The spirit of Jezebel.......

[Brantley Wills]

I've been reading about this spirit lately.. Once researching it, I find it very similar to Borderline personality disorder.. When you encounter someone in your life who shows signs of this how do discern whether it's a spirit or a mental illness..??

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I've been reading about this spirit lately.. Once researching it, I find it very similar to Borderline personality disorder.. When you encounter someone in your life who shows signs of this how do discern whether it's a spirit or a mental illness..??

Nothing is mentioned about it in the New Testament. The book of Revelation does mention a woman by the name of Jezebel who calls herself a prophet, who is encouraging people to go after false gods and commit sexual immorality.

I think the "spirit of Jezebel" has been made up by some people to criticise those who decide not to come under the authority of their church leaders. I had never heard of it until the discipleship shepherding movement that started at Fort Laudedale in Florida became part of many Charismatic churches. That doctrine demanded that believers be under the covering of a local church and to accept the authority of the pastor and leaders without question. Those who refused were accused of having a spirit of Jezebel.

Of course the shepherding doctrine turned out to be false and it did more harm in Charismatic churches than good and so accusing a person of having the spirit of Jezebel was seen by many as more of an accusation that came from a lying demon rather than the Spirit of God.

If a person is in bondage to a real spirit of Jezebel, then they will be doing what the Jezebel in Revelation was doing - turning people away from Christ to pagan gods and encouraging sexual immorality. It could never apply to any church member who decides to ignore the advice or instructions of a church leader who wishes to dominate them. This accusation was more aimed at vulnerable women in the church who not only questioned some of the questionable doctrines that the church leaders were peddling, but also not complying with the demands of abusive and domineering husbands. I think that to accuse anyone in the church of having a Jezebel spirit is nothing more than spiritual abuse and any church leader who does it ought to be fired.

 

[Wolfe]

I believe demons, and spirits cause most, if not all mental illnesses.
That's just me though.

By the way, welcome to the forums! From a fellow Georgia Boy

 

[Solomons Porch]

I've been reading about this spirit lately.. Once researching it, I find it very similar to Borderline personality disorder.. When you encounter someone in your life who shows signs of this how do discern whether it's a spirit or a mental illness..??

Everybodys probably gonna really jump around on this one....BUT FOR ME i totally believe its an evil spirit and "the world" has given it an acceptable pretty packaged name, here take a pill and everything will get better.....ummmm no. I dont know if you like Derek Prince or not, he has alot of wonderful teaching videos on youtube. I would look him up he brings alot to the table on these things. I do know people get depressed and have issues I am def not denying that, but there is a difference in being oppressed and possessed.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I believe demons, and spirits cause most, if not all mental illnesses.
That's just me though.

By the way, welcome to the forums! From a fellow Georgia Boy

Good, competent counselling by someone who knows what they are doing will determine whether a mental illness is caused by a demon or not. Neil Anderson writes a very good book called "Finding Hope Again" which is a study on depression and the causes of it. He believes that if counselling and medication does not help a depression or mental illness, it could be a demon, but he advises wannabe exorcists not to jump in and assume that it is a demon until all other avenues are explored.

Ed Murphy, the author of "The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare" says that if a demon is present, it will manifest during the counselling process and then, and not until then, it can be dealt with.

I rate Dr Ed Murphy and Neil Anderson the foremost current authorities on deliverance because they go about it in private counselling sessions, and not with a group of untrained people trying to cast out demons at an altar call in a public church meeting.

 

[Brantley Wills]

Nothing is mentioned about it in the New Testament. The book of Revelation does mention a woman by the name of Jezebel who calls herself a prophet, who is encouraging people to go after false gods and commit sexual immorality.

I think the "spirit of Jezebel" has been made up by some people to criticise those who decide not to come under the authority of their church leaders. I had never heard of it until the discipleship shepherding movement that started at Fort Laudedale in Florida became part of many Charismatic churches. That doctrine demanded that believers be under the covering of a local church and to accept the authority of the pastor and leaders without question. Those who refused were accused of having a spirit of Jezebel.

Of course the shepherding doctrine turned out to be false and it did more harm in Charismatic churches than good and so accusing a person of having the spirit of Jezebel was seen by many as more of an accusation that came from a lying demon rather than the Spirit of God.

If a person is in bondage to a real spirit of Jezebel, then they will be doing what the Jezebel in Revelation was doing - turning people away from Christ to pagan gods and encouraging sexual immorality. It could never apply to any church member who decides to ignore the advice or instructions of a church leader who wishes to dominate them. This accusation was more aimed at vulnerable women in the church who not only questioned some of the questionable doctrines that the church leaders were peddling, but also not complying with the demands of abusive and domineering husbands. I think that to accuse anyone in the church of having a Jezebel spirit is nothing more than spiritual abuse and any church leader who does it ought to be fired.

I agree totally in circumstances such as you're describing. However I think it was C.S Lewis that said there's danger in giving Satan too much credit and danger in not giving him enough.. I believe we are most definitely in a spiritual battle.. But is every women that questions authority possessed by a spirit? I think not..

 

[Brantley Wills]

I believe demons, and spirits cause most, if not all mental illnesses.
That's just me though.

By the way, welcome to the forums! From a fellow Georgia Boy

I agree.. And thanks.. I believe we give demons scientific names all the time.. Then mask the symptoms with pharmaceuticals..

 

[Brantley Wills]

Good, competent counselling by someone who knows what they are doing will determine whether a mental illness is caused by a demon or not. Neil Anderson writes a very good book called "Finding Hope Again" which is a study on depression and the causes of it. He believes that if counselling and medication does not help a depression or mental illness, it could be a demon, but he advises wannabe exorcists not to jump in and assume that it is a demon until all other avenues are explored.

Ed Murphy, the author of "The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare" says that if a demon is present, it will manifest during the counselling process and then, and not until then, it can be dealt with.

I rate Dr Ed Murphy and Neil Anderson the foremost current authorities on deliverance because they go about it in private counselling sessions, and not with a group of untrained people trying to cast out demons at an altar call in a public church meeting.

I'll look them up. Thanks..

 

[Brantley Wills]

I have a tough time with this subject.. I don't want to be that guy that that runs around blaming everything on evil spirits however I've been in a few situations where I felt like I was in the presence of evil when dealing with a person.

I've watched someone close to me do things that cannot be explained by any rational explanation.. Such as uncontrollable fits of anger, lying for no reason, rebellion for no benefit to the individual..etc... This list could go on and on..

A pastor once told me when you can't use logic to figure it out. When being rational fails and leaves you confused there is a good chance your dealing with something spiritual..

I want to learn more in this area but I want it to be based in sound doctrine.. Not something man has added his opinion to..

 

[Archie the Preacher]

I believe demons, and spirits cause most, if not all mental illnesses.
That's just me though.

Wolfe, from the descriptions of the past and the reports of current time; it is hard to tell the difference.

But then again, I believe one should pray over a dead battery. So praying for those either deranged or demonized isn't a big leap for me.

 

[Solomons Porch]

Wolfe, from the descriptions of the past and the reports of current time; it is hard to tell the difference.

But then again, I believe one should pray over a dead battery. So praying for those either deranged or demonized isn't a big leap for me.