The Slumber of Jezebel – part 1,2

25 October and 5 November 09

 

  1. Introduction:

·   Isaiah 52:1-2  -  “Awake, awake, put on your strength oh Zion, put on your beautiful garments oh Jerusalem, the Holy City”

-    Call to the church to awaken from sleep and to arise into its’ proper place of operation

-    Awake = 5782 = to open the eyes, stir self up, arouse from place of sleep

-    Prophetic call to the church that requires a faith action – response

-    Personal Word:  “Awake, awake from your slumber of Jezebel…”

 

  1. What is the Slumber of Jezebel?

a)     Jezebel:  1 Kings 16:31-32

·         Jezebel = Baal exalts, under the favour of Baal, not cohabiting with

·        The 1st portrayal in the bible as a wicked queen who killed prophets and established idolatry

·        Next portrayed in the Bible – Revelation 2:20 – as a person with the same evil character and intent

·        Two different eras – same spiritual power exercising a destructive influence on the people of God

·        Operates to seduce = 4105 = to wander away from safety, from truth, go astray

·        Operates to intimidate and control

i)   External Spiritual Pressure – ‘Outer Space’ Ephesians 6:12

ii)  Internal Spiritual Pressure – ‘Inner Space’ entering through personal

     strongholds  2 Corinthians 10:4

-          How we think and behave

-          Spiritual powers seducing people, and the people beginning to yield to them

 

b)     Slumber  Romans 11:8

·         Slumber = to sleep, be in a state of in activity

·         Spiritual Slumber

-          Spiritual sensitivity dull

-          Cannot see or hear spiritually

-          Unaware of spiritual influences at work, can’t do anything about it

-          Living in a  ‘trance’ – unaware what is happening

-          Ultimately it leads to a loss of hope and destiny

 

c)     Slumber of Jezebel – spiritual power that shuts you down, no strength, become weak:

·         State of spiritual dullness and the lack of awareness brought on by yielding to the invisible activity of the Jezebel power

·         One of the major causes of this is spiritual laziness

·         Proverbs 19:15  -  “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep”

 

 

 

3.      Bible Examples:

·      There are several examples of people who came under the influence of this invisible activity of the Jezebel power

 

i)         Judges 16:19-21  -  Samson: “she made him sleep on her knees”

·      Samson forgot his identity, forgot his calling as a mighty deliverer

·      He opened his soul to the Jezebel spirit through sexual sin, false comforts

·      He was spiritually unaware of the danger, focused comfort on Delilah –      v 5,9 – 5 lords of the Philistines waiting there

·      He lost his crown of dominion, and he did not know it  v20

·      He lost his vision, his strength, his destiny and was brought into bondage

·      The Jezebel spirit strips people of strength, vision, hope => bondage

·      When Samson repented his strength was restored. The power of God came around him again

·      Arise to this spirit, don’t let it steal your dreams, inheritance and legacy of the next generation

·      Spirit power requires spiritual weapons

·      If you get connected with the living God you will be stronger than ever

 

ii)         1 Kings 19:1-5  -  Elijah: “he lay and slept under a broom tree”

·      A mighty man of faith

·      Elijah forgot his identity, forgot his calling as a mighty deliverer

·      He opened his soul to the Jezebel spirit when he received Jezebels messenger  v2,3

·      The messenger (demonic) wounded him, stripped him of confidence and fear entered

·      Fear = abandoning position, isolate, discourage, loss of perspective, desire to die

·      Juniper tree = to bind or put in a yoke

·      He lost his courage that came from the anointing flowing, he forgot who he was, loss of perspective, withdraw, hurt and discourage

·      When people curse and accuse you a spirit is send out to destroy you

·      v7,15  His strength returned through the touch of God and the prophetic word

 

iii)        Luke 22:45-46  -  The Disciples:  “…he found them sleeping for sorrow”

·      The disciples forgot their identity, forgot their calling as mighty Apostles of God

·      They opened their soul to the Jezebel Spirit through sorrow – emotional grief and pain

·      Sorrow = grief, heaviness, pain, sadness

·      They lost their confidence that came from the anointing flowing

·      Matthew 26:40-46  “They were awakened from their sleep by Prophetic Confrontation from Jesus”

 

iv)      Galatians 2:11-13  -  Peter:  “…he separated himself fearing those who were of circumcision”

·      Peter forgot his identity, his calling, he forgot his personal revelation he had received

·      He let go the personal revelation he had received from the Lord re the Gentiles  Acts 10:15

·      He opened his soul to the Jezebel spirit through fear

·      Fearing = 5399 = to frighten, put to flight, score away, shrink back, conceal self

·      The Jewish Christians kept the law and introduced the pressure of legalism

·      Disemble = 4942 = to act a stage player, pretend to act out of one motive when another motive inspired the action

·      The church came into great conflict as Peter withdrew, out of fear

·      v11  Paul confronted Peter – Apostolic Confrontation with truth

 

v)        Galatians 3:1-2  -  Galatian Church:  “did you receive the spirit by works of law or hearing by faith”

·      The Galatian Church forgot their identity, the calling as Gentiles, they forgot the liberty of the Holy Spirit

·      They opened their soul to the Jezebel spirit through wrong belief and performance beliefs

·      Foolish = 453 = lacking spiritual understanding, mind not being exercised

·      Bewitched = 940 = to fascinate, charm, cast spell over, captivate, place under power                                     rt = wicca - sorcerer

·      The Galatians had opened their soul to spiritual influence of the Jezebel spirit by allowing legalism – religion based on performance not faith

·      They began in the spirit with miracles and ended in flesh striving

·      Galatians 3:1  -  Paul confronted the church – Apostolic Confrontation with the truth

 

vi)      2 Kings 9:11-13  -  Captains of Army:  “Jehu is King”

·         The Soldiers (captains v5) had forgotten their identity, they forgotten their calling

·         They opened their soul to the Jezebel spirit over the nation by ‘need for security’

·         The Spirit of Jezebel had cast influence over the whole nation of Israel

·         The King of Israel: Jehoram = ‘The exalted One’ = Pride

·         They were spiritually asleep and could not recognize what was happening  v11

·         v12,13  Apostolic declaration of Prophetic Word broke the demonic influence

 

4.       Awake, Awake!

·           Mark 13:33-37  -  “Watch … lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping”

·           Doorkeeper = watcher, sentry, guardian of door, portal, gate to Kingdom

·           Watch = 1127 = to keep awake, rouse from sleep, proactive, diligent attention

·           Watching is connected to:

i)        Strong Prayer     Mark 14:38

ii)   Be sober    1 Peter 4:7

iii)  Repentance and Strengthening self    Revelation 3:3

iv) Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit     Habakkuk 2:1