Shane Idleman addresses the controversial topic of the Jezebel spirit, emphasizing that while the Bible does not explicitly mention a 'Jezebel spirit,' the characteristics of manipulation, control, and self-promotion associated with Jezebel can infiltrate the church. He warns against allowing such influences to thrive within the congregation, urging believers to confront these issues rather than ignore them. Idleman highlights the importance of humility, submission to God's authority, and the necessity of repentance for both individuals and the church as a whole. He encourages the congregation to remain vigilant and discerning, reminding them that genuine faith perseveres through trials and challenges.

Boy, if anything has caused a lot of controversy in the church, it is this Jezebel spirit. The Jezebel spirit. Who wears the pants? I remember, I just came back to the Lord, 1999, 2000, and I'm in a living, vibrant church. Just talked to that pastor this week. And you start hearing people talk, the Jezebel spirit, and you got to watch out for Jezebel. Like, what is this? No idea. And then you know, you find things on YouTube. And Pastor Robert Morris actually did a great teaching on it. And a YouTuber by the name Vlad, I can't pronounce his last name, or Isaiah Sandoval. Some of you guys know them. Ruslan as well. We're going to be on his podcast. Me and Abraham are going down there in a few weeks in San Diego. And a lot of these guys have good teachings on it. And so, it gets out there to the people. And so, here we are in Revelation on this topic. And then, the more I would pastor, the more people would say, you know, there's a Jezebel spirit in such and such. Or you can like, well, you got to watch. And so, it's pretty, I don't know if you're aware of it, but it's a pretty engaging, somewhat controversial topic. But it's in the Bible, so we have to talk about it. And I'm going to get to all the points. A lot of them I want to share right now. I want to get ahead of myself. Because, I'm going to get ahead of myself. All right. You'll see it up there later. But the Bible doesn't say there is a Jezebel spirit. Okay. 22 mentions of Jezebel, I believe, mainly 1 Kings. And then, of course, in Revelation, where we're at. And that woman, Jezebel, you allow to teach in her, in your church. And then, in 1 Kings, Jezebel and Ahab. So, it's a literal person. So, the Bible doesn't say you'll have a Jezebel spirit. Like it says, you know, God allowed a spirit of, a lying spirit, or a distressing spirit, came upon Saul. So, how do we come up with it? I don't have a problem with the language. Because Jezebel in Revelation, it seems that Jesus is referencing Jezebel in Kings, and her type of personality. And so, there's a spiritual component, a demonic component of what was working in her heart and in her life. So, I just like to be clear that the Bible isn't going to say a Jezebel spirit. Watch out for that spirit to come within you. But there is a type of religious spirit. And you could call it a Jezebel spirit that can infiltrate the church and believers. So, just, that was just a point of clarification. But my Bible calls this church the corrupt church. Revelation 2, 18. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira writes this. And here's what's interesting. I could have spent 30 minutes on Thyatira and the area in the church. One of our elders, David Thie, sent me some great articles on what I taught last week on the throne of Satan. It's amazing how you can look at pictures. They actually unearthed it, and they found it. And Hitler did his thing around it. And it resembled it very much. And there's even links. This is a conspiracy theory, so I'm not going to put on a foil hat. But if you look at the 2008 Democratic Party platform, it resembles exactly, it's like, wow, this is very interesting. And that's the year, of course, they codified abortion, so we can murder children. They take God out of their wording. I mean, this is a demonic thing that's happening in our nation. And if that upsets people, I'm just telling you the truth. You have an issue with God, not me. All political parties are welcome here, but I will speak the truth. Don't worry, I rebuke Republicans often. Read my last few articles. Pride and arrogance on both sides. So to the angel of the church of Thyatira writes these things. The Son of God is saying this. He who has eyes like flames of fire and His feet are like fine brass. The only way human language could describe Jesus Christ. Can you imagine seeing Him with flames of fire in His eyes? Penetrating your soul. He said, when Jesus speaks, guys, we need to listen. Sit up straight, listen. We need to get also, I want to encourage people to get back in the habit of bringing their Bible to church. This is okay, but it's good to go old school. Bring your Bible. We're going through it verse by verse. And you can highlight and you can write. God will put things on your heart. And you got to journal it. You got to write it down. Because trust me, I have a pen and paper by my bed now. I've learned over the years. Oh, that's a great idea. I'm going to remember that tomorrow. Nope. I can't even tell you how many times. I mean, it's so bad that I'll just get up. I'm so tired, but I'll write it down. Here's a sermon point that really touched someone's heart. So he says this, Jesus is saying this, I know your works. So you've got good works. You love people. I know you're serving me. You have faith and your patience. And as far as your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless, there's that word again. This is so interesting to me. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you. To me, this sounds like a pretty solid church. Here's what he has against this church. And I read this probably differently than most people because I'm reading this as if it's applicable to me and our church. Every time I go through these chapters on the church, like Jesus, what are you saying to us? What can we learn from this? So this church isn't necessarily, they've got the works, the right works, it looks like the right doctrine, the love, the service of faith, but they are allowing because you allow. See, we think the church, oh no, but we allow. And let me tell you, this really hit home because it's much easier to allow than to confront. There are some Jezebels in this church that I've been praying about confronting, and it's not easy. Don't worry, I don't think you're at the first service. Or maybe they don't even go to this church. You've got that same spirit that can Facebook you, right? Email you, discourage, discourage, or control, control, manipulation. And so when a church just allows it, because it is much easier, me and we have this talk weekly, let's just not deal with this this week. And then this week turns into this month. And then I tell them, you know what, we're going to deal with it eventually, and it's going to be worse. And we just, but where do you, you don't want to go around also sin sniffing, and putting, and confronting everyone, that's not healthy. Because it takes time to pray, and maybe God, many times God has worked in their heart, we didn't have to say anything. That's the best thing. Or you get that wonderful email, pastor, I feel God is calling me to a different church. Oh, I think he is. I think, well, there goes that one, we just missed that, that freight train. And because, and I joke, but it's painful, because in a living church, the devil's also working. And no one is perfect. Hello? You think sometimes it's my fault? Yes. Yes. I readily admit sometimes things, problems are my fault. You take a type A highly energetic person who's upset at our society, and can't say anything political without somebody getting upset. And you take that and try to contain that. And wanting to fix things and handle things. And sometimes, no, no, no, no, don't fix it too quick. Right? That's why me and Morgan, we would, you know, the guys always want to fix it. Like she'll come tell me and she'll vent, I'm like, I'll handle that tomorrow. Oh, no, no, no, just want you to listen. I'm going to fix this. I'm going to fix this. But see, the difference is, as a family, we grow and we own it. And we apologize, I need to work on that. That's my crack in the armor. We all have cracks in the armor. But sadly, a lot of people don't want to work on it. They're like, they get offended. And again, I recommend that book Bait of Satan. Lori and Rick took took a group through a few times, maybe do it again. People are so because that's Satan's greatest bait, I believe in the church. Offense. Offense. They, you know what, I don't want to go go to church Sunday, you know who might be there. They just gave me a look at Target. Well, they were in Target too. But this really hit home. I mean, they allowed they allowed something that they should not have allowed. So I think Jesus warned the church or there was conviction. And, and there are different there are different, obviously different churches, some people, some churches will take these things, you know, and really go to the extreme of it. Yeah, I can think of hyper conservative churches that are really just, you know, just let me just look for any type of, you know, we're going to catch it right away. And they and if you you, if the timing isn't right, you can hurt people more than help them. And then other churches, of course, like, hey, man, I don't care. We're not going to let's just let God fix it. I wish that was possible. But he often uses the leadership to say something, or to convict people. And so this church, it seems like a healthy church, because he'll go on to to make some comments about this. You allow that woman Jezebel. So either this is a different Jezebel bad choice of names. Right? You named your daughter Jezebel. You don't hear Jezebel. You don't hear Delilah. You don't hear you know, certain names in the Bible. But I'm a man of Bathsheba. You know, their names mean something. So this church is allowing Jezebel could be, you know, getting that Jezebel kind of spiritual influence of what Jezebel did with Ahab. And I'll hopefully get to that. Now, here's the thing, who calls herself a prophetess. I don't think that's an accident there of language. It's she calls herself. And I see this so many, so many times. And I want to tell people, you know, let God call you. Let God elevate you. Let God, you think we can stop it? Well, the church isn't letting me do this. If God wants you to do that, don't you think he'll let you do it? Like little Shane Idleman is going to stop God. But sometimes there's a testing period. How do you handle? No. That reveals a lot. Pride and arrogance, the Jezebel type of controlling, manipulating, or is there a submission because we have to understand even myself submitting to elders and submitting God's order is submission when it's done the right way. Not when it's abusive, not when it's controlling, but there's protection when you submit to leadership, whether it's your workplace, the headship of the home, the church, the God has put that there is a covering and the leaders have a responsibility to help the people, whether it's offer godly counsel, whether it's pointing out things because normally most pastors, this is a true statement. There's exceptions, of course, most pastors will try to be non-bias. They will tell you that here's what I see. Here's what I think based on I know your relationship with your husband or your wife. And here's what there's not really an ulterior motive. You know, you could upset them and they leave. And you know, that happens as well. But there's, they were allowing this woman, she called herself a prophetess. And there's a sermon I'll never forget when I said something like, if you're an apostle, don't put it on your business card. Or prophet don't put and I heard from like three or four guys, how dare you? I'm apostle such as give me a break. That's self exaltation. That's self. You don't tell me you're a prophet or you're apostle. Let God show me through your actions and through your humility. And more importantly, through your gifting. There's humble people in this church who operate in those apostolic apostle just means sent ones. Okay, let's not get charismatic crazy. These are not we these are actually biblical terms. The biblical terms. So if I was a church planter, or what I was, I had that type of apostolic calling to go and sent to be sent. That's all that means. Let's not get freaking out over it. So don't put