What Is Jezebel??

We know that the term "Jezebel' is in actuality the name of the wicked Queen Jezebel, who was the wife of King Ahab, in the Old Testament. Ahab's marriage to Jezebel led to the worship of Baal becoming widespread among God's people. She exercised control because of that, as well as the other tactics she used to exert both illegitimate and 'wicked' control over people, her name has become synonymous with the spirit of control.


Jezebel is a product of the flesh that opens the door to an evil spirit. It operates through a person in the form of manipulation, domineering or intimidating tactics. It is NOT restricted to women - a mistake I believe has cost many a church or church leader! You must recognize the spirit, not just the gender! Some people believe ti operates more prevalently in women because of the nature of it's origin, but there is no question that it function just as proficiently through men.

When it's functioning in women, the Jezebel spirit seems to serve as Satan's answer to a male -dominating world - giving false protection in a world where a women seems to never get her rights nor has the protective love of a father or husband. Out of lack of love, she may rebel against the whole 'unloving system' and end up becoming just like it. The one who felt 'controlled' now becomes the 'controller'. - the ' oppressed 'becomes the 'oppressor'.

Whether male or female, controllers are almost always motivated by insecurity.

One of the biggest ways Jezebel deceives us, is by doing religious things or being a religious person. The original Queen Jezebel converted her husband to follow Baal. ( Remember Ahab married her against God's command.)

The name Jezebel means ' without dwelling or habitation'. That's her true nature. She is independent; lives with no one. Her name can also mean; unmarried or uncommitted. It literally means she's not committed to any one's will except her own self-will. One book says that a 'true explanation of Jezebel can be clearly described as the worship of self-will'. Wow!

The clear battle with the Jezebel spirit is over people! That spirit desire to control and rule the people of God. Often you will see the 'power struggle' between a person with a Jezebel spirit and the true leader - the Jezebel spirit wants the leadership or control of the decisions that are made. To describe her agenda, you'd probably have to say that a person under the influence of a Jezebel spirit exalts position over character.

While Jezebel is religious, she will try to wield false power against the true prophetic flow from God. She hates the prophets and all prophetic ministry. What and see what an unleashed spirit of Jezebel spirit can do in a church that was once flowing or growing in the prophetic gifts and anointing. After a period of time, if Jezebel is not recognized and dealt with, there will be no true prophets or functioning prophetic gifts in that church. It will be either shut down...or controlled by the one functioning under the influence.

Specifically, she hates repentance, humility and intercessory prayer, because they destroy her strongholds of stubbornness and pride.

Aware of the Warfare..

It seems these days, that intercessors are in two camps: the ones that are either totally obsessed with the demonic and spend more time in prayer talking to demons and the enemy, than they do to God.

Or the ones that are on the other extreme, are completely oblivious to the warfare at all. I suppose there is probably another camp: the ones that are aware of it...but are terrified of it!

I like to think I've been trained by my prayer mentors to be a good balance of both! I'm very aware of the spiritual realm, but chose to spend most of my time in prayer, talking TO God, telling him where the battle is...and calling Him down into it. At the same time, when He gives me the 'OK' to directly address the enemy, I will and do! But I must know my authority when I'm doing that, or you can be the enemy will just laugh!

Knowing our enemy, is also a tactic of good warfare! Even the generals of old knew that if you wanted to wage a battle, make sure to know everything you could about your enemy. So.....I thought I might spend a bit of time writing about a couple of different 'spirits' that we come up against when doing Intercession.

Over the next few weeks....I'll be writing about confronting the Jezebel Spirit, as well as the Religious Spirit. I know there are ALOT more that I could write on..but at this point I'll just focus on those two for now. I'm also working on a study, for those that might be interested, on the different temperaments in prayer. Anything that help us prayer better, pray sharper - I'm all for!

So...stay tuned for some info on Jezebel int eh next few days...

Love of Prayer

I love prayer! I mean, I absolutely LOVE prayer!

