The Jezebel Spirit

I've been reading this book by Sandie Freed called Destiny Thieves.  It's an excellent book.  One of the things that it talks about the Jezebel spirit and her characteristics.  It is just simply awful.

Jezebel wants power & position as she wants complete control.  She doesn't stay in relationships or areas where she cannot control or manipulate them.  I just wanted to briefly share what Sandie's book talks about the traits of a Jezebel spirit.

1.  Controls through flattery
2.  Attempts to manipulate and control through false prophesy
3.  Attracts the weak & codependent
4.  Operates in confusion
5.  Manipulates to get his or her way
6.  Seeks position & power
7.  Dislikes repentence
8.  Promotes idolatry
9.  Is attracted to false government
10.  Dislikes authority
11.  Stirs up strife & division
12.  Operates in an atmosphere of frustration, fear & intimidation

What does it take to defeat the Jezebel spirit in your life?  It takes a Jehu spirit, which:

1.  Jehu was a commander.  Like him, we must command the demonic stronghold to go.
2.  He was a conqueror.  We must conquer Jezebel with repentance & with the spirit of Jehu.
3.  He was anointed.  We must endure the processes of God in order to increase our anointing.
4.  Jehu was determined to achieve his destiny.  We must be like Christ & set our faces like flint toward our destinies.
5.  He had a calling to smite his enemy, and he utterly destroyed all!  II Kings 9:7
6.  He slew the false prophets, tore down the false idols & halted false prophecy.  Similarly, we must renew our minds and tear down all exalted imaginations.
7.  Jehu used "full strength" against his enemy.  II Kings 9:24.  We must also use full strength.
8.  Jehu pursued his enemies.  Pursue means that he followed in order to overtake & continued in order to accomplish.  II Kings 9:27.  Just like King David, when he realized that his destiny was to pursue his enemy, he was empowered to overtake & recover all.  We, too, must pursue our enemy.

More on defeating Jezebel:

1.  Repent!!  Jezebel never repented.
2.  Immediately separate yourself from this person/spirit.
3.  Remain submitted to delegated godly authority.
4.  Remain teachable and accountable to authority.
5.  Replace all fear with great faith.
6.  Become a prayer warrior & be spiritually alert.
7.  Develop and rely on your spiritual gift of discernment.
8.  Remove yourself from all idolatry.
9.  Seek servanthood over positions & titles.
10.  Do not seek out an Ahab.
11.  Develop of spirit of Jehu.
12.  Continue to use your spiritual authority, using the keys of the Kingdom to bind the pwoer of the enemy.  Remember that you're seated in a place of authority with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).

To Fight Or Not

In this world, not every battle is worth fighting for.  There was a time when I fought most battles that came my way.  Now, time has gone by and I ask myself why?  Some things, like the Borg, "Resistance is futile."  Not that I have to succumb to something, but maybe it is to choose a different route.

For example, "A fool in his heart has said their is no God."  If a person has their mind set on him being god of his own life, why would I attempt to convince him there is a God?  It's not up to me to convince him, afterall, I cannot force anyone to believe something they are resistant in believing.  It would be as if beating my head against a wall expecting a result other than hurting my head.  THAT, my friend, would be foolish.

There are some people we are forced to need to deal with, especially for those who are divorced with children who are still not legally adults.  My former spouse refuses to take responsibility for most things and chooses to blame others for wrong things in his life.  Why would I attempt to lecture him or even air my grievances for him to take responsibility?  It's futile and the energies around him are swirling of negativity and host of other things associated with pride.

One of the things that God hates most is pride, a haughty spirit.  Paul talks about in Philippians how it's so much better to humble yourself rather than be humbled by God.  There were so many times I was prideful and had to be humbled by God.  Not a fun experience.

The things my former spouse does often do affect my children and I.  Yes, I could play the victim or could take a stand, but what kind of stand?  I am a chld of the Most High King.  What would royalty do?  What would Jesus do?  Jesus wouldn't enable him, but Jesus also chose His words carefully and when He spoke, He spoke with power.  How does one speak with Power?

I believe there are things that I must learn in order to understand and walk in the Power of Jesus Christ, or do I?  God has given me full power right now, yet, though gaining maturity, I'm still learning and don't fully realize how powerful I am nor what to do with all that power.