it on your business type business card on your letterhead or in an email. Just say a servant of God. Five fold. That's what they call the five fold ministry to come some he's called to be prophets, apostles, evangelists, teachers, preachers. And then a prophet is not weird stuff either. It's that prophetic voice. It's that and God will sometimes reveal things to them. He doesn't he doesn't do anything without first revealing his secrets to the prophets. And those who have this discernment and this wisdom and they can speak things into lives of people. And I can know who those people are over the years by their gifting through their humility and they operate in that gifting. I'm not stupid. I know what things look like. I've been playing church. I've been in church. I've met 1000s of church goers. I've had 1000s of church people come here and many leave and come back and this and and dealing with all types of situations everywhere. You can tell the genuine from the fake. And when they have to call themselves, and we've seen people have come hey, I'm such and such I I am a prophet of God. At least a half dozen times. Like, oh, so what am I supposed to do with that? What you're supposed to do is you they want you to Oh, wow. Can you bless our church? Can you speak? See, it's a controlling spirit manipulating. Watch what they do when you don't give them the platform. I usually say, well, God hasn't told me that yet. So just keep coming. We'll get to know you. Your gifting will become apparent. Now I want to be cautious because some people just in their zeal and their excitement, you know, maybe maybe elevate themselves too much or, or God's gifted me to do this. You know, and so and so there's grace there. But this lady, she she comes into that she's she goes to the church. Obviously, the leaders know because she you know that person, right? Well, that's just, let me make sure we don't have a Martha here. I don't know if we do. Well, you know, that's just Martha, just let her do her thing. You know, just she's just lettered, and they just allow but Martha causes a little bit of damage now and then. And she goes and tells people things that doesn't come to pass. And people get a little disappointed and discouraged. And it hurts. I don't apologize. But if it feels like I'm wearing my feelings on my sleeve during this sermon, I am because I've seen a lot of pain. And we are the ones that have to clean it up. I've had to deal with people who go to people and say, by this time next year, you're going to have a baby. That's not funny. And this is four years ago. Be very careful. Be very careful when you say thus saith the Lord. You allow this self promoting. It's a self promoting spirit. And that's why in all areas of ministry at all areas, we have to be careful. If people come in, I want to be on your worship team. Well, that's good for you. What does God want? Well, it's it's the attitude. Do you know, I don't know if I don't, I can't even think of anybody who told us, I want to be on your worship team. We just we like, well, they can sing, or somebody else would tell us. Or somebody else would mention something. And I can't have you heard this? Have you? And God opens the door. Be careful those who try to push the door open. Now many of us have been guilty of it. You know, we're excited about our gifting and we want we want to, but it seems like the more people promote the God, the more God holds them back down. And if God wants you somewhere doing something, you will do it. If you submit to it. I have to brag, I don't know if blessings here this morning, but I remember it was probably 2000. My wife would know 2013, 14. And they were in Lancaster. And I went to a youth camp up in Hatchipee. And they just have blessing on a guitar. She'd been coming for a year. I didn't even know she and like, she started singing a guitar. I look at more like what? Why did nobody tell me why she not helping with worship? You guys got it? What? Well, I don't know. You know, and my goodness, you know, see, so see, that's how God will promote. I remember the same thing with with Madeline to Brant told me, man, she and you got it. You've got to really hear her and hear her heart. Okay, because I was on sabbatical. And I went to YouTube and wow, golly, Lord, you're really annoying. And see, they're usually, usually, the more God will use you, the least likely the person is to be used. Because there's not a self promoting spirit. And that's why many people run or I ran from the pastor for a long and oh, no, no way. No way. And the more and the more zeal they have to do it, often it's it's the wrong motives. And that's why a lot of churches closed down a lot of people don't make it pastors long term, because they're doing it in their own strength. It's not a God calling. It's what they wanted to do. And that she promoted herself. So we're seeing this type of spirit if you want to use that word of this type of person in the church, they are self promoting. And it goes on to say, they would teach and they will seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols, basically compromising the faith. And a commentator Doddridge said this, the doctrine of those who taught it was lawful to dissemble our religious principles and occasionally to conform to our superstition and idolatry in order to avoid persecution. So this person was basically saying, hey, it's okay to compromise. We can see this today, a lot of the churches now flying the rainbow flags, or a lot of the churches saying nothing, saying nothing, kind of kind of like bending to the culture, right? We don't want it. We don't want it. We want to avoid persecution. And you'll probably see many of you have heard that the new documentary again, another one on Carl Lentz and Hillsong. And I watched it recently. And you see this capitulation to, to to kind of mix the world in with the church and, and not be too, you know, dogmatic about things, not too much doctrine, and, and they begin to welcome all the things. It's a great show entertainment wise, but is the Spirit of God there? And I really appreciate where his heart's at now and deep repentance. But sexual immorality was rampant there as well. And in many compromising churches, you find that out. What we