The Discerning Times

Read the latest issue of The Discerning Times, available here.


But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" (Psalm 70:4)

A Mother's Love

A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

                              --by Helen Steiner Rice


How sad it is when mothers do not love. How sad when they use and abuse their children...when they condone inappropriate or even criminal behavior.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6)

 

Condoning Sin and Even Murder to Accomplish Her Wishes

There is something so stubborn, so mean-spirited, so jealous and so determined in a Jezebel. Seemingly nothing will stop her from getting what she wants.

When Naboth refused to sell Ahab his vineyard, Jezebel immediately took things into her own hands (see 1 Kings 21:4-13).

A Jezebel has absolutely no regard for godly authority. Her spirit is in contrast to the will of God.

Her will has become god. Her will must be accomplished, regardless of the consequences. No price is too great; no life is too precious to get her will manifested. Her theology is that the end justifies the means – condoning sin and even murder to accomplish her wishes.
 

 

Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the  Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson.

 

She obeys no one, she accepts no correction... (Zephaniah 3:2a)

Control at Any Cost, No Matter Who is Destroyed!

The bottom line is control...For two years she worked to destroy him.

What was his crime? He didn’t submit to her wishes.

This girl was the last child of parents who were in their mid-forties when she was conceived. She had confided that she was never disciplined and her daddy always gave her absolutely anything she wanted. She was not accustomed to being denied anything.

Jezebels hate the cross. The cross means denying one’s self. No Jezebel wants that. They want power! They want control at any cost, no matter who is destroyed! After all, when being self-centered, no one is as important as they are.

Common characteristics:

• Need to accomplish her will (at anyone’s expense)
• Excessive bragging
• Preoccupation with self
• Possessive love (turns from sweet to sour if she doesn’t get her way)
• Vindictiveness if she doesn’t get her way

 

Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson.

 

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18-19)

 

More Tears and Hissy Fits

“I want my own way and if I don't get it I throw a hissy fit.” – Athena Dean, 2005

This is one reason why it was a real pleasure to read The Sociopath Next Door. It explained so much of what Athena Dean put us all through.

Of course, as the author wrote, most people do not find out that they’re being used and abused until their livelihoods are gone. As many have noticed, Athena Dean sure can turn the tears on and off to fit her desires. Why she could likely win an Oscar!


“Since the scaffolding of a life without a conscience is deception and illusion, intelligent sociopaths often become proficient at acting, and even at some of the particular techniques employed by professional actors.

Crocodile tears at will are a sociopathic trademark ...Crocodile tears from the remorseless are especially likely when a conscience-bound person gets a little too close to confronting a sociopath with the truth. A sociopath who is about to be cornered by another person will turn suddenly into a piteous weeping figure whom no one, in good conscience, could continue to pressure.”

                         -- The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, PH.D.

 

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (Isaiah 5:20)

 

Buckets of Tears

America witnessed an emotional appeal from the president right before the election. Some claim this was just a ploy to gain more votes. In any case, he won. 

Actually, some individuals and families are known to cry buckets of tears – all to manipulate for their own selfish gain.

Buckets of tears around town.

Buckets of tears in front of police.

Buckets of tears on TV.

And so it goes...

Buckets of tears – turned on and off – at just the right time...and the money, the support and the manipulated sympathy roll in all to sell a game of hatred.

Just cry, cry and cry some more – if you want the money to pour in.

Athena Dean is an expert at crying as she plays on the emotions of others for money, for support and to sway opinions. We, who suffered under her manipulations for years, finally ignored it. 

True to her pattern, our friendship was used and abused by Athena Dean too many times to count. After all, she herself admits so.

“It became easy for me to use and abuse my relationships in the church to get where I wanted to go.” – Athena Dean, 1996

But know this: difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of religion but denying its power. Avoid these people! For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions, always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

 

Wait with Jesus

Some may feel disappointed, discouraged or even depressed after this year’s election results, however Corrie ten Boom writes:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now” (Rom. 8:22 RSV).

                        The restless millions wait

                        The coming of the Lord to make all things new.

                        Christ also waits.

                        But men are slow and few.

                        Have we done all we could?

                        Have I? Have you?

Thank you, Lord, that we know from the Bible that the crisis we experience in this time is the suffering you told about when you said that we must look up because our liberation is approaching (see Luke 21).

                                                          

         -- Taken from the November 7^th devotional in Each New Day.

 

Let us look up to Jesus. For only in Him will we experience true change.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,  (John 3:14)

Praising God & Looking Forward!

Praising God today that this world is not my home! Praising God today that, as Christians, we look to a better country – a heavenly one!

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Let us truly look forward! 

 

Destroying Lives

The Jezebel spirit destroys families, churches, businesses and relationships. It destroys lives...

Remember Potiphar’s wife? She tried to sweeten Joseph with her charms. When he refused, the same charm turned into bitterness, and she cruelly accused an innocent and righteous Joseph of attempted rape (see Genesis 39)...

When a Jezebel loses control, love and devotion turn into hate and destruction. The love and loyalty were expressed with an evil and twisted motive for power and gain...Once a Jezebel loses her domination – look out! It’s the same spirit that wanted Elijah’s life destroyed. With every case, she pleaded to the listeners that she was a victim...Jezebels can be convincing.