As I grow older with experience, the power I wield with my vehicle is great.  It has the power to take us many, many places.  It must be cared for and maintained with correct care.  If so, it can take us to worlds we have never been to before  -- both good and bad.  We can explore and see the wonders of mankind or of God.  It can also have the power to take people with it, or it can kill someone or hurt someone and this can be done repeatedly. 

When I was a teenager and in my 20s, I didn't have the respect I now have for my vehicle.  I thought I was invincible, sort of, and took lightly my power with my vehicle.  Now I see with different eyes.  Though my relationship with Jesus is a far better thing than a car, just as a car is important in my life, so is Jesus Christ.  There are people I choose not to take in my car for all sorts of reasons.

I am not making the same choices of my former spouse.  Those are his choices and though they do negatively impact us often, eventually we will be less impacted by them as Christ becomes stronger in me -- that is, I must die to myself and let Christ shine more.  It doesn't mean that I'm to be a pushover and let him walk all over me, but continue to stand up for what's right.

There are some days I really don't know what the right thing to do -- whether it's me asserting my rights or ought to be laying them down for the Lord.  Not every battle is worth fighting and the battle is the Lord's.

Relationships

It's always curious to me as to why some relationships work and others do not.  The past months, I've been reading a lot of things regarding supernatural living, spiritual authority, prophetic gifts, spiritual discernment all as pertains to the Bible.  As I was in a relationship not too long ago, it was a challenge for me to see some things while in the relationship because my views were clouded by my own feelings.

Now, time away and time to reassess things, to allow God to really speak to me, I wonder how it even got as far is it got.  Two very broken people together did not make a whole person, rather created more brokenness.  Though we are all broken people to some aspect, sometimes I see how messed up some other people and wonder how they remain married or in a relationship at all.  Yet, by the grace of God, they are.

Some people seem truly happen, even if they are so messed up.  Other people are not really all that messed up and really have their act together and they have someone, or maybe they don't.  There are some GREAT people I know out there that have no one, and I wonder why.  Of course, there are some really messed up people with no one and it's just as well.

Where do I fall in?  I've been pretty messed up, but on the mend.  Definitely not ready for a relationship outside of friendship, and even then, it would be just an emotionally distant friendship for now.  I'm really soaking up the Lord and what He's doing in me and don't want to be distracted.  Do I feel lonely?  There are periods I do, but they are short.  God reminds me there is work left to be done, a life worth living and not pining away for something that may or may not happen.

There was a time when I felt the need to look for someone.  Maybe it will come again, maybe not.  But, there is no desire to look as that seems like the wrong thing for me at this time.  Observe what God is doing to people around me, to me.  Get involved in what God is doing right here.

Maybe it'll be different when the kids are out of the house, but this time I have with them is so short, so I want to take advantage of this, make my mark.  As I've watched how God has intervened with other people in how they have waited, it encourages me.  I do not have to take matters in my own hands.

One of the things I'm noticing are my own emotions towards different situations and people.  These things are feedback as to things that are in me that may be good or not.  God is always good.  So, if it's not good, it's not from God.  I'm finding that I don't always let things go.  Maybe most of it I have, but there are still strings that keep me there partially and they need to be completely severed - not ignored or denied, rather acknowledged and then say goodbye to it.

God is so good.  He provides a lot of feedback to me.  Too bad when I was younger that I lacked the wisdom to see this and respond appropriately.  But, I'm learning now.

Newness

Something I noticed in the Bible was that God does things differently all the time, even with the same person.  God may have rescued David in one area in a particular way, and then in a similar instance, not rescued him and allowed him to endure or go through some things, or He totally did something different, thus, a different outcome.

There are times I get stuck in a rut of thinking that God answered my prayers this way in the past and that He ought to do similarly this time, right?  REALLY?  He's God!!  Who am I to tell Him how to be?  He is God!

As I continue to learn, God anoints various people for certain things.  I just thought anointing was the pouring on of oil onto someone's head and then the oil flows down.  I also almost see this in terms of the "knighting" process such as that of King Arthur's time.  Maybe that's totally incorrect thinking. 

But, there is a process that a person goes through either way.  It's not like you show up and wham bam, you're anointed.  There is a process, a preparation that one must go through.  What that is exactly?  I have no clue, but it's a special time.  I can envision a cleaning up, because it's a sacrificial time.  A moment that thereafter you walk differently in your destiny.

Joshua and Caleb had special anointing in their lives.  They had to see things with fresh eyes and there was a process of preparation from the time they saw the Giants in the Promised Land to the time they would be allowed to go into the Promised Land.  God was doing a new thing.  However, the old stuff had to die -- the doubtful, unbelieving, disobedient generation.