I'm actually amazed and surprised by how much I love to pray. When God first spoke to me about starting a prayer group, I was more than a little surprised. I wouldn't have classified myself as any kind of a prayer person. In fact...I thought most prayer meetings were boring. The picture I had in my mind was of a bunch of white haired old ladies ( no offense), sitting in a living room - boring!! At least ...boring to me!

But God had other plans! He introduced me to prayer that is interactive. He's taught me how to pray in a group...with a group...as well as to pray alone. It's awesome. It's exciting. It's fun! It can also be hard work. Yes...sometimes you have to 'work prayer' ( as one of my prayer mentors would say). And I've learned to do that..and love it too!

When I hear of prayer meetings ending, or closing down, I always feel sad. What happened? What caused someone to stop? Is it the style of prayer? People's personalities? What??

I think, in the days of ahead, we need to look at some prayer styles and prayer temperaments. It's important that we understand each other, so that we can work together, and pray together!

Yes, we need to defer to one another...and prefer one another...but we also need to learn how to pray together so that the force of our prayers are magnified! The prayer of agreement is a mighty weapon..and don't you think the enemy knows it - that's why he works so hard to stop it! To get us frustrated with each other in prayer, in prayer rooms, in prayer groups! He wants us to say ' forget it!'..and walk away!

So....hopefully, I'll be adding a few posts in the next few weeks about prayer styles and temperaments! Hopefully.....it will strengthen and encourage those that read this blog!

Blessings..
Pam

Government Intercessors

Government Intercessors

The purpose of 'government intercessors' is to stand on God's side as watchmen over political and church governments that represent the various countries, states, cities, neighbourhoods, homes, schools and churches upon the earth. Godly governments empower people; conversely, ungodly governments use their power to oppress people.

Many times we hear people ask the question: "If God is so concerned about the nations, then why is there so many poor in so many countries, starving to death and living in complete chaos and ruin?" The answer? Prayerlessness!

There are more than 6 billion people on the earth ( and this is probably an old statistic) and of that at least 109 million Americans profess to be born-again Christians. ( Sorry I don't know the stats for Canada or other countries.) Just think what would happen if even 1% of those believers began to pray for the unsaved governments of the world! Remember the famous quote from Edmund Burke: " The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

II Chronicles 7:14 is the encouragement that we can change a nation with our intercession.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."This is a call to the Government Intercessors of the Church! God can and will heal our lands IF we are faithful to pray!

One office of government we are to pray for is Pastors!! If a pastor falls , part of the blame is shared with the congregation because we are the prayer shields for our leaders. We need to pray for holiness and wholeness of their love for both God and His children. If Intercessors truly understood their place of important, the whole congregation would reap the benefit of their sacrifice.
They are finding that pastors who have enlisted personal intercessor are reporting greater fruitfulness in every facet of their lives, including their own holiness. Pastors with a minimum of two or three pray-ers interceding over every service, exhibit a renewed strength in their teaching and preaching.

Another office of government we are to pray for, is in our own home. Talk to God about the things that need to change and allow Him to change the hearts of those involved. ( Prov.21:1 talks of ' the king's heart is like a channel of water in the hand of the Lord: He turns it wherever He wishes." The 'king' is referring to the person who is governing the situation.)

You may be called to pray for your city and all those involved in government there: eg. police departments, churches, fire station etc. You might not be a person who can pray over a daily list for leaders of your church, or your schools or your city, state or government. You might be a crisis intercessor who is called to respond to governmental kinds of emergencies.

God may be calling you to be a government intercessor by giving you specifics to pray for a teacher in your child's classroom. You may be called to pray over policies that will effect your school district. Start with what you know..and what you see! As you are faithful to pray over even the least significant-looking governmental issue, God will broaden your prayer power. God is not looking for powerful speakers; He is looking for speakers who will rely on His power to speak up and speak out. Who knows? You could be a voice for God that will change a government.