allow in the church speaks volumes about the church. But also the spirit behind constructive criticism is important. It shouldn't be go get them. I can't wait to get them. It should be Lord, I don't want to have this talk. But Lord, I know we need to. We love them enough to, to tell them the truth. And guys, the sad fact is nine times out of 10, they don't return to the church. Nine times out of 10 is a safe number. Now I don't blame people for a few weeks or something, right? You're kind of processing it. But that just shows really where their heart is at. Does it not? Oh, I'm offended. I'm not coming back. Well, just all we do is speak the truth. And people they'll go from place to place when they don't want to hear the truth. So Jezebel, the person, the person, it's often a person who wants the position of authority. And that's why I referenced before 1 Kings. Basically, you know, that's what a term that I use in the title comes from who wears the pants. Usually, you know, usually a Jezebel will will kind of run the home, or they'll they'll push the man, a weak man, a passive man usually can be easily manipulated by Jezebel and she becomes the decision maker. Ahab wanted a vineyard and he couldn't get it. So Jezebel went behind the scenes and had the vineyard given to her husband and the man who owned it killed. She would have her prophets of Baal there on Mount Carmel. And Elijah was mocking them, mocking them, mocking them. He said, Let the God who answers by fire, let him be God. And God consumed the whole place with fire. And the altar, everything was sucked up. I love the language he uses. And Jezebel, King Ahab was like, Oh, this must be the real God. It seems like but Jezebel Nope. Nope. Elijah had all the prophets killed and in Jezebel said as soon as before this time tomorrow, he will be dead as well. And he ran he ran because of fear. Jezebel is manipulating. And so we see her her controlling, manipulating kind of, you know, behind the scenes of things that are happening. And we also know from Genesis, and I didn't have time, I just added this this morning, so it won't be up there. But Genesis after the fall, we see that the woman's desire was to rule over the man. And the man's part of the fall nature is to be passive. Boy, that's an interesting combo. I'm called to leave, but I want to be passive. She's called to follow, but she wants to leave. And that's why we believe in in complementarianism. That's what our church is. We the different sexes, only two genders, by the way, are meant to complement each other, not better than, not more superior, not machismo, compliment, compliment. But there can't be there can't be two heads, just one leadership. God, God allows a person to lead. Now I know some men aren't leading the women have to have to carry the slack. And and I know there's a whole bunch of different situations. A single single homes now are obviously continue increasing, where there's no man present and women do the best what they can with what God has given them. And God sees them and God helps them. But ideally, there is a there is a complimentary role that will bless the home even more. So again, I noted this before, it's a religious spirit, from being told what to do. So they want that. Well, let me explain this from a rebellious, I'm sorry, religion, it's a rebellious spirit. It's it's, how can I explain this? And it this is why it's difficult Jezebel spirit. It could be an unbeliever could be a false prophetess, it could be, but that same type of spiritual influence can work inside a believer. A rebellious spirit ever have one of those? You have a four year old you do? No, mine. But in the church, that rebellious spirit doesn't want doesn't like being told what to do. Hey, by the way, can we can we can we do this rebellious that that type and it has to be crushed, guys. It has to be crushed. A humble, submissive spirit is on is incredible. God can use it in powerful ways. Could it be the anointing your life could be much stronger if you were much more humble? Could the anointing of God be much stronger in your life if you were more humble and gracious? Again, preaching to myself. And this rebellious spirit also gets upset when it's denied. How do you handle the word? No. How does anyone handle the word? No. Right. I want to do this. I want that. No. Oh, or not right now. Let's just hold tight. And you can see this work sometimes. Hey, let's just hold tight. Let's pray about it. And then after a little while, the person's getting agitated. Well, how long we praying about it? Well, just we just talked last week. Hold on. And see agitation, rebellion, it's not it's not happening quick enough. And guys, sometimes we just have to bring the cancer out in order to remove it. These these types of things can happen in the best of us. And once it gets a root, it starts to grow. And that's why once the sermon is to pull it out, pull it out by the roots this morning. And again, there's a difference between a false prophetess and a bad influence. Here's the bombshell to this can happen to men. All the guys sitting here going out. Yep, Jezebel spirit. Yep. Tell those women off. This this type of just this type of religious spirit is a men as well, manipulating, controlling. Anyone, you know, those kind of people, power trips of manipulate things, though. And here's the thing what they'll say things that are kind of true. But they'll twist it in a way that manipulates the situation. And that because they want to control it. And many times and that's why you'll hear about, you know, people deliverance. Okay, and that's a whole nother topic I've talked before, I believe there are times where somebody needs some anointed time of prayer. And get this, this whatever's in you get it out. Get it out. This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting. There's a sometimes it takes some these strongholds need to come down one brick at a time. And what she likes to do is influence or even men they like to influence weak or soft leaders. And again, she calls herself a prophetess. I have a word for you. Anybody raised in Pentecostal charismatic churches, every week, I have a word for you. Oh, there you have a word for you today. I have a word for you. And some things I'm