I bet waiting all those years in the desert wasn't always too fun.  It's not like they were sitting around tapping their feet for 40 years or however many years it was, nor were they probably sitting around playing bridge.  They were probably sharpening their skills to be able to defeat the "giants" in the Promised Land.  Though it was a "land flowing with milk and honey", it was also a hostile environment.  It was their destiny, but it would have to be fought for.

A part of the preparation time was not only preparing & equipping themselves, but also the generation that was being raised, a new generation that knew their destinies and knew that they could conquer the "giants" in the land that God promised them.

God has a "Promised Land" for me, a destiny.  He hasn't laid the whole map out for me or all the details, but as I step forward, I can be certain that as I align myself with God, it's the safest and best place to be.  God needs for me to see with new eyes, toss out the disbelief & disobedience and to walk confidently in my authority in Jesus Christ forward.  Without Christ, I cannot do it. 

Momentary Kisses

As my eyes gaze out to the beauty of the horizon, which is tinged with purples, blues, reds, oranges, my heart expands in wonder.  In the distance, I can hear the laughter of my children as they toss the football.  Other families are out playing as well, couples walking their dogs,  One ear of the iPod phones are in my ear, the other just dangles freely.

My steps walk leisurely as I enjoy the coolness of the coming evening.  There was a time I shared that walk at a different time with someone, but it's no longer.  Do I miss that person?  No, but I do miss the company.  I imagined that God was walking beside me, whispering in my ear how much He loves me.  It's warm & inviting, sincere.  There are no pretenses.  I'm completely loved and accepted just as I am.

A part of my heart is broken still over the brokenness of my family, relationships with men, my marriages.  Nothing can restore them.  But, restoring them would do no good because they were broken, not right to begin with.  Why would I want to keep such a thing?

It is enough, though.  Through the summer it was so hot, but it did not begin until late this year.  I remember walking in the mornings with it being so cool, refreshing -- then I sprained my ankle and it got hot.  Did God kiss me there?  Now as it cools down again, feeling the gentle breezes flowing through my hair & clothes, it's as if God's kisses tenderly meet me again.  Though I am not 100% healed in my ankle, there is an appreciation for each step taken.  It is enough for now.  Going through the pain, the healing process, the physical therapy, the icing, the rest, the strengthening exercises is equipping me to be able to do the things I am now.

Maybe going through the pain of all those broken relationships gives me a fresher appreciation for when the time will come healthy relationships will come again, however, always with that reminder of what caused the brokenness so that I appreciate what I have.  There are still tinges of anger that need God's "icing" - His forgiveness.  The rest is time away from relationships.  The physical therapy is friendships to help strengthen me.  I'm not ready for any relationshiups at this point.

Rest, ice, physical therapy, and time --- all combinations of God's healing power at work, but all separate and different steps in the process of healing.  God's grace is enough.

Today I do feel lonely, rather I will open myself up to what God's going to show me today and how He's going to bless me.  The people God brought into my life with the physical therapy were awesome, but it was just for a time.  Loved going there, but there got to be a point that I wanted to be done.  It was time to fly the coop.  I don't think I'm there yet with the relationships.  There is still work for God to do here.

God is always good.  His timing is absolutely perfect.

It Rains On The Just And the Unjust

Today a friend of mine has been feeling so discouraged.  My friend feels that she is doing all the right things, but bad things keep happening.  All I could do was listen, as I couldn't provide much comfort in her situation.  As I look at my own situation, there are some aspects worse and some better. 

Why didn't God seem to be answering her prayers and this was something taking years and years, so it's not like it's something that just happened.  What does a person do in this situation?  Give up hope?  Forsake God?  What?

I was reminded of a woman many years ago.  A Christian woman who was delivering food to a couple that needed food.  They were sort of down & out and she was being kind, helping others less fortunate than her.  I believe she did this through her church, but went alone on this.  I do not know if there was a policy from this church about doing things like this alone or not, but she somehow didn't have a reason to fear.

This couple took the food, raped & tortured her for hours before killing her.  A true story and that story has haunted me for over a decade.  Why would this godly woman doing a good thing have to endure such a death?  Did she do anything to deserve this?  Of course not!  Wrong place, wrong time.

What about all the little children at the Children's Hospital -- some with cancer, others with brain tumors or other fatal diseases that will kill them early in life?  Do these children deserve this?  Absolutely not.

