been living. After all, if you have become like God, why would you need to obey all those silly rules?

               We do the same thing every day. We don’t need to trust in the Lord to supply all our needs. We can work and save our money and put our trust in Charles Schwaab. We don’t need to have faith in God to heal us. We have health insurance. We don’t need the Spirit of the Lord to lead and guide us, we have that Ph.D. in Divinity gathering dust up on the wall.

               Don’t get offended with me, yet. There is nothing wrong with saving your money, having health insurance, or seeking higher education. That is not what I’m saying. What I’m trying to get across, is that those things can replace God in our lives, and it is at that point that they become witchcraft. Understand?

               How many times have we turned on a Christian Television Network to hear a fire and brimstone sermon promising hellfire and damnation if we don’t repent. I must have gotten saved over fifty times before I truly sought out a relationship with God. Fear is a great motivator; it is also witchcraft. Every time we hear one of those sermons that scares everyone to the altar, we have seen witchcraft in practice in the Church. Don’t tell them about the love of Christ. Don’t tell them about God’s grace. Don’t trust the Spirit of God to bring them to the altar. No, play God yourself. Scare them to the altar. It’s for their own good, anyway. I know it sounds silly in this context, but it happens worldwide every Sunday morning.

               So the lack of truth in Eve’s religion has left an open door for the enemy. She has taken the forbidden fruit. What next?

               And (she) gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat (Gen 3:6f). There we go. Witchcraft strikes again. Wait a minute! What did that say? She gave also unto her husband with her? Adam had been there all along? Yep. Good old Ahab (Adam) was afraid to use his authority to slap that serpent, and then he followed Eve straight into hell!

               One more thing we need to make a special note of here. Witchcraft always works in pairs. One partner will always be the dominant personality and will lead the other around by their nose. In this case, it is the spirit of Jezebel leading the spirit of Ahab. It does work the other way also, though with Ba’al and Ashteroth.

               And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sowed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Gen 3:7) Witchcraft always exposes the ugliness of the flesh; the shameful things. We are lied to and deceived; told that if we do this or do that, we will have more power. The truth of it is that all of our power will be taken from us, leaving us exposed to the ugliness of our flesh; filled with shame.

               Before this encounter, Adam and Eve already had all authority on earth, just as Jesus did when He came to earth as a man. How much more power can a person need? Regardless of the fact that they already had what they were seeking, they were deceived. They failed to be wise and vigilant. They stepped into witchcraft without truly thinking it through.

               We do the same. We have all power on Heaven and on earth (Mat. 16:19). We have been sent to this world, just as Jesus was sent to this world (John 20:21), with all the same authority. Yet, most of the Body struggles with witchcraft in one form or another. Just like Adam and Eve, the pursuit for carnal knowledge has surpassed the pursuit for godly wisdom. The pursuit for power over the Church has surpassed the pursuit for brotherly love. The pursuit of religion has surpassed the pursuit for relationship. Need I continue?

               The serpent dangles something in front of us that we have already been given, and we choose to bite. We choose to manipulate the pastor into doing things our way. We choose to use fear tactics to run our home or discipline our children. We choose to lead others astray in our religion instead of leading them down paths of righteousness. We get together on Sunday afternoon and choose to tear up Mr. so-and-so behind his back because he is obviously a sinner and not worthy to be in our midst. We choose to take the Word of God out of context in order to condemn or exclude others. We choose to look down our noses at that young teenage girl who “got herself” pregnant.

               And what is the price for our choices? God is casting down witchcraft. He has declared war on the trespasser in His Garden, and He is going to be rid of it. Those that choose to continue practicing idolatry with witchcraft may find that God turns a deaf ear to them until they repent. They may find that things in their lives don’t go so well until they stop using their mouths to hurt the anointed of the Lord. They may even find that, for a time, the Lord allows them to reap what they’ve sown.