Are you a Government Intercessor?
1. Do politics stimulate you?
2. Does your life revolve around the church?
3. Are you interested in policies for schools, churches, and political situations?
4. Would prayer walking the schools, churches and governments buildings in your neighbourhood excited you?
5. Are you called to intercession for your government as your read the newspaper or watch global news?
6. Do you keep apprised of government officials by name in any level of government?


Pitfalls of Government Intercessors:
-intolerance for those who appear ignorant about governmental matters
-Becoming so concerned about the government that people become a secondary issue - and so does the Lord
-Allowing recognition to be the motive for intercessory prayer rather than the call of God
-Compromising integrity and beliefs to please people
-Getting caught up in the spirits that are over the land, which are power and pride
-Taking offense when convictions are questioned
-Believing that you're the only one with the answer
-Letting bitterness take root when leaders do not live up to God's will
-Gossiping and grumbling about leaders instead of leading them into change THROUGH prayer.

Remember, that like Daniel, government intercessor need to remember their spiritual roots no matter who governs the environment in which they live or work. Government intercessors are the spiritual Daniels of our day. The key is to stand like Daniel with a disciplined focus at the windows of prayer!

I'm on Sabbatical...

I'm sorry I haven't updated this. I'm on Sabbatical until September 1. ( Sabbatical, meaning a 'rest'.) My husband and I are not only taking a rest/break from pastoring our church, we are also taking a break from all other related responsibilities - which for me includes laying down my city prayer group, as well as doing the blogs. So...I'll be back on track, Sept. 1.

In the mean time, if you are someone who has been regularly read this and the other two blogs I do, I would really like to have some feedback from you. Are these articles helpful to you? Are you finding them informative and giving you some new understanding of you, your prayer style etc.? What's the most helpful? What would you like to know more about? I'd love to have a list of questions to blog on - so if you have anything you'd like to ask about, please send it through!

I'm wondering what other intercessors, from different places, or even from my own city but different churches, are hearing from the Lord right now?

Is anyone else sensing that God may be 'gathering' the Watchmen soon? My sense is there is some kind of gathering togehter that my be happening in the future. Like an army being called to War....or troops being mustered - there is just a sense of activity with purpose, about to happen. My sense also, is that it's possibly going to happen sometime this year. ( And for me, this 'year' usually means September to June..) Anyone else sensing anything? I'd be very grateful to hear some feedback. I am getting more and more pictures,a nd words that involve 'army' type words: troops, elite forces, special forces, trained....joint mission.

Hope I hear back from some of you. Otherwise, I'll 'see' you in September.

Praying with A Pure Heart

Remember the key to praying in faith..and with a pure heart is knowing the will of God. I Jn.5:14



How can we know His will?

1. Read it in Scripture . II Tim.3:15, 16

2. Asking Him ( and getting a response). Jn.14:26, 16:13, II Tim.2:7, James 1:5-7

Now..this gets easier as we spend more time with Him.



Why do we need a Pure Heart?



Any sin is going to obstruct our intimate relationship with the Father. It will also reduce the effectiveness of our prayers! Read Isa. 59:1-2 . Vs. 1 says He can do anything...yet Vs.2 says 'our sins have separated us from God and he will not hear us' . The Lord deals with this in Matt.6:12.



Here's an example

. So often when we pray, we need to 'release forgiveness', rather than praying for God to show someone how much they've hurt us. Rather we need to trust God that He knows. I remember one day, kneeling at the side of the bed crying and weeping over a injustice that had been done to me. I was doubly distraught because the person involved had absolutely no awareness, nor wanted any, of the hurt they had caused.



Finally I heard the Lord say to me, " Isn't it enough that 'I' know how much it's hurt you?" .



