I am convinced that murmuring is fueled by Satan. Murmuring reveals chronic dissatisfaction and anger with God. Satan targets our disappointments and then begins to whisper in our ears many lies concerning God. In fact, the word murmur is linked to the Hebrew word nirgan, which translates as "whispering, slandering and backbiting."
This whispering is important to remember. Know that the enemy is attempting to whisper lies into your ears. Be careful of the whispers of the Deceiver. Let's never forget that life and death are in the power of the tongue. (When we start talking about people behind their back, or complaining about folks) When we murmur we yoke ourselves with evil.
I am convinced that Perfection is Jezebels ultimate Quest in the church and its leaders. Jezebel was the epitome of religious living. She had her very own 450 prophets of Baal who ate at her table. I would bet she never missed a Baal service. She probably got a manicure the day before, went to Baal Church early and led the prayers. Believe me: This Seducer came to church packing weapons- and her weapons were false prophecy, false teaching and evil seduction. She was a perfectionist, I am sure. I know this because when I was younger, and strongly yoked with this evil spirit due to generational iniquity, I suffered much with perfectionism, performance and legalism. (I still suffer from some of these but by the Grace of God I am made an overcomer)
Dissatisfaction:
Exodus 16:2-3
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Baal worship encourages distrust and chronic dissatisfaction. Some of us are never satisfied with the leaders or supervisors God places over us, we don't like the decisions our leaders make and we mock their wisdom. If we desire more power, recognition and attention, then we have allowed ourselves to be yoked with the Spirit of Jezebel.
Let me continue the idea of Baal worship today with the facts that Baal worship is still in practice. in study for the message I read an article from the Gospel Herald that helped me understand that "Baal was solely the creation of man, counterfeit from the beginning, an insult to the Creator, made to fit the desire "to be mighty ... in the earth," and to build cities and make Babylon the capitol—so it must be plain that Baal-worship is none other than self-worship." In understanding this principle we still experience Baal worship when we glorify in works of men and not in the works of God.
* The present age is one of idolatry, as verily as was that in which Elijah lived. No outward shrine may be visible; there may be no image for the eye to rest upon; ... Multitudes have a wrong conception of God and His attributes and are as truly serving a false god as were the worshipers of Baal. 13
* In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ. ... But the true leader of all this is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. 14
* Christ will be personified, but on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. 15
* Those who are not wholly consecrated to God may be led to do the work of Satan, while yet they flatter themselves that they are in the service of Christ. 16
* The apostasy prevailing today is similar to that which in the prophet’s day overspread Israel. In the exaltation of the human above the divine, in the praise of popular leaders, in the worship of mammon, and in placing of the teachings of science above the truths of revelation, multitudes today are following after Baal. 17
Perfectionism:
In Ezekiel 28:12-15 we read the records of Satan at one time he was clothed in perfection, wisdom and beauty. I utilize this reference because the Spirit of Jezebel is trickery of Satan and we need to understand where Jezebel receives this spirit.
12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
“You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,Till iniquity was found in you.
The Demands of Perfection: Jezebel has her rules and regulations that gauge just how "religious" someone is. God's messengers, however, come in all shapes and sizes and colors. I am convinced that He calls the peculiar, the nobodies, so that He gets all the glory. Maybe that is why he called Elijah. Here was a man who had no notable background, boasted no previous recognition and came from no-where, but he knew who he was in God. There were no performance issues for Elijah-he just showed up and delivered the pure word.
Let me hit the fast-forward button and say that this is exactly what Jezebel hates. The yoke of Jezebel demands performance and perfectionism. Jezebel is a legalist and expects, therefore, that every jot and title be executed according to the law- and according to her expectations. These days, for instance, we see pressure from a Jezebel spirit for ministers of the Gospel to perform flawlessly. She demands that every Greek and Hebrew word be pronounced correctly and that Scriptures be quoted accurately from memory. In other words, perfectionism proves that one is qualified to be a representative of God.
This evil spirit negates obedience and exalts performance. Obedience is dutiful submission, something that Jezebel cannot possible understand. Even her name, Jezebel, means non-cohabitate. In other words Jezebel remains in complete control.
Jezebel pressures each of us to act religiously, to put on a big show and depend upon eloquent speech, intellectualism, certificates of achievement and degrees. It appears Elijah had none of the above! Although there was a time when Elijah ran from her threats, still, at this important juncture he knew who he was in God, he had no fear of man and he was confident that God has sent him as a voice. In other words, Elijah was not in the midst of an identity crisis. Thanks God for his example.
You see perfectionism is totally the opposite desire of one flowing under the anointing of God through relationship with Him. The spirit provokes you to prove yourself and is quickly critical of your identity in Christ. The anointing cannot rest upon things of the flesh, it resides only within your spirit.
Review:
Dissatisfaction
The deceiver is waiting for you, like Eve, to distrust what God has said concerning your identity and your blessing. If you do not understand how blessed you are, you will never be thankful. But NEVER forget this one thing: If you remain thankful, you cannot be seduced by Jezebel. Jezebel target chronic dissatisfaction and ingratitude. Be on your guard and be thankful in all things! Pslam 95:2 says
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
Look at the way Timothy addresses this in 2 Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The word used for grievous times is "Chalepos" (pronounced khal-ep-os) and means "reducing strength"
Interestingly enough the connected word "Chalao" means to lower.
Prayer to remove dissatisfaction Page 118 Section 2
Father, I confess that I have allowed a curse of idolatry to yoke me with spirits of darkness, including Jezebel and her false gods and Belial and its wickedness. I break off the curse attached to sexual immorality, deception and idolatry that has yoked me. I break the curse attached to the yoke of Jezebel that attempts to steal my life and destiny. I break off chronic dissatisfaction, unworthiness, wickedness, poverty and every form of immorality that is attached to idolatry. I also break off the curse of the deception that keeps me from being empowered to renew my mind and become completely clothed with Your Spirit. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