               Ministers that choose to continue to minister through fear and condemnation may find that the Lord dries up their ministries. They may find their own sin issues exposed. They may find that the Lord makes good on His promises to cast Jezebel down from the pinnacle of her temple; their temple. They may find that the fires of God come down and consume everything they’ve built in the name of Ba’al. It might just happen in front of a whole crowd of onlookers or a television audience.

               This is the time to repent and come out of agreement with witchcraft in all its forms, and turn our hearts back to the Father. This is the time when the fear of the Lord will be manifested in the true Body of Christ; those that are Spirit fed and Spirit led. This is the time to search our hearts and ask the Lord to reveal our sin covenants so that we can serve Jezebel and Ba’al a notice of divorce and come back into covenant with Christ. This is that time.

               When God visited His Garden He cast out those that practiced witchcraft and sent His Son to bruise the head of the serpent. If we are saved, living by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, we are in the Garden and the serpent has been cast out. Why are we allowing a half dead snake to poison our Body? This is the time to kill it. God is doing just that. In this season, witchcraft is a dead thing, and the dead cannot affect the living. Let’s act like it.

               Let’s truly become the Church, the Body of Christ. Let’s come back into a state of unity with God and with one another. It’s that time. It’s about time, isn’t it?

               I encourage all of my readers to simply ask the Lord to reveal to you if there are any sin covenants in your life. Then confess your sin and repent. Don’t make excuses. Don’t hide from God. Cast the serpent out of the Garden, and walk with God in the cool of the day once more. It’s time.

               The love of God is greater than any sin you have committed in the name of witchcraft. Don’t make Him come looking for you. You cannot hide from Him. He sees you as you are: His child in need of love and restoration. Accept His love. Ask for restoration. He’s there for you. It’s time to accept His forgiveness and move past witchcraft. It’s time to move back into full blood covenant with Christ Jesus. It’s way past time.

Women in Ministry

Every now and then, I see a resurrection of the topic of women in ministry. Some male whom considers himself to be well studied and knowledgeable in the Word will present a rock-solid case (in his opinion) of why women should not be allowed to minister in the Church, or to exercise authority over men in the Body of Christ. I have put this off for awhile, but I have finally had about all I can take, so I think it is time to dispel some myths about women and ministry

It never fails, but the writings of Paul to Timothy will be quoted as the end-all, be-all ruling of God’s opinion concerning women in the Church. 1 Timothy 2:12 says, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Well, that does it for every chauvinistic male in the Body of Christ. Christianity is definitely an “all boys club”, so women just need to sit down and shut up, allowing us big strong guys to handle it.

I have to say that I do not agree with this particular view of this scripture, and I believe I can prove why the interpretation is faulty.

We first need to examine the scripture in more detail. The Greek word “authenteo”, translated here as “usurp” needs to be closely examined, because it is the key word in this scripture. “Authenteo” (Strong’s # G831) means “one who does a thing of himself; one who acts on his own authority; master” (Thayer’s pg. 84).

So let’s get this straight. Paul was telling Timothy that a woman should not be allowed to act on her own authority in the Church. I agree. That is an operation of Jezebel. He was saying that a woman should not be allowed to become a man’s master. I agree. Christ is our master. He was saying that a woman should not be allowed to do a thing of themselves within the Body. I agree. We need to be Spirit-led.

However, when we use the correct interpretation, every single one of the above statements also apply to men in the Body (boo! Hissss!).

And to make it worse, these “boys only” theologians are taking this scripture out of scriptural and cultural context. What do the scriptures really say about women in ministry?

Well, in Judges Chapter 4, Deborah is ordained and appointed to be a judge over all of Israel (Jud. 4:4, 5). Now we must remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). If He used women in positions of authority under the Old Covenant, how many more will He use under the New Covenant? If a woman could exercise authority in the Congregation under the Old Covenant, why should she be prohibited in the New Covenant? Because of a lie perpetrated against the Body of Christ. I’m sorry if you feel offended, but I believe that I can prove the truth of that statement.