I've never forgotten that lesson. I wasn't going to be at peace until the person 'knew' how much they'd hurt me. Some how I needed them to know! But even if they did, I realised it would never be enough anyways! Then I realised that only God can truly know the sorrow in my heart when an offense or wound has happend. How much better to go to Him for comfort and healing? He's the best source ! Once I let that go, it completely transformed my prayers, not only for that particular person, but for others. In allowing myself to be healed, I felt closer to God and His voice seemed clearer, in ways I hadn't experienced for weeks.



If we forgive, it purifies our heart. Answers to prayer don't depend on what my adversary does or does not do. They depend on what I do.



James says " You ask and do not receive." Why?

James 4: 2 sites wrong desires - ' you lust, fight and covet'

James 4:3 sites wrong motive

James 4:3 sites wrong objectives: to satisfy your own pleasures.



We ask for the Holy Spirit to give us

1. the right desire...which is intimacy with the Father

2. the right motive, which is to glorify God and

3. the right objective, which is to do God's will.



Lastly....sin will impede not only how we hear from God, but what we will hear! Our desire needs to be like Jesus, ' to do the will of Him who sent me'. How can we do that? Well...be like Jesus and only do what we see the Father doing - only speak what we hear the Father saying.

Four Rules of Prayer....

I'm sure many people could come up with lots of 'rules of prayer' but I'm going to share the four that my own mentor taught me to use.



* Pray with faith

* Pray with a pure heart

* Pray with power

* Pray with persistence.



Read James 1: 5-7 - it speaks of praying with faith. A most necessary ingredient when we are praying. Remember Mark 11:23 " faith could tell a mountain to move"...or Mark 11:24 that says ' Whatever you ask when you pray, believe you will receive them." That's faith!



Don't pray in doubt. Faith is believing in what we have not yet seen. Heb.11: 1. Remember the key is knowing the will of God ( IJn.5:14) How can we know His will? Read it in the scripture - II Tim.3:15- 16



An interesting example of praying in doubt, came to me from a wonderful friend of mine in Victoria. One day as we were talking on the phone about our children, I told her that my kids were driving back from a holiday and asked her to remember them in her prayers - that God would be with them while they drove. She rebuked me for praying in fear and doubt. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that God had been speaking to her about the way she often prayed as if there were 'vacuums' - like God wasn't someplace, until we asked him to be there. She then said, " Pam, God is with your kids! What you want to pray, is that their awareness of Him will increase, and His effect and protection of them would increase, while they travel. Don't pray as if He's not there! As for where He is, to increase, with them!" That talked changed my life! I never pray any longer, like there are 'gaps'. I acknowledge where God is in the situation I'm praying for, and I always ask for that part of Him that is there, that influence, to increase! It's made an amazing difference in not only my prayers, but the faith level of how I pray! Doesn't the Word say, that He is always with us? So, why was I praying like He wasn't there for my children? Now I always ask God to show me where He is working in someone;'s life and ask for that influence to increase.

Another example of this, was when He asked me to give a word to a couple of young men in a local restaurant. I could tell by looking at them that they were very probably part of the gang problem our city is suffering with. When I argued with the Lord about going to them and asked Him 'why' - He told me that someone in their family line was praying for them and I needed to be a part of those prayers, by delivering the word i had for them. Once I realised that someone had been praying for them, my faith soared and I asked God to increase their awareness of Him and their hunger for Him. I asked God to expand, increase and enlarge the deposit of God that was in each of them. And yes...I did go and give them my 'word'. Interesting to note, that a few days later there were on the front page of our local paper AND on the provincial paper - these boys were major crime figures! At the same time, I found out a few weeks later that one of them has a sister who is born again, and who has been praying for them! So....I just added my prayers to hers ( who knows who else) ...and also prayed in faith over the seeds of God that were lying dormant in them!

Since that time, I ran into another woman who told me she remember one or two of those boys from a Sunday School class, and yes, they did know Christ then! So...it's just another reminder to not limit God when we pray and to not pray 'as if' there is a lack...but pray as if God is working and ask Him to increase His effect on those we are praying for.