So then, why does this happen?

What about the man who has cheated millions of dollars, people out of their pensions that took a lifetime to earn and still drives a beautiful luxury car living in a mansion, not having to pay a cent back nor serve time in jail?  How fair is that?

Life is not always fair.  Sometimes we are dealt hands that seem less than kind.

As an American living in America, there are many luxuries we have that others do not have in this world.  For example, most places in America, you can get a meal to eat, at least once a day, even if you're homeless.  Most areas have clean drinking water.  There are millions of people who do not have clean drinking water, or at least not daily.  Do those people deserve to not have clean drinking water that isn't contaminated with all sorts of diseases and yucky things that can kill you?  I don't think so.

God did not create these injustices or this unfairness.  God is good and can do no evil.  It is just not possible for Him to do any evil, to cause people to suffer, be tormented.  Satan is evil.  He only does evil.  There is no good in him.  He is a liar and a deceiver.  If something appears good and it is not, it is a deception and that is not from God.

I don't have the answers to how to help her, to help her turn her situation around, to get her to a better place.  God doesn't work on our timetable, nor can we threaten or bribe God.  I've tried it.  It doesn't work.  God is God and who am I to tell Him what to do.  He is has the master vision and plan for my life and He knows what to do with it.  He sees the big picture, when I see through my own hurts & filters, my brokenness.

There are some things the Bible does tell us to do.  One of them is to draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you.  That makes sense, right?  It's not like God is playing chase with us.  You chase Him and He gets further away. 

How does one draw closer to God?

Psalm 100 says that we enter into God's courts with Thanksgiving and Praise.  This isn't, well, God, I gave you thanks for getting me safely home, so now you have to do what I want.  No, true thanksgiving & praise means that even in an undesirable situation, you thank Him for what you are learning and that God is giving you strength and whatever else is needed to get through things. 

Have you ever noticed that although someone may say "thank you", they don't really mean it.  And, then, there are others when they say "thank you", you know they really mean it.  If we can discern such a thing, God who knows us inside out also can discern whether our gratitudes are sincere or not.  I keep a gratitude journal now that's almost 4 yrs old with over 18,000 gratitudes.  There have been some days that have been so challenging, when I would start writing my gratitudes for that day, I really didn't mean it because I really didn't feel thankful.  However, I would force myself to continue writing until my heart, mind & spirit truly meant it.  Sometimes this would mean finding over 50 things to be grateful for.

There are things that we sometimes just need to do whether we feel like it or not.  We can have a stubborn attitude and resist, then we get nowhere.  Or, we can submit and do it, and choose to change your attitude.  What happens then?  We then are able to often get into it and genuinely mean it.  We then reap the benefits of making right choices.

I don't always feels like working out, but when I begin taking steps to actually workout, I find that once I get going, I'm fine.  Day-by-day I reap the rewards of making right choices there and eventually, all those small rewards will ultimately reach my goals.  Sometimes we just want to reap the goal without the small incremental steps.  There is a Chinese proverb that says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." 

I believe that people who are close to God are very grateful people.  They love to praise God, worship Him.  They love to thank Him.  Satan doesn't want us being grateful, because being grateful makes you more in tune with the Holy Spirit.  The Bible says you enter into the courts of God.  Why would Satan want that?  If he can get you complaining, griping, being dissatisfied, comparing, being jealous, you won't have any time to be grateful.

Another thing that draws us closer to God is repentence.  Repentence means not just forgiving and asking for forgiveness, but it means a change, a transformation.  It's a letting go of the control, of your right.  Repentence is also very humbling.  The Bible says that God opposes the proud.  God does not like pride.  It was pride that got Satan in trouble and thus began his fall.  Satan wants to encourage people to hang onto things, to not forgive, to not ask for forgiveness, to not acknowledge their sins or that they wrong others.  Afterall, isn't it your right to vent?  to be angry?  to be justified in your feelings?

THANKSGIVING, PRAISE/WORSHIP, REPETENCE!!!

Those are 3 very powerful ways to draw closer to God.  There have been sermons galore, commentaries, studies, etc. written on all these subjects to the nth degree.  I'm just touching briefly on them.

When you feel yourself asserting your rights, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal why and ask God to forgive the pride that is coming up.  It doesn't mean we can't defend ourselves if some person is physically threatening our lives, but there are times when I feel I have a right to respond.  Sometimes just laying down that right to maintain peace is better.

Anyway, that's it for now.