Once again, we need to go back to 1 Timothy chap. 2. Notice the wording of verse 12. It doesn’t say that a woman cannot exercise authority over a man, but she is not to usurp that authority. Encarta Dictionary defines usurp as “seize something without right”. I agree that none of us, male or female, should seize authority without right in the Church. That is an operation of witchcraft, and can lead to some pretty severe problems.

So why did Paul tell Timothy not to allow a woman to teach a man? All we have to understand is the cultural context that the scripture was written in. Paul had dispatched Timothy to the Gentile Church. These individuals were newly reformed pagan worshippers. Their gods had names like Zeus, Apollo, Mars, etc. What’s more, the worship of these gods was pornographic in scope, and they were all served by Priestesses and High Priestesses.

In the worship rituals of these gods, sexual orgies between the worshippers and the priestesses were a normal state of affairs. These priestesses that once, and perhaps still, served false gods through sexual rites were now a part of the Gentile Church. In addition, the priestesses, possessed by the spirit of their gods, would proceed to prophesy through the spirit of Jezebel.

In addition, the whole of the Gentile Church had been born out of a polytheistic culture where many gods were served. So Paul was being wise when he told Timothy not to allow these particular women to usurp authority in the Gentile Church or to teach. They had come from a devil-worshipping culture, and to allow them to teach or to prophesy falsely in the Church would have been a serious mistake. Can you imagine the results had they been allowed to get up behind a pulpit on a Sunday morning and prophesy that God wanted His Church to also worship Dionysus (Greek god of wine and sex), and to engage in an orgy as a form of worship?

I don’t believe that we would even see this prohibition against this particular group of women had they fully left their old lives behind. In our modern churches, we would not allow a newly reformed, drug addicted prostitute who was a Buddhist to teach Sunday School or to preach a sermon because the results could be disastrous. We would first disciple her and help her to fully leave the old life behind. Paul was encouraging Timothy to exercise the same kind of wisdom.

What about women in the five-fold ministry? In Romans 16:7, the Bible says “Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.” Wait just a second! Did Paul just refer to a woman (Junia) as an apostle? And an apostle of note?  A woman?  Easy, there big fella’. You’ll figure it out!

And now to make it even worse, Judges 4 definitely calls Deborah a prophetess. While some would like to make a distinction between the office of prophet and the prophetess, let’s consider this: the words “prophesy” and “prophet” are actually descended from a root word for “prophetess”. Yep, you’ve got it right. To prophesy is actually considered to be feminine in origin. Ouch! Kinda stabs your male pride right in the foot, doesn’t it?

And here are some other hard and fast Biblical facts: 1 Cor. 12:12 states “For as the Body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one Body, being many, are one Body: so also is Christ.” Is there any doubt in the mind of anyone that Jesus Christ was, in fact, the Son of God? If we are all a part of the Son’s body, are we not all male in the eyes of the Lord?

Mat. 13:38 says, “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.” The Greek word “huios” (Strong’s #5207), translated here as “children” actually means to be a son. I cannot fathom anyone believing that just because a person is female by birth, that they cannot be part of the “good seed”.

Romans 8:14: For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Can women be led by the Spirit of God? If so, they must be a son of God.

1 John 3:1-2: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Is there any question as to whether or not women will be caught up in the resurrection? I sincerely hope not. The fact is, all of us are sons of God on the earth, and will be transformed sons of God in the hereafter.

Once salvation has occurred and we are sanctified by the blood of Christ, God considers us to be dead to the fleshly life of sin and reborn into life in the Spirit.  As such, He sees us as changed (transformed) into the image of His precious Son, all a part of the Body of Christ. Eph. 2:5, 6 tells us that “Even when we were dead in sins, (He) hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

I have only one question about this passage. We know that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:20). If we are seated in heavenly places with Him, at the right hand of the Father, is that not a position of authority in the kingdom? I see no distinction here between male and female. I see only that ALL believers are seated in a place of authority in the Body of Christ. I cannot see any other way to interpret this scripture. If Christ Jesus is on His throne at the right hand of the Father, and we are seated in Him in heavenly places, then we are all, male and female, in a place of authority. Not just in the Body of Christ, but over all of God’s creation. To interpret this scripture in any other way is unsound.