not mocking that because that's a it's a gift of the Holy Spirit. But I've also seen it where it's used to control. And instead of coming to exalt Christ, you come looking for that person. Instead of asking what are the prophets saying you should be saying what is Jesus Christ saying to you in his word. I've seen a lot of lives get detoured. And here's why it can be dangerous because somebody could be on they could be fasting and praying God just download something vital to somebody. And they give it they give it to them. They share it with them. The person is just Oh, I can't believe this is such good confirmation. God, you are so good. And then that person a couple weeks later, God put you in my heart and then they begin to control. Every week, every month, they begin to control that person. And that person then also begins to look for that person. For a new word. I have found it's not a biblical concept necessary. I mean, it is you could prove it with biblically. But often, those types of words come at pivotal seasons. God doesn't the normal course of action isn't to give you a word every month. Abram went 10 years on a word. I mean, there's Abraham, there's there's there's times where you got I need your help. And there's a pivotal shift. It's a turning and you need something and God gives it to you. And then it was so profound and powerful that now you need to hear. I need I need help on this other issue. And sometimes the person sometimes their heart is good. But if they if they, if they exalt self too much, and because you can take pride in your gifting, and then God will humble you. For example, you can be you can be on spot sometimes and giving people maybe something God's put on your heart what they call prophetic word and you're on point and but then but then you start to get prideful. And a good idea you think is a God idea. And you're no more waiting on God, you're just prompted because hey, you're God's woman. You're God's man. And I've seen this a lot. I've, I've known people that are dead on. And a year later, they're dead off. And that's why we don't live off these types of things. And if somebody says, you know, I've got a I've got something I want to share with you doesn't line up with Scripture. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Because God's going to confirm something with you as well with what they said. But that's what this this Jezebel spirit. I'm going to put up about seven things that I think are important. And I already discussed this. The Bible never calls her a Jezebel spirit. But that's what it is. It's a it's a it's a type of influence. I don't know in the spiritual realm how that works. You know, there's a God's God sent a distressing spirit. They said God sent a lying spirit. But is there a nicotine spirit? caffeine spirit? If there's a sugar spirit for sure. I mean, I've heard people cast out all those and Leviathan spirit and all kinds of Wow. And again, I mean, the Bible, it's all a lot of speculation. And there could be different types of demonic influences in person's life. For me personally, I think addiction stronghold is just one type of a demonic demon working in the lives of a person to try to take them out through addiction. I don't know if there's a you know, a Coors Light demon and a Bud Light and whiskey and it's just there's a demonic realm that will be released on on us and it comes in our thought life with temptation mainly. That's how the enemy works with temptation. He'll tempt you to take that first step and then begin to pull you back. So we believe we teach as a spiritual realm. We believe that Jesus said cast out demons take authority over the demonic realm. But we also want to keep a healthy balance because there should be a priority of preaching sound doctrine of prayer and of wisdom and of worship. And it's just the biblical model lays it out pretty specifically let letting the Holy Spirit guide us into things into things. And I'm gonna get to that in a minute to number two, a religious spirit see a lot of these things I already told you. This person lacks humility. Now it doesn't mean a humble person won't struggle with this from time to time. Because on this side of heaven, you're not perfect. Anybody that you know, you feel you're pretty humble, you know, I would agree with you, probably, you know, do you ever feel that that pride come up? Where does that come from? Number three, not open to the Holy Spirit's work. So this type of Jezebel, obviously, she would not be open to the Holy Spirit's work, this type of Jezebel influence in the church. Why? Because you have to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit. Your words have to come under His authority, and under God's Word and under the spiritual covering of the church, you're submitting, you're submitting Jezebel doesn't submit to anyone. She controls, she manipulates, she she tries to get in there and weave herself in there. And it is hard because sometimes people again, they just have, they just have good hearts, sometimes they're a little misled, or they've got ulterior motives, but it's not a Jezebel type situation. You know, so you don't want to just any call out that on every type of situation that happens. But there are things we have seen over the years, it is very clearly, clearly this type of spirit operating the church. And God will show you. God will show you if you're open and discerning. And that's why He said, you allow it. I've showed you and you keep allowing it. The church is only in trouble for what they allow and know and are doing. If it wasn't the case, Jesus would have said, hey, I know you don't know, but there's this lady Jezebel, and you need to handle it this week. Versus they're allowing it to happen. And again, manipulation and control. It's part of that spirit, ulterior motives, the spirit of self promotion. Number six is huge. This person is critical in order to control. They'll be critical of the church or the leadership or maybe somebody you follow on TV or I mean, radio or whatever or anything you're doing, a book you're reading, they're critical of it in order to control and to get your focus back on them. And then number seven, seductive with sexual sin. From Delilah to Jezebel, we see the seduction of