Would You Recognize Her?

Contributed by Traci C. Atkins © Daughters of Zion Ministries Inc. 2007

Printed by permission

 I was surprised when I’d see her in church so often on Sundays, although really, it should have come as no surprise.  People always say that you’ll find at least one Jezebel running loose in the house of God. 

The sad thing about the situation is that church folk equate a pretty woman with Jezebel spirit; however, this dangerous spirit actually uses both men and women in hopes of disrupting the Spirit of God’s flow whenever the body of Christ gets together.[1]  

A lack of understanding of the characteristics and operation of this lethal and malignant spirit is causing many unaware followers of Christ to be deceived, and ultimately to have the abundant life they should be living destroyed.[2]  It is paramount to realize that a man or woman under the influence of the Jezebel spirit exhibits many more traits than just inappropriate sensuality. 

First of all, he is always working to promote and make a name for him or herself instead of focusing on doing what he does in order to bring God glory and to build His kingdom.[3]  This person’s primary focus is his ministry; neither the God of the ministry nor those who receive from God through the ministry are of much importance to him. 

Pride, haughtiness, and a desire to control others mark this person’s ministry.  Therefore, in order to advance his agenda, he’ll deal ruthlessly with others whom he perceives as threatening to his plans, and with those who will not follow him without resistance.[4]  While this person often has been blessed by God with many talents, he uses his gifts and even people, in an effort to extend his influence inside and out of his current milieu.   

In efforts born out of self-preservation, this person will intentionally seek to damage the reputation of a person by questioning his, or her, integrity.  This is a most effective means of putting the brakes on an up and coming ministry before God has a chance to get it off of the ground; thereby, killing the perceived competition before it has an opportunity to compete. 

There are many more characteristics that mark the life of a person operating under the influence of the Jezebel spirit; but, the real question that needs to be answered is how did it happen?  How did that person open himself up to this perverse spirit?   

For insight on this, I recommend reading Prophetess Juanita Bynum’s Walking in Your Destiny, because she addresses this question in its pages when she explains that walking in disobedience to God’s word and your leadership “by refusing instruction and avoiding correction, you become prey to [this] false anointing.” [5]  

Forgiveness is a principle in the word of God that is unchanging; as his children we’re to pardon others for the wrongs we’ve suffered at their hands.  In His word, God tells us that vengeance belongs to him; therefore, we’re to release the vengeful desire to get back at people for real or perceived injustices acted out upon us.   

Humility is another tenant of our faith and we are to remain unassuming; resisting the urge to over-inflate our own importance.  True promotion and status come to us when we submit our plans and timetables to God; allowing Him to move us into positions of authority according to His will. 

Whenever someone lives their life refusing to forgive and making prideful attempts at forcing things happen in his own time and according to his own plans, he is walking in disobedience, and he invites the spirit of Jezebel to operate through him.             

However, there is always hope for that person because we serve the one and only true God, and he holds all power.  To break the power of sin and evil influence off of his life, he can go and honestly humble himself before God because 1 John 1:8-9 assures that, 

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  [But] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

It no longer surprises me when I seen men and women working so hard to make a name for themselves, and to protect their ministry ‘turf’ from new comers.  Although not surprised, I am somewhat confused because uses people to evangelize the world.  He has called and chosen many men and women to carry out the work that He wants to get accomplished on this earth; he uses people, not cliques.  God has created us each uniquely so that we each minister in a way that no one else can; so there really is no competition between us unless we create it ourselves. 

It’s a shame that while we who call ourselves ministers of the gospel are fighting each other in an effort to keep our own ministry the only ministry of relevance, there is a world full of people who are dying and in need of Jesus.   

When God asks the question, “How many of my lost children did you bring back into the family?”  I’d hate to be the one who says, “Not as many as I could have, but look at how many books I’ve written!”  I wouldn’t want to say that because I’m sure that what would follow next from God would be, “Depart from me thou worker of iniquity!  I never knew you!”