I am not trying to say that women should reign over men in the Church. I am saying that men and women together are all workers in the kingdom. Women have as much of a purpose in the leadership of the Church as men. Not one lording it over the other. When we step back and take into consideration that spirits like Jezebel and Ba’al thrive upon the illegal assumption of authority, we must also realize that if God has given a woman divine authority in one area or another and we as men refuse to grant her the God-given authority she already has, it is the man that has introduced witchcraft and the spirit of Jezebel into the assembly, not the woman!

I know that many of you will have to read this several times to gain understanding, because this is absolutely contrary to the false doctrine being presented in many assemblies. I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to the truth of the scriptures and to the truth that we are all sons in the kingdom. Amen.

Witchcraft and the Church

Part 3 – Ba’al and Ashteroth

The High Priestess and her god

               Ba’al and Ashteroth (pronounced Ah-SHE-rah) are two of the most common spirits of witchcraft that the Body of Christ struggles with. Outside of one battle with Elijah and a few passages relating to the worship of Ba’al, we really don’t have a great deal of information about them given in the Bible. That being the case, we need to look into some historical facts to see what we can learn.

               Historically, Ashteroth was a harlot whom became a queen. She was married to a Babylonian king, probably before the Flood. She was not his first wife, however, so her children would not have a claim on the throne. Worse yet, in the times she lived in, her and her children would most likely be slain when the eldest son took the throne on his father’s demise. It was clear to her that she needed a plan.

               After much thought, she came up with a plan that would ensure that her and her son would not only survive, but would rule Babylon after the king’s death.

               She began to let it circulate that her husband, the king had never asked her into his bedchamber. Then she allowed the rumor mill to know that she was pregnant by a god. After this god impregnated her, she laid an egg. After several months, the egg hatched and Ba’al was born.

               Being the son of a god, Ba’al and his mother could expect a certain level of treatment, at least as long as the king was alive. She capitalized on this immediately. Once her godling was born, she had a temple built in his honor, over which she presided as High Priestess.

               The people of Babylon were ecstatic to have the son of a real live god dwelling in their midst, and with some back alley dealings from his mother, a new religion was born. This continued for the rest of the king’s life span. By the time he died, Ba’al and Ashteroth were so powerful with the people of the kingdom that the new king did not dare to have them killed. They were so powerful, in fact, that he became a puppet. The kingdom’s new rulers were actually Ba’al and Ashteroth, and they ruled from their temple.

               This is a very typical manifestation of witchcraft in the Church. The door for Ba’al is always opened by a devoted female worshipper. In his natural life, his devoted and devious mother opened the door for him. In the worship of Ba’al which continues even to this day, it is generally Jezebel which opens the door for him (1 Kings 16:31,32). He has much in common with her, and the two work together like hand in glove.

               Ba’al is aggressive, abusive (especially sexually abusive), and has an unquenchable drive to attain power. He will usually be an alpha male or alpha female, a real go getter that succeeds in nearly everything. He wants, and will attain the best in life, and is always driven to succeed.

               Ba’al is a family man in the sense that he requires others in his household, and he demands that they be completely subservient to him. He will likely have several broken relationships, and he almost always has a foul temper when things don’t go his way. This comes from his close association with Molech, the Canaanite demon-god of fire.

               Ashteroth will willingly be subservient to Ba’al, and will take his abuse just so that she can ride his coat tails of success. She has no problem allowing him to abuse her children (after all, it’s for their own good), and will deal treacherously to ensure his success.

               The worship of Ba’al was a mixture of filth from every part of life. Worship of Ba’al included temple prostitutes (see the stunning account in Proverbs chap. 7), homosexual prostitutes and sexual brutality as part of the annual holy feast. Ba’al worship also included blood-letting (1 Kings 16:28) and other forms of self abuse, and still does to this day.