sexual sin. From the transgenderism to the sexualization of children, and from lasciviousness to the Las Vegas lifestyle in Christians. This type of Jezebel spirit is a controlling manipulating, and they have not the fruit of the spirit. And so obviously, sexual sin is tied to that as well. It's all spiritual. And then Jesus goes on to say something very interesting. And I gave her time to what I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. A good reminder that God's patience is not his approval. So how did he give her time to repent? Maybe from sermons at the church, maybe from letters, the disciples wrote, maybe from one on one dialogue. We don't know, but God was using the grace of God was there, the mercy of God was there trying to get her to repent, but she would not repent. And so because of this, I have cast her into a sick bed. And those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. And those who have been there know that that adultery and sexual sin will take you down farther than you want to go. Right? Keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay. But still the call goes out unless they repent. Man, what a beautiful word. No wonder people don't like it. I don't you're not one of those repentance preachers. Are you? I hear that sometimes too. What's so wrong about that? Oh, man, I just want to hear about God's love. Well, God's love compels us to repent, to really experience and fill his love. The love of God consumes us and draws us to that word repentance. And so this is pretty interesting. I will cast her into a sick bed and I will kill her children. Whoa, I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your works. Now, most commentators and I would agree, of course, reading even the context, I don't think there's a little six year old and a four year old who are dying because of her choices. Children often we could do a lot of cross references are the fruit that is produced from her ministry. Her followers, those who know it's wrong, but yet they follow the false teacher. And often we think, you know, false teachers. Yeah, that's pretty bad, but they wouldn't have a platform if there wasn't listeners. If there wasn't followers, they wouldn't be false prophets. Can't be a false prophet if nobody's listening. So it goes back to individually what we what we need to do and get our hearts right and really seek God. And that's why a lot of these cults that you've seen over the years have come in the last hundred years. I mean, I'm not going to name them all, but just the different things that happen and you're like, how? That's where that phrase, drink the Kool-Aid comes from, right? How could they drink the Kool-Aid? But when we give ourselves over to a false teacher, we open ourselves up to that doctrine of demons. And then we begin to compromise. We begin to make choices that are not good and they're not godly. Yet because of pride, we have a form of godliness, but we deny the power thereof. And it's a seductive thing, seductive. And I won't go into details, but I know a lot of, let's say, like I mentioned, you know, the Hillsong churches and even there's been churches in our area, a lot of churches that are really not, they're just kind of, I mean, they've got cool worship and skinny jean pants and, you know, lights and shows and, you know, it's, wow, this is great. There's a lot of sexual morality going on in the church, a lot, even on the staff. I know a couple of pastors who stepped down over the years because of that, and the church is loosey-goosey. And see, that's what, that's the culture that it promotes. Now, all of us are, take heed lest you fall. Right? When I watched like that documentary, I don't, I don't, oh, how could he? Because it's in all of us. If you don't think it is, come talk to me afterwards. Sin is in all of us. That's why we need those guardrails, those boundaries, sound doctrine, prayer, fasting, accountability, and all those things that are so important. But you'll see sexual sin is often in compromising churches. You're seeing it now with this big split in a lot of denominations or with the LGBTQ agenda and the transgenderism, and you don't think there's sexual sin and promiscuity in those churches? It's rampant, and it's often tied together with this. Now, here's the big question, though. Next, I think we can put on the next one. Sickness, did you know that some sickness can be the result of sin? Now, as a pastor, and you want to be careful because, as I've said many times before, if that were always the case, we'd all be in trouble. We'd all be sick all the time. And so you can't say, well, if somebody's sick, you must have sin. Often that's not the case, actually. But there are times where God can use that to wake you up. And there's some scripture references that I have here we can put up. Well, let me read Elykots. I'm sorry, I don't know if I pronounced that right. One of the commentaries, he said, her children is to be understood as her followers. The so-called prophetess led the way in loose lists of morals under the pretense of some deeper knowledge. She had her associates and their disciples and all the evil things under her control. And tribulation and death is their penalty. And often as I was studying, thought of when I was out in Texas that David Koresh, remember him? As soon as he wants all these wives, okay, hello, red flag number one. I mean, you can see so many red flags. It's like started on week one. Like he's God's spokesperson. He's going to reveal some truth. Bye, I'm out of here. But see, they get sucked into these things. James 5, and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. The Lord will raise them up. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. So some maybe even in your heart, your life, if God's showing you something, maybe your sickness could be a result of the sin that you've been having in your life. And I could do a whole study on how like unforgiveness, how terrible it is for the body, the health of the body, the immune system, everything, the hormones it produces, or the lack of what it doesn't produce, and anger and how all these things can really, really affect the body. I mean, they associate anger and heart attacks decades ago, and unforgiveness. And so these things can result in sickness. Maybe it might be good to repent this morning if there is anything that God has put on your heart. And he said the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Like another translation, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Let somebody in the prayer team pray with you after the service. The effectual, effective, fervent, heartfelt, desirable prayer of a righteous person, a God who has the Holy Spirit within them, can accomplish a lot. And of course, James 5.20, whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death. Now, I don't think this is having to do with losing salvation or different things. The context is, a person is going in the wrong direction because of their sin, and God's going to judge them because of it. Somebody wakes them up and gets them back on the right track. They save that soul from death. I often think, often when this has to do with addiction, and ministering to those in that setting. Micah 6.13, so also, I will make you sick, striking you down, desolating you because of your sins. And many people might think, well, that's ruthless. How could God do that? I think of it as God disciplines those He loves. If a person's going in the wrong direction, maybe on the highway to hell, and this wakes them up. How many people are back into church because of cancer? Or a physical thing they just can't explain. I can't understand. I've got to get back to God. Or God will use the death of someone else to draw someone to. And it's just, I don't like it. I don't quite understand it. But it makes sense that God sometimes has to wake us up. Often He has to wake us up. Often you have to hear from your spouse, I'm leaving and never coming back unless you change your wicked ways. Because if you don't, you then become an enabler. Many broken homes are the result of enabling. I'm not going to say anything. I'm not going to do anything. And that's good to have that submissive type, Lord, I'm waiting on You, Spirit. But at some point, that's got to turn into the confrontational spouse that needs to slap that guy over the head with a sledgehammer and wake them up. Look what you're doing to the kids. Look what you're doing to the marriage. Or a church comes to someone, look at what you're doing to your family. Or look what you're doing to the body. You're causing division in the body. We've had to deal with this a few times, and it's just ugly. Ugly, ugly, ugly. It's really devastating to a church. And so He goes on to say, I'm going to close here, now to you I say, and to the rest in the church in Thyatira, here's what I say. As many as do not have this doctrine, in other words, He's praising people it appears that are walking closely with the Lord, and you have not known the depths of Satan. So this is a group that would be like many of you. You have not known the depths of Satan. It reminded me that sexual sin takes you to the depths. Even sin takes us to the depths. When we lull in that sin, and we enjoy it, and we go back to it, really the grip of it is strong. And Jesus said, I will put on you no other burden, but do this, but hold fast what you have until I come. So He rebukes a portion of the church. Do not allow this. Deal with it. And to you who have not been walking with Jezebel, here's all I ask you to do. I just ask you to persevere. There's praise for perseverance. They're praising them, and He's praising them in their perseverance, and that's why it's so important as a believer. Here's the key to spiritual victory, guys. Move forward despite setbacks. Move forward despite difficulties, and move forward despite discouragement. No matter what comes, you have to fight that good fight of faith and stay on that narrow road. That's how we get through life. How do you finish strong, Shane? You persevere. Yes, you may fall, but you get back up. And so I want to give you five powerful reminders. This will help you. From the Bible, I didn't have the whole verse, but David said, where can I go to flee from your presence? Where can I go? Nowhere. God is everywhere. He said, if I go to the other parts of the sea, even you are there. If I get the wings of an eagle and fly and go, even you are there. If I make my bed in hell, oh God, even you are there. And Paul reminds us, for our light affliction is but for a moment working for us a far greater eternal weight and glory. For the things that we see are temporal, but the things that we don't see are eternal, and that God is working in us. We are hard pressed on every side. Welcome to the club, but not crushed. You're perplexed, but not in despair. You're persecuted, but not forsaken. You're struck down, but you're not destroyed. Praise God. Nothing can separate us from God's love. Neither height, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come can ever separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Thank God. Thank God. And like Job said, though He slay me, yet why trust Him? This is just a good reminder you can learn Scripture anywhere. I learned all this 22 years ago, holding a stop sign for six weeks. Stop. Go. Stop. Go. In Palmdale. I can see there's no cars coming for miles. I just look. Just look. Just look. Okay. Go. Stop. Go. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Scriptures. You guys can do it. Make the time. Well, I'm a commuter. The commuting is the best time. You can listen to the whole Bible in a week, or at least the New Testament, and then repeat, repeat, or put. Now they have all of Psalms on YouTube. Just listen to the... I mean, you can saturate your mind in the Word of God. Then these things, this becomes your foundation. So as I'm going through the difficulties, that's the rock. That's the foundation. Though I slip and fall, God upholds me with His right hand. He pulls me up. Though the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, He may fall. And the Lord pulls him up by His right hand, signifying the side of strength and authority. And He goes on to say, He overcomes and keeps my works until the end. I will give Him the power over the nations. He will rule them with the rod of iron. They will be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessel. And I also have received from my Father, and I will