For years, believers have pointed to controlling women as being influenced by a Jezebel spirit. Citing overbearing personalities or tendencies to overshadow male leadership, strong women have often been labeled and judged based on perceived aggressive speech or behavior. I can’t count how many times have I heard Jezebel’s influence come up when conversations emerge about “troublesome” women in the church. And yet in Revelation 2:20, the most prominent characteristic of Jezebel is sexual immorality:
But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
Yes, a Jezebel spirit will dominate conversations and steer others towards false doctrines. But this demonic spirit does it through seduction. Not only mental and emotional seduction, but physical. According to this passage, it is this sexual immorality that is judged most severely, even more than any controlling personality.
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.
Is this something God is trying to bring into the light? As immorality and sexual compromise among prominent pastors and leaders is being called out in increasing measure, is the Lord trying to get our attention concerning a much bigger issue that affects not just women, but men? How many male ministers have fallen in the past 20-30 years, not because of false doctrine, but sexual immorality? How many ministries have imploded because of underlying sexual sins that only came out after the initial spotlight on their manipulative or controlling leadership?
For most sincere followers of Christ who tend to think the best of others, this is going to be a hard pill to swallow. The idea that any charismatic and well-loved minister knowingly engages in immorality is hard to fathom. We forget that sin usually starts with small choices – one bad decision at a time.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
It’s only been in recent years that we’ve been made aware of how prominent pornography is among church goers. Some studies suggest that roughly 50% of church goers struggle with porn on a regular basis. This uncomfortable truth is hard to talk about and even harder to confront. But unless we do, history will repeat itself and we will gloss over sin as a temporary weakness that gets a pass due to someone’s “powerful anointing.” In our perceived attempts to validate spiritual gifts and miraculous powers, we will undermine a greater work of God to sanctify and purify His Bride.
Regardless of any specific instances we currently face, or will face in the future, I pray we move forward with our eyes wide open and our priorities rightly placed. Spiritual gifting and powerful anointing must always bow to purity and holiness. Jezebel could care less about how great we speak or how many miracles we perform. If this principality can get us to compromise God’s Word and soil our garments with impurity and pride, our adversary will successfully strip us of our spiritual authority and render us absolutely useless in establishing anything of Kingdom value.
I pray we have the stomach for what God needs to show us. If the truth will set us free, I pray we have the guts to face it. I pray we begin to value pure hearts and lives of integrity even more than public persona and social media reach. The Bride of Christ must wear spotless garments to be ready for His return. If He’s trying to take us to the cleaners, I pray we have eyes to see the stains and recognize His love and mercy in the cleansing.
Wanda has been in ministry for over 35 years as a worship leader, teacher, author, deliverance counselor, and speaker.
15 Responses
Thank You for thee article!
Great article that needed to be exposed.
Thank you Wanda for posting this. For the past 2.5 years the Lord has been speaking to me about the corruption in the church and that the Bride has opened her doors, invited and welcomed that demonic spirit Jezebel into her sanctuaries with open arms. I have gone to church leaders and many times and spoken out in our morning prayers regarding the dreams and visions as well as audible messages the Holy Spirit has spoken to me. Sadly, while my church claims and boasts to be spirit filled, unless they are receiving a warm and fuzzy messages, it is not welcomed or even received as counsel. My church is a supporter and supporter of IHOPKC and many of our people travel there to pray and worship. While since moving to Iowa, I have alway’s wanted to go, the Lord has repeated told me “no, not you” so I have never gone. Now I understand why. Jezebel is alive and living the high life in many of our churches. Her number one tool of seduction is power, then authority and pride follow. Sex usually comes later. God is doing a mighty shaking right now! He is refining and purifying the Bride and making her ready for the end to come. There will be more revelations coming. More shaking coming! More falling coming! But in all this, WE MUST CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT GOD’S WILL BE DONE. In Jesus name, amen.
This is a very good article. I am often dismayed that young people believe that dating always includes sex. (FYI – There is a typo in the article. “Could care less” should be “couldn’t care less.”) I just purchased one of your books as a Christmas gift to me! Thank you for sharing what you learn with us.
Wow, Wanda! That is such a great message to the body of Christ! I see this happening before my eyes in the church body and in families. Such a matter for corporate prayer and a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to confront those struggling- I feel so led of the Holy Spirit to bring discipleship to the youth(highschool, college, young adults)on-line teaching /ministering and in person. I don’t really know how to get started. I’m asking the Holy Spirit to show me.
This topic needs attention and exposure to people I personally know and others in my community. Definitely beyond in-person outreach.
Any suggestions are welcome!
This needed to be said and repeated. “I wish that you were hot or cold” May all who read this pray for Wanda, her husband, their church, and their ministry.
Ephesians 5:15-16
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Thank you, Wanda, for this teaching.🙏🩸
”But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”“
1 Peter 1:15-16 AMP
YES! I have been getting a steady diet of words about sanctification (being set apart TO God). Look at the old testament where items were prepared for service – they had to be clean.
Who may ascend Zion? Him with clean hands and a pure heart…
We are vessels, and vessels that are CLEAN are prepared to handle the holiest things God has to pour out. This is a much different mindset, being set apart in order to be usable. BE THAT CLEAN VESSEL!!
Thank you Wanda! “Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 7:1).”
Very good teaching. I have also wondered if a weak or compromised message regarding abortion could be a sign of Jezebel influence over a church? Sexual immorality certainly contributes to the high number of abortions taking place, aka child sacrifice which I believe was a big part of the Baal worship that Jezebel craved.
Wanda, I appreciate the word you shared. It is sound and biblical. While reading you article, I had to consider that the spirit of Jazabel wasn’t limited to inhabiting females. If male pastors are bound in sexual immortality and are resorting to control and manipulation, aren’t they also exhibiting the spirit of Jazabel?
In regards to sexual immorality in the church I remember Jack Frost, in the experiencing the Fathers embrace series talking about our need for intimacy with God, that place we are created for to have God as a father that Jesus came to bring us back to. And I remember him saying if you don’t want that if you just want to be strong by yourself performing and you don’t want that intimacy he said you’re going to need pornography you’re going to need sex you’re going to need something to fulfill in a counterfeit way that intimate place you were made to interact with God Heart to Heart in humility, in trust and submission having a home with God.
I lived for 27 years as a Christian trying to do what was right and good out of fear or out of desire to obtain favor from God. In that motivation you don’t mind hiding things because you’re just trying to look good. After I had an experience with God as a loving father my motivation was then I do not want anything to get in the way of my heart being together with his heart. He and my connection with him was more important than appearing good or feeling good.
Could the problem be in church culture with the foundational relational connection with God, that motivation to somehow be strong in ourselves rather than open and empty and cultivating a home with him?
I have heard and read many people speak about the spirit of jezabel. I am trying to understand why so many use this terminology. Is there literature that cites or documents this information as truth? I have not come across any documentation that gives validity to this title, “spirit of jezebel”. Is there such a spirit? If so, where can this information be verified? If I am misinformed, please correct me and help inform me, if the Bible cites jezabel as a spirit, and I just missed it. In Revelation 2:20 Jesus calls her a woman. Not sure why this bothers me. But I would greatly appreciate if someone has helpful information to share. Many thanks for your faithfulness to The Father, Son & Holy Spirit. So thankful you have a heart for what they love. You are a blessing to the body, please keep the information coming! We have a lot of learning to do!
Thank you for your post I’m praying for deliverance from anything not of my Abba daddy God