TEACHING

Don Atkin

THE AHAB/JEZEBEL SPIRIT

We cannot discuss Antichrist without coming to grips with the Ahab/Jezebel spirit.

Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.

Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. - I Kings 16:30-33.

Ahab worshiped Baal; Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal. Ahab built the temple of Baal in Samaria, set up an altar for Baal, and made a wooden (a type of the man of flesh) image. You will know them by their fruit!

John wrote in his first epistle (4:1-4):

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.

And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you (Jesus Christ has come in YOUR flesh!) Is greater than he who is in the world.

(PLEASE NOTE: the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.)

GRASPING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SPIRITS OPERATING IN PEOPLE

John is contrasting the work of Antichrist with the work of Jesus Christ - both working through people by spirits - the spirit of Antichrist operating within some, and the Spirit of Jesus Christ operating in others.

I Kings 17 begins with Elijah the Tishbite prophesying no rain, and being sent by the word of the Lord to hide by the Brook of Cherith, where he would drink from the brook and be fed by the ravens.

Malachi understood how spirits operate in people. He prophesied about a day when this same Spirit that operated through the prophet, Elijah, would come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers (Mal. 4:5-6).

Jesus also knew this. Referring to John the Baptist, He said to His disciples, And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:14-15).

In other words, the same Spirit who validated Elijah, the prophet, validated John the Baptist, and is working in the midst of the (body of) Christ to restore relationships between fathers and their children in this day!

Once, when James and John offered to command fire to come down from heaven and consume those who did not receive Jesus, citing the example of Elijah, He turned and rebuked them, and said, You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them (Luke 9:53-56). The spirit and motive behind any action will determine whether it be of God, or not.

This is so foundational. We must grasp this significance, supernaturally discerning spirits, if we are to disarm principalities and powers, and make a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them - in the name of Jesus - doing the works that He did! (See Colossians 2:14-15, John 14:12-19, and Galatians 2:20.)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12.

To (the saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. - Colossians 1:27.

THE WORKS OF THE SPIRIT OF JEZEBEL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

In addressing the church in Thyatira, after affirming her on many other points (verse 19), Jesus dictated to John:

Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. - Revelation 2:20-2

Jesus’ focus in this context is upon sexual immorality. Whether this was actually a woman, or it was a spirit loosed in the church in that city, His grace was demonstrated by giving time for repentance; His judgment was demonstrated in the final conclusion of the matter. His decisions were based upon searching the minds and hearts, and He rendered His judgments according to their works.

Those works were manifestations of the spirits that were in operation through them, in stark contrast to the manifested works of those who are being led by the Spirit of God.

Jesus continues in verses 24-26:

Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But, hold fast what you have till I come.

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works (the word of My Spirit within) until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.

Jesus is not recruiting volunteers to delve into the depths of satanic issues. We are not to look for demons under rocks, or give our time and energy to specializing in deliverance ministries, apart from the Lord’s initiation. Only those who are called to and enlightened for such activity should venture into this arena.

We cannot cast out devils in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches. Read Acts 19:11-16, and take heed. Therefore, we must command spirits only as the Lord commands us to do so. We all must heed His words: hold fast what you have till I come (Revelation 2:25), and rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

The more familiar that we become with the Holy Spirit, the more obvious evil spirits will be to us. Bankers are so familiar with authentic dollars that they immediately recognize counterfeit dollars! Our focus should be upon setting our minds on things above. For the mind set upon the Spirit is life and peace. (See Colossians 3:2 and Romans 8:6.)

JEZEBEL KILLED THE PROPHETS

The spirit of Jezebel, while a feminine spirit, can operate both through men and women. She is known by her fruit. She is facilitated by Ahab spirits, her male counterpart, who are joined as one in marriage with her, and who tolerate her.

I Kings 18 and 19 describe the perennial battle between the Ahab/Jezebel spirits and the prophets. This is the story of confrontation and the victory of Elijah over the false prophets of Baal. The record continues in Chapter 21, and Jezebel’s bloody death is reported over in II Kings 9.

While sexual immorality is often her venue, this spirit is motivated to oppose the anointing (Antichrist) and kill the prophets. We have watched her activity increase in recent years as more and more of God’s servants have fallen by the wayside of immorality.

I recently heard of a young man from within our sphere, an outstanding worship leader with uncommon potential, who has left his beautiful wife and three precious children to bed down with a woman who has previously come between two other worship leaders and their families! What spirit? Should be obvious! But, this young man has been victimized by the spirit of Jezebel, whose method is to: seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality.

Only the grace of God, appropriated by aggressive proactivity, keeps any of us from her wiles. Mere passivity makes one a "sitting duck" for her aggressions. Servants of God (both male and female) must have built-in disciplines and accountability in their daily lives to overcome the tempter.

BROADENING OUR UNDERSTANDING

Prophets are those who speak to men on behalf of God. Prophets must be silenced if you are opposed to God! Prophets speak by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The enemies of God, realizing that the anointing breaks the yoke, oppose that anointing. These spirits are Antichrist - against the anointing. Anti (against) Christ (the anointing).

All true Christians have an anointing from the Holy One (I John 2:20). Therefore, Antichrist spirits oppose all true Christians. This is our warfare! This is our battle!

God wants us to live by the anointing, walk by the anointing, work by the anointing. Satanic forces are set against the anointing. So-called ministries which are operating in the flesh are of not consequence to the kingdom. Neither are they any threat to the spiritual forces of wickedness.

Over the years, I have accumulated some understanding of demonic groupings that are under the ungodly and satanic authority of the Ahab/Jezebel spirit. They weave a web that is intended to capture and emasculate the saints so that they cannot manifest sonship.

I hope that God will speak to you through these insights. Furthermore, I pray that you will not be foolish, intentionally marching into the enemy’s camp without the divine direction and enablement of the Lord.

AHAB/JEZEBEL SPIRIT

This is a skeletal list, borne out of my limited experience and understanding. I name the above, having had specific experiences with all of these spirits, finding them to be in Ahab/Jezebel’s "family." Since this is not my primary calling, I have not sought out these truths. Rather, I have simply gained these insights through the course of daily life in the anointing.

The ultimate victory is ours. However, we will constantly be challenged in daily skirmishes. I have passed some tests, and failed others. We are on a journey. Spirits oppose us, attempting to keep us from overcoming the evil one. This is a kingdom battle. It requires the anointing. Antichrist is against the anointing!

Prophetically speaking,

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever!" - Revelation 11:15.

Let us pray,

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power

And the glory forever.