give Him the morning star. I don't have time. Satan's referred to as the morning star. So is Jesus, maybe at some point. But the bottom line is, this is where we come up with that concept that believers will rule and reign with Christ. There's lots of verses, and I don't know quite how it will work, but I like it. I like to be on that side of the equation. He who overcomes. It's a good reminder for some of you. We work out. We work out our salvation. You don't work for your salvation. Oh, I hear this so much. I hear this so much. You don't work for it. People say, but Shane, I hope God sees my good works. He won't. And they get mad. But that's the truth. Oh, you know what? You did this over the last 20 years. That won't even come up in the conversation. You work out your salvation with fear and trembling. You don't work for it. And we have to repent of our pride and our arrogance in this area. And I have to, man, I hope it's okay to tell you this. What's the old saying? Better to ask for forgiveness and permission. Well, I won't go into a lot of detail. Pastor Abram was there, but we were at a wedding, and it was just very interesting. Anyway, we were holding communion, and they announced, if you don't want communion, like you're not a believer, right? Just come up and do this. Don't take the communion. And I've never, I've seen like a dozen people, and they're just, they're like smirking at me. But you can see that, like that prideful, arrogant smirk, just, I don't need this. God, it broke my heart. It's like, oh yeah, you do. You better, you better put this down and become this, because you're on a broad road to destruction. The pride and the arrogance. Genuine faith will persevere. I truly believe that genuine faith will persevere, even when you're knocked down. Even like the prodigal, when you're eating pigs, you will come home. 1 John 2.19. I'm going to read a commentary on it. These so-called believers used to be members of our church, but they did not stay. When they left us, it proved that they were not of us at all. Now, this is not about switching churches, okay? God allows people to switch churches. It happens more frequently than you think. This is about switching doctrine. In other words, they came, they said the right things, but they were not of us. They left, and they embraced false doctrine. And so, he's basically saying, because they did not stick with us, stick with the true doctrine, they were not of us to begin with. And then the verse I love to put up that Jesus keeps saying to us, this must be for someone. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church. In other words, God, it's not an audible voice. God is saying something, I believe, to each and every one of us in some way, shape, or form. Some of you need to be encouraged. Some of you need to get off that pity party. Some of you need to get rid of that critical spirit. Some of you need to come to genuine faith and repentance. The Spirit of God is teaching. He's teaching me too. And so, do not harden your heart when God is speaking to you. Basically, he who is willing to hear, let him hear. And the call of repentance is to the false prophet and to the rebellious. It's to the controlling person as well as the constant manipulator. That's what we're dealing with in this chapter. I just saw a clip I wanted to share with you. I'm not going to share the clip, but Alice Cooper. Anybody know who he is? I saw his clip, and he said, it wasn't until the fear of God woke me up. The fear of God woke me up. But it's the love of Christ that drops us to our knees. Man, you've got to have both of those, don't you? If it's just the fear of God, that's not healthy. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God is the beginning of understanding. But you have to, with fearing God, you also love and respect and cherish. Thank God for the love of Christ. Those are the two things you need to balance this morning. And I'll close with the statement that Jesus said earlier, I gave her time to repent. Nobody has an excuse. I gave her time to repent. Guys, how many more sermons will you hear like this before you repent? Maybe you have that Jezebel spirit. Maybe you operate in that religious spirit, that pride, that arrogance. Well, Pastor, how do I know? Do you always have to be right? Are you always critiquing? Are you open for constructive feedback? Are you a self-promoter, a pusher of positions? You're pushing yourself into certain positions. That has to be repented of. There's no other way to clean that out of the heart. Because if we don't repent, what do we do? We make excuses. Well, I'm just gifted. They don't see my gifting. I've had people tell me those exact words. They just don't appreciate my gifting. No, you don't even have a gifting either. The devil's lying to you. Get your heart right and then watch what God can do. Watch what God can do when the heart is right. He will elevate the humble, the broken and contrite heart. I will no way cast away. God will open doors that no man can shut. You'd be amazed at what God can do with humility, but it begins with repentance. So don't miss this opportunity this morning. From the unbelieving pride to a religious spirit, what needs to be repented of this morning? And that's what Jesus said, not me. Boy Shane, you talk about repentance a lot. Jesus did. Jesus actually began telling the disciples to go out and preach repentance. John the Baptist comes on the scene to preach. Peter in his first sermon said, there you go. I'm in good company. The majority of the prophets repent, repent, repent, repent. Oh, backsliding is you'll turn back to God and He will turn back to you. It's a beautiful word because it sets the captives free. It restores the marriage. It restores. It rebuilds. It's a beautiful word of brokenness. Oh God, thank you for repentance. Thank you for granting us repentance. Let's remain a praying church. My house shall be called the house of prayer. And remember what Jesus did for you. Remember what Jesus did. I just found this in the drawer this morning and it's reminded me of, you know, we hear He had a little nail, but it was like this. This is what went through and held Him on that cross. Guys, that, and He's just asking us to repent. That's it.