Jezebel 2010

This is an excellent and timely perspective written by Kerry W. Knorr. Whilst reading this write-up, I have found some answers to the questions I have been asking in my heart lately. I believe these words are of global application to all of us, whether we are from the US or otherwise. Read, meditate on them and together, let's prophesy to the four corners of the earth: Arise and shine, Elijah Generation! Be blessed.

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There are some extensive studies of Jezebel out there that are already written and are pretty good. John Paul Jackson and Francis Frangipane's works are among them. What I have to teach about Jezebel would mostly mirror those teachings. Rather than rehash the whole teaching here, I will offer perspective that don't often show up in other studies, and add a contemporary application.

An aspect of Jezebel that is often overlooked or under-emphasized, is simply the meaning and ramifications of the name. The name Jezebel means 'unchaste' or 'uncommitted.' The Hebraic pictographs that form the name depict an introversion or self centeredness. The name is actually a question: "How do I live? Jezebel represents all of the undecided questions: where, how, when, why, with whom and what am I going to do to live? These questions portray no clear identity, no work ethic, no authority and no relationship with the altar of the One who made all things. It is an unanswered question which reveals indecision and lack of commitment. It is the type of indecision and complacency that merely maintains comfort levels. When the question of identity remains unanswered, any surrogate fills the void: "I'm stupid," "I'm gay," "I am my occupation," etc. Uncommitted, indecisive, insecure and self centered people who don't know who they are describes a very large percentage of the individuals that comprise the Christian Church today. I'm telling you that this spirit is far bigger than any individual. In fact, most individuals are its victims. Jezebel was not overthrown because a war was waged against either her or her idolatries. She was overthrown as an incidental part of establishing righteous government that rightly honored God. You see, it is not merely an issue of tolerating unanswered questions, but also a failure to take a stand in the answers to those questions that flow from God.

One perspective of dealing with a Jezebel Spirit has been wrong since the Dark Ages. It is the mechanism of singling out an individual and attacking them as though they were the spirit. To label a person, slander, accuse, attack and remove from community is exactly the mechanism that Jezebel used to murder Naboth. Leaders unwittingly participate with the Spirit of Jezebel in destroying members of their own church. Both the leader and the problem children are afflicted with the same issues - a lack of commitment to one another and a lack of authentic authority from God at work in the atmosphere. The behavior of individuals is indeed a strong indicator that the Jezebel Spirit is attacking your community. You don't ignore the behaviors, but handle them in a Mt:18 redemptive way in the presence of witnesses. The individual is not the problem. It is much bigger than that. Jezebel comprises a complex of ruling spirits in high places. Components of that complex will leak through virtually any enabling or co-dependant insecurity. You can get rid of individuals, but that only fuels the fire that ultimately burns your house down. It is when men rendered impotent by unanswered questions take a stand, that the Spirit of Jezebel is overthrown.

Right now in June, 2010, the United States of America is being dominated by a Jezebel Spirit. It is an atmosphere where acknowledgment of The One True God is being removed from institutions while at the same time every idol and false god is being let in. Individuals are viewed as disposable. Homosexuality, abortion, sex trade, divination, idolatry and every evil practice abound, in prevalent lawlessness. It involves a whole complex of Phoenician and Canaanite societal structures and norms. It involves the continuance of Noah's curse against Canaan - that of the lowest forms of slavery. It will only be overthrown when once again the Republic as one nation stands under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

There can be no peace while the witchcraft of Jezebel abounds. That witchcraft boils down to a lack of commitment to God. It boils down to complacency that refuses to engage something uncomfortable.

The Laodician church has all the components of Jezebel's character but lacks political and religious ingredients. Jezebel is every bit as impoverished and deluded as the Laodician Church but operates manipulatively in political arenas and pseudo prophetically in religious ones.

In the early 1970's prophetic voices all over the globe began to speak of an Elijah Generation. Other voices have labeled them Generation X and a Nameless Faceless Generation. They were born between the mid 1970s' and late 1980's. In the fall of 2009, I observed an angel taking laps around the globe with a trumpet to his lips and heralding: "The Elijah Generation is coming of age, the Elijah Generation is coming of age!" For three days I observed this angel repeatedly trumpeting this message over the earth. A generation of people near 30 years of age are coming into their power. They are a people who stand before God with zeal in their hearts and the keys of the kingdom of God in their mouth so that they can truly say: "At my word the heavens will be open or shut."

The overthrow of Jezebel in America will not be the result of targeting and removing individual leaders. It will begin with an Elijah Generation openly demonstrating the signs, wonders and miraculous power of God. Strategies from heaven will emerge as true prophets carry assignments and appointments to new leadership in both America's government and abroad. The overthrow of Jezebel carries with it a component not overtly visible in the scriptures. That is: common men and women are simply tired of Jezebel. They are tired of dead religion. They have been reminded of the truth of God's power by Elijah. As a culture, and as a community, they hunger and thirst after the truth and purity of worshipping the Creator in whose image we are made. It is in that respect that the stage is set once again for common Americans to make powerful commitments to God. They will no longer waver between two opinions. (1Ki.18:21)

We can expect both increased passion for excellence in personal performance and decreased tolerance of mediocrity by consumers. We can expect decreased tolerance of systems that enable people to remain powerless and increased innovation that empowers people. We can expect legal reforms that provide justice and remove tolerance of wickedness.

The thing that scared Elijah silly was not that the queen would kill him, but that a lack of commitment would. 1Ki.19:4b "... prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life ...' Elijah's name means 'strength of God.' He was basically telling God he was tired. Zeal was not enough to be effective against this enemy. What was required was for one man to stand in God's presence and 7000 faithful steadfast believers who refuse to bow to idolatry. God's response to Jezebel is not earth shattering wind, earthquake or fire. It is whispered revelation of his secret counsel to his servants the prophets. (Amos3:7) It is the whispered strategy of God that makes the enemies of God uncomfortable. It is when impotent men dump comfortability out the window that uncommitted is overthrown and forgotten.

(Posted with the kind permission of Kerry W. Knorr)