Evidence of Ba’al at work in a person’s life may include numerous sin covenants, broken relationships, self destructive behavior (especially cutting or addictions) and of course, the lust for power. He will be have a foul temper, be physically and/or verbally abusive, and will treat the fairer sex like property or meat to be consumed.

Ba’al, when worshipped on a national level, always brings famine, even though he is foolishly regarded as a source of virility and fertility.  We see this in many third world countries today.

In the country of Mexico, the Virgin Mary once appeared in a corn field. As a result, worshippers come from miles away, crawling down the streets on their hands and knees to worship an image of her made of corn stalks.  By the time they reach their destination, their hands and knees are bruised and bloody, and many actually suffer from dehydration from this brutal practice. It is not my intention to offend anyone’s beliefs, but this is Ba’al worship in its’ purest form. The worshippers abuse their bodies to worship at a graven image during the harvest season. Sound familiar?

Ba’al is represented by either a calf or a bull or a man with the head of a bull or a goat. He has been present in many different religions by many different names since before the flood.

Take a close look at the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur, for example. Young men and women, virgins, were sacrificed to a man with the head of a bull. His mother is said to have had him after a sexual encounter with a mystical bull. Human sacrifice was abhorrent to the Greeks, and the Athenians finally put a stop to this practice, only to continue the worship of Ba’al under the name of Pan, god of the forest.

When we look into the Word, we can also find many examples if we understand what we are looking for.  Genesis 10:8-11 tells us about Nimrod, a mighty hunter (of men) who ruled a kingdom in the land that would someday be called Canaan. Let’s check out the text. Verse 8 tells us that he began to be a mighty one in the earth. Translation: this was the first of the giants born after the flood. In Chapter 11 of Genesis, Nimrod has gathered people together and is building a tower to reach the heavens. Why? To make a name for themselves, of course! It was their intention to raise up the name of man above the name of God. This is witchcraft at work, telling man that he too can be god.

I saw a special report on one of the Educational networks a couple of years ago that said that archaeologists have found a 300-foot high structure in the Iraqi desert which has been there so long that no-one knows why it was built. It is a five-tiered temple complex and the bottom floor is dedicated to Ba’al worship. They believe that they have found the tower of Babel. Noah hadn’t even died, yet and this demon worship had already been reborn.

When God led the children of Israel out of Egypt, the first thing they did was to build themselves a god in the shape of a calf and commit licentious acts in the name of worship. Ba’al had struck again.

Ba’al is also a false prophet. His priests and priestesses were prophets that spoke demonic prophecies to his worshippers (see the account in 1 Kings chap. 18).

Ashteroth is the female manifestation of Ba’al. She will be unswervingly loyal to him (until the covenant break-up at least), and will strive to please him whenever possible. She will accept and may even solicit sexual, verbal and emotional abuse from him, and is more than likely to have addictions of her own. Promiscuity is another sign that she is hanging around.

Ashteroth will always seek to couple herself with Ba’al, and she will be extremely unhappy and sullen without him. This may even go to the extreme of her returning to the same abusive relationship time after time until she is actually killed. Ba’al is not likely to keep covenant with her, and one sign of these two at work in the life of an individual is several broken relationships. Ba’al will keep her around to abuse her until he can trade her in for a newer, younger model. Of course, Ashteroth will likely also be present in the life of the new partner, so he never really trades her in. She just gets younger and prettier every few years.

Ba’al and Ashteroth will do incredible amounts of emotional and spiritual damage before they are usually found out. Intense deliverance counseling is required to be completely free of them. Deliverance should only be attempted under the guidance of the Holy Spirit by an experienced minister.

Without pre- and post-deliverance counseling, the oppressed victim is more than likely to return to the same condition as before, only worse. Ba’al and Ashteroth affect so many areas of an individual’s life, that counseling is necessary as a preventative measure.

It is possible to completely root out Ba’al and Ashteroth, regardless of how deeply they are buried in an individual’s life. It is quite common that they will be very deeply enmeshed in the victim’s mind because they are generational and are usually acquired at an early age. Contracted in this way, they have the ability to actually help to form an individual’s thought patterns and habits and destroy their emotional well-being from the time of their youth.