 

Some common characteristics:       

• Overemphasizing her importance
• Exaggerating to the extreme
• Being greedy
• Lying extremely convincingly
• Living in a world of distortion
• Switching from charm to killer instinct
• Pride
• Pushiness
• Inability to admit wrong
• Insubordination
• Rebellion
• Sowing seeds of discord
• Hate (for those who question her)
• Intimidation

 

 

 Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson. 

Woe to those who drag wickedness with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes, (Isaiah 5:18)

Elijah vs. Jezebel

There is such significance in the fact that Jezebel wanted to destroy Elijah. The Jezebel spirit hates the prophetic, uncompromising voice. It cannot accomplish its agenda with a prophet around.

The same spirit operated through Herodias after John the Baptist confronted King Herod (see Mark 6:17-28).

The Jezebel spirit is strong and seeks what it wants, waiting for an opportunity. No wonder the Bible warns us to give no place to the devil.

Again, this Jezebel spirit typically gets someone else to do its dirty work. Herodias couldn’t receive correction and seek repentance, therefore she had to destroy the one who spoke truth.

This same spirit that desired to destroy Elijah was clearly responsible for cutting off the head of John the Baptist. The spirit of Jezebel hates the prophet, because the prophetic voice demands repentance and surrendering of the self-will. The prophet calls people to the cross. Jezebel hates the cross.

God is exposing and judging the spirit of Jezebel in the Church. Hallelujah.

Comparing Elijah and Jezebel

• Elijah demands repentance.
• Jezebel hates repentance.

• Elijah demands righteousness.
• Jezebel opposes righteousness.

• Elijah speaks freedom.
• Jezebel desires control.

• Elijah demands humility.
• Jezebel appeals to pride.

• Elijah speaks God’s ways.
• Jezebel uses deceit and systems of witchcraft.

 

Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson.

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants... (Revelation 2:20)

Amazingly Consistent

“The obsession for some people to control everything, and everyone, is as old as the biblical account of Queen Jezebel.”


More Amazingly Consistent Traits of the Jezebel Spirit: 


Is pushy and domineering

A person with a Jezebel spirit pressures you to do things, seemingly ripping from you your right to choose or make a decision for yourself. He makes others feel as though they don't have enough sense to think for themselves.


Sows seeds of discord

A Jezebel will continually belittle another person in the most subtle way. The strategy is to "gain" control by minimizing the value of another person. It is common for him to tell half-truths to implicate another person in your eyes. By sowing these seeds, he hopes to eventually reap a harvest of destruction, improving his position of power.


Sequesters information

A Jezebel loves to be in control of information. If there is ever a situation where information is important, he will push to be the "first" to know it. He seems to know everything about everyone. Where he gets all his information is beyond comprehension, but he can dictate to you data and details about people's lives and actions in mass quantities.


Spiritualizes everything

When a controller is confronted, he commonly spiritualizes the situation, explaining it off on God. This prevents him from owning up to responsibility required of him. The implication is always, "You've got a problem I don't."


Attempts to make you look like you're the Jezebel

A Jezebel spirit is difficult to pin down. If the person is near to being confronted, he or she will skillfully twist the entire situation, trying to make the innocent person look like the one who is attempting to control. As always, the Jezebel will do anything to look like the one who is right.

 

Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson.  


Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants... (Revelation 2:20)

Jezebel

Solomon wrote that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). And so it is with Satan’s wiles; they are not new. They include twisting the truth of Scripture, fear mongering, manipulation of wounded egos and many more strategies that fill Jezebel’s bag of tricks. The principality uses all these to gain control ...


Some of the Amazingly Consistent Traits of the Jezebel Spirit:

Refuses to admit guilt or wrong

A Jezebel spirit is never wrong, unless it is a temporary admittance of guilt to gain "favor" with someone. To accept responsibility would violate the core of insecurity and pride from which it operates. When a Jezebel apologizes it is never in true repentance or acknowledgment of wrongdoing but rather "I'm sorry your feelings were hurt."
 

Uses people to accomplish its agenda

The Jezebel spirit lets others do its dirty work. The Jezebel gets another person's emotions stirred up, then lets that person go into a rage. The Jezebel sits back looking innocent, saying "Who me? What did I do?" This behavior makes it difficult for even the most ardent truth seekers to pin one down. The Jezebel spirit is clever in its agenda.
 

Lies

A Jezebel lies convincingly. No one can lie better than he can. He can turn on the charm and make you believe blue is red. He always fools those whom he's just met while those who have been victimized by his tactics stand by helplessly. The fact that Jezebel can look you in the eye and lie just shows how strong and adamant this rebellious and recalcitrant spirit is.
 

Is vengeful

Since a Jezebel is never wrong, if you contradict or confront one, get ready to become his worst enemy. As long as you are in agreement with him, all is fine. But if you confront or challenge him, then look out. You are the target of his fiercest venom. A Jezebel will stop at nothing to destroy your reputation.
 

Is religious

A Jezebel dwells in the local church but doesn't like authority unless he is in the position of authority.

Taken from Confronting Jezebel: Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control by Steve Sampson. 

 

Looks like an interesting book!   

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants... (Revelation 2:20)