I encourage everyone to do some self examination. Ba’al is a scourge on the Church, and is easiest to be rid of when stopped in the early stages of demonization. There are many ways that doors can be opened to him. Aggressiveness, drug abuse and other self destructive behaviors, sin covenants (whether hetero or homosexual), abuse of loved ones, and especially from generational curses.

If the Spirit of the Lord reveals the presence of Ba’al in your life, don’t put it off! Seek an experienced, Spirit-led deliverance counselor right away. If a deliverance minister does not do deliverance counseling, seek out someone else. Ask the Lord to bind the works of Ba’al in your life until counseling can be found. Above all, please do not try to use self-deliverance techniques with this spirit. You may find yourself overwhelmed by a flood of emotions that you are not prepared to deal with. Always seek out help!

Witchcraft and the Church

Part 2 – Jezebel and Ahab

Jezebel – The Queen of Witchcraft and her Pawn

“And he answered, ‘What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’ “ (2 Kings 9:22)

               Historically, Jezebel was an actual person, the daughter of a Zidonian king, the queen of Israel, and an avid worshipper of Ba’al (1 Kings 16:31). It is not the historical aspect that I am interested in so much as the spiritual aspect. Jezebel, spirit of witchcraft, is so common in the Church in this day and age, that we must learn how it operates, who it is operating through, and how to stop its’ operations.

               God knew that Jezebel would be a problem in the Church. In Rev. 2:20, He tells us: “Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”

                God was so adamant that Jezebel should not be allowed to operate in the Church that He even goes so far as to promise a special reward to those who use their authority in Him to overcome her. Rev. 2:26-28 says, “and he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the Morning Star.”

               But what are the works of Jezebel? How do we spot her in operation? How do we overcome her? What happens if we just sit idly by instead of confronting her?

               The works of Jezebel, and her partner Ahab, are outlined in 1 Kings 16-22, and in 2 Kings chap. 9. There is more Biblical material about this particular pair than any other adversary of God and man. God gave us an incredible amount of information about her so that we would be able to spot and to stop her in her tracks.

               When it comes to stopping Jezebel, the only option is confrontation. An anointed man or woman of God who is in authority in the Church must confront her. That is the only way. Why? Because one of her main operations is the illegal assumption of power within the Body. How does she pull that off? Let’s take a look at the Biblical evidence, shall we?

               The book of 1 Kings details the lives of Jezebel and Ahab, king and queen of the nation of Israel. The spirits of Jezebel and Ahab have taken the names of these two evil individuals because their operations are the same. We also need to remember that the nation of Israel WAS the Church of their day. Anything which happened to them can also happen to us. She assumed illegal authority in Israel, and has also assumed illegal authority in many churches. How does she do that?

               First, she finds a man in authority. Through manipulation, she bends that man to her will, and begins to assume power that is not hers. We must remember that if there is a Jezebel, there will always be an Ahab. The two work together. Always. No exceptions.

               1 Kings 16:31-33 tells of the coupling of Jezebel and Ahab: And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethba’al (meaning “with Ba’al”) king of the Zidonians (Phoenicians), and went and served Ba’al, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Ba’al in the house of Ba’al which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

               So first off, we notice that Ahab’s first mistake was looking outside the Body (the nation of Israel) for a partner. Why was this such a massive mistake? 2 Cor. 6:14-15 tells us:  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial (satan)? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Rule number one in avoiding Jezebel: seek a mate from among the people of God.

How many Christians do the same thing today? How many of us are willing to accept spouses that are not part of the Body? Or better yet, how many of us yoke ourselves to partners who may come to church but are not serious about God? What happens when we do that? Well, let’s take a look at what happened to Ahab.

               Notice from reading 1 Kings 16:31, that it is only after Ahab couples himself to this wicked woman that he builds a temple and plants a grove for the worship of Ba’al. Now, to be truthful, the worship of Ba’al was common all throughout Canaan during this time. In fact, it was common all throughout the known world, and still is. When we get to the article on Ba’al and Ashteroth, we’ll discuss this more in depth.

               So Ahab makes the mistake of taking a wife from among the heathen. Then he makes the biggest blunder a man can make: he allows her to convince him to worship a false god. Like most new husbands, he was probably willing to do whatever it took to please his new bride, and she took full advantage of it.

               Even as the king of Israel, Ahab did not have the fortitude to stand up to her and say “no, I only worship Jehovah, the one true God.” We see this a lot in this pairing. Ahab never has the strength to stand up to Jezebel. She always gets what she desires from him through manipulation.

               Manipulation can take many forms. It may be sexual favors, as Ahab always struggles with some kind of lust (see the text in 1 Kings 21, where Ahab lusts for the vineyard), and sexual lust is nearly always present. It could have been bouts of tears or displays of temper, or even just persistent nagging. Whatever the type(s) of manipulation used, he will never stand up to her, at least not for long.

               This is one reason why Jezebel is so adept at running the church from behind the scenes. She manipulates her husband to carry out her will, or gets on the board herself and manipulates the pastor or other board members. However she chooses to work, she will always be running things from behind the scenes while it appears to most of those in the area that Ahab is actually in charge.

               I want to stop right here to make a point. The reason that church boards are so vulnerable to Jezebel and Ahab is because they are not a Biblical form of Church government. I know, I just made many of you so angry that you are now red in the face, hurriedly searching for any key that will make this article go away.

               Those of you that have a more even temper, or just a sense of curiosity are saying, “wait a minute! Didn’t the church in Jerusalem have a board of 11 apostles, plus James as the Pastor?” The answer is definitely “yes”, however that particular council of 12 anointed apostles of God does not even come close to resembling most church boards. The council in Jerusalem contained 12 anointed men of God who had all proven their allegiance to Christ, and were called to minister to the nations.

               What do most modern church boards look like? Let’s just think about a few examples. Many church boards are popularity contests. The people with the most friends get elected by the congregation.

My favorite example is the guy who puts the most in the offering plate gets placed on the board by the Pastor. Got to keep those tithe checks coming!

               Or how about this one? The Pastor’s best friend is reserved a seat, regardless of whether he has a call on his life, or not. Or the woman who won’t quit hounding the pastor for a seat is given one just to shut her up.

Every example from above, regardless of how ridiculous it sounds, is taking place in churches all over the nation. And every example from above is an example of Jezebel and Ahab at work. Let’s examine the evidence.

Nowhere in the Word does it give an indication that church board members should be elected by general election of the congregation. Even the 11 apostles in Jerusalem asked for the voice of the Lord before numbering Matthias as one of the 12 (see Acts 1:15-26). The board should be agreed upon by those presently in leadership because of the voice of the Lord on the issue. The Council in Jerusalem was appointed by Jesus Himself, and that is the way it should be today. Jezebel is likely to always be very popular, especially with the women. Women whom do not know what to look for will see her as strong and confident; a woman who runs her household well and gets the desired results. Popularity contests need to be avoided at all costs.

Jezebel and Ahab are likely to be very prosperous, and will almost nearly always be good givers when the offering plate is passed. Although Ahab is a very passive personality type (which he will try to hide with false bravado, see 1 Kings 20:11), Jezebel is driven to have the good life, and will drive him to provide her with the very best. As a result, they will most likely have plenty of money, and giving in large amounts gets her noticed, feeding her vanity (2 Kings 9:31). And giving in large amounts also gives her negotiating room to enforce her will on the pastor (Ouch! Just lost a few more of my readers!)

Board membership because of friendship with those in charge is an invitation for disaster! It has been estimated that 9 out of 10 Pastors deal with the Jezebel and Ahab syndrome in their own homes. As a result, a Pastor with an Ahab issue will always surround himself with Jezebels and Ahabs, and a board of “yes-men”. I can just about guarantee that the guy who is always the pastor’s right hand man (in the instance of a pastor with an Ahab issue) is probably either a Jezebel or Ahab. Satan excels at manipulation, and will try his best to place a Jezebel or Ahab next to any pastor. For safety’s sake, close friends of other board members should not be given any special considerations. And if you are asked to join a board full of “yes-men”, run as hard and as fast as you can!

The person who won’t quit hounding the pastor for a seat on the board, whether for her or her husband, is nearly always a Jezebel. She has a drive for power, and will acquire it at any cost. Conversely, the man that keeps humbly approaching the pastor offering to serve in a position of leadership should be carefully considered in prayer, as Ahab may well be pulling the strings.

Church governmental leaders need to be chosen by the Holy Spirit. The pastor should seek members of the five fold ministry from within his church. If an apostle is not within his own assembly, then the Pastor needs to bring his church under the umbrella of an apostle nearby. Regardless, an apostle should always be present on any board because it is the apostles which are given the responsibility for governing the church (I cite the entire New Testament as a reference). It is also the apostles which build the Church as a body.

A Prophet/prophetess should always be present on any board. It is the prophets which build foundations in people. It is also the prophet that has the necessary gifting to determine whether others are truly hearing from God or just speaking out of their flesh. And the prophet also has the gifting to determine if a false prophecy has been spoken.  Jezebel flows in false prophecy and will endorse, promote and elevate false prophets at every turn (Rev. 2:20; 1 Kings 18:19). 

It is also the prophet/prophetess that is the number one enemy of Jezebel and Ahab because it is the prophet that has the gifting to reveal the unholy operations of this pair in action. Notice the wording of 1 Kings 21:20: “And Ahab said to Elijah, ‘Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?’ And he answered ‘I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord’ “. Nowhere else in the text does Ahab call anyone else an enemy. Even when he goes to war against neighboring kingdoms, he never calls them HIS enemy. And notice his question: “Hast thou found me?” It doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to find a king! What Ahab was asking, is if the man of God had found him out. It is the prophets of God that are equipped to find and root out Jezebel and Ahab, and to not have a prophet on any church board is just like sending them an invitation to have their way and destroy the assembly.

Evangelists are always an important part of any church government. The evangelist is equipped to minister forgiveness, restoration, and healing to anyone oppressed by this pair and should always be included.

The importance of Teachers in church government is largely under-rated in most assemblies. It is the teacher that builds godly foundations in our people so that they will have the inner strength and wisdom not to become a victim of witchcraft in the first place.

One of the primary goals of any spirit of witchcraft is the breaking of covenant relationship. We see this twice displayed in the story of Jezebel and Ahab. First, she convinces him to break covenant with God by  building a temple and an altar to Ba’al, then she convinces him to break his covenant with the children of Israel by allowing her to assume his rightful authority in order to satisfy his lust (1 Kings 21).

And then there is the inevitable lust for power, which is ALWAYS present in Jezebel, even though it may not be so easily seen. In the text of 1 Kings 21 she assumes Ahab’s rightful authority and has one of his subjects killed. In Rev. chap 2, she assumes the teacher’s position, and teaches the Church unrighteousness and prophesies falsely. Either way, it is always her goal to acquire a position of authority in the Body. It is of paramount importance that any Pastor or member of church leadership only delegate their authority after prayerful consideration. Any authority delegated to Jezebel will cause no end of problems within the Body.  

So how do we deal with Jezebel and Ahab once they have taken power in a Body? They must be dethroned by a man or woman of God with the anointing and the authority and the will to do so. If you are a pastor of a body that is struggling against Jezebel and Ahab in the ranks, I would suggest that the first thing you do is to prayerfully check your own household. Sorry, no offence meant. Then I would suggest that you sincerely ask the Lord to send in the anointed man or woman of God that He has chosen to use to orchestrate deliverance in your assembly. This must be someone that is not afraid to deal with deliverance on a large scale. He or she should also have the anointing, experience, and will to do so!  And you must be willing to step down from the Pastor’s position for long enough to receive deliverance and restoration counseling. It is a big commitment, but the health of the entire Body is at stake!