Matriarchal spirit. The
matriarchal spirit is a counterfeit to Father-God. According to Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary/Thesaurus, a matriarch is "a female who rules or dominates a
family...the mother who is the head and ruler of her family and descendants."
Revelation 17:5-6 reveals that this "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT," is called,
"THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS." This mother in Revelation is a matriarchal spirit. She
is without a husband, has offspring, and rules over those offspring. Her offspring are
called harlots. She has many of them.
The matriarchal spirit is most noted by this: she takes over. She
dominates her house. She takes over the rule of everyone in her grasp. She takes over
decision-making. She takes over conversations. She answers for other people. She takes
over other people's lives. Those under her thumb are diminished, suffocated, and lose
their identity into her. She mothers; she smothers. This domination occurs everywhere--in
society, in the home, and particularly in the church. It is grossly out of divine
order wherever it happens, but is especially grievous to God when it takes place among the
household of God who build for themselves these Things we call church.
The matriarchal spirit usurps the role of the patriarch so she can make
the household her own. She gains control over her house by means of the Jezebel spirit.
Jezebel.
The Jezebel (harlot) spirit is a counterfeit to the
Son, Jesus. The Jezebel spirit uses any means possible to entangle us in her web of
bondage. She spins her witchcraft to accomplish this.
Witchcraft.
The spirit of witchcraft is a counterfeit to the
Holy Spirit. Witchcraft is, among many other things, seductive, enticing, deceptive,
pushy, fear-arousing, shaming, manipulative, controlling, guilt-provoking, and hurtful.
Given time, this unholy trinity will take dominion in every harlot church
system situation.
EMPOWERING THE MATRIARCHAL SPIRIT
These three manifestations work together as one. They have different
functions, but work to achieve the same ultimate goal--to give dominion of the household
over to the matriarchal spirit.
They counterfeit the functions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Just as the Holy Spirit's function is to glorify the Son, witchcraft's function is to help
Jezebel achieve her goals. Just as Jesus came to glorify the Father, Jezebel's function is
to ultimately empower/glorify the matriarchal spirit. Jezebel practices gendercide upon
men (the masculine) in order to eliminate the patriarchs, leaving the rule of the house in
the grip of the matriarchal spirit alone.
These three--the matriarch, Jezebel, and witchcraft--are so enmeshed
that when the Jezebel spirit comes of age, so to speak, it turns into the matriarch. This
happened to Bob and Sharon. Bob was called to serve the body of Christ full-time, but from
the first day of their marriage onward, this matriarchal-Jezebel-witchcraft spirit,
working through Sharon, opposed him on nearly every decision he tried to make. This spirit
tried to dictate his life and ministry for him. It could not allow him to take the lead in
their marriage though he was quite capable of doing so. As the years passed, it wore him
down spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. It became easier for him to give
into it just to keep the peace than to repeatedly stand against it. Its need to dominate
was the Jezebel in her. The way it came against him was the witchcraft in her. By the time
they reached their sixties, witchcraft had worn him down, Jezebel had cut him off, and the
matriarchal had taken him over. The Jezebel spirit within her transformed into the
matriarch.
What happened to Bob and Sharon portrays what often takes place in the church
system. For example: The pastor who wants domination over "his" sheep suppresses
their gifts and ministries that he might have the rule over them. He wants--that's
Jezebel; he suppresses--that witchcraft; he rules--that's the matriarch.
This unholy trinity is gender-non-specific. It operates through male or female to secure
its domination over its house. The true Patriarch over the ekklesia of God is Father-God.
Anytime His people submit to any other spiritual authority for headship, the matriarch
takes over whether the leadership is male or female.
The church system as a whole is structured for this
unrighteous domination of a few people over many people. Phil Perry says regarding the
harlot church system that "it will either make you domineering or keep you
weak." Witchcraft and Jezebel in these Things we call church scheme to
empower some people with ungodly authority and imprison others under that ungodly
authority.
THE WOMAN IN THE BASKET
The passage in Zechariah 5:5-11 concerning the "woman in the
basket" is a picture of this unholy trinity.
An angel showed Zechariah a basket (
ephah which is a dry
measure vessel), and Zechariah observed that the appearance of the basket went forth
throughout the whole earth.
The basket is like the church system which indeed has gone
forth throughout the whole earth.
The angel lifted a lid of lead off of the basket, allowing
Zechariah to see a woman in it. The angel identified the woman as "Wickedness."
This Wickedness is like the matriarchal spirit that seeks to rule the churches.
She is the personification of wickedness, the carnal mind, the abomination that makes the
holy place (us) desolate, standing where it ought not. Mark 13:14.
The angel cast a lid of lead upon the mouth of the basket to hide
her away. (Lead is heavy and is like the heaviness that is felt whenever the matriarchal
spirit is present.) The angel thereby shut her up for a period of time.
The matriarchal spirit in the churches has been hidden until
now, but will soon be revealed when she seats herself upon the throne in her own house.
Then Zechariah saw two women coming with the wind in their wings.
Their wings were like those of a stork.
The two women are like the Jezebel and witchcraft spirits that work in
concert with the matriarchal spirit.
These two women lifted up the basket with the woman, Wickedness, in
it and took it to Shinar which is Babylon.
Shinar is like the Babylonian captivity of the church; namely,
the harlot church system.
The two women took the basket to Shinar to build a house for
Wickedness. It will be her own house, and it will be established. Once it is established,
she will be put on her own pedestal (base, resting place, foundation). She will be the
head of it.
The Jezebel and witchcraft spirits took this woman to Shinar, the place
of the harlot church system, to build a house for her. Her house is a counterfeit
to the temple of the Holy Spirit--all true believers--over which Christ is the head. When
this house was prepared, Wickedness, the matriarchal spirit, would be set on her pedestal,
apparently to receive all things to herself that she might be all in all. This
counterfeits the destiny of Jesus who, when all things have been subjected to Him, shall
also be subjected to God that God may be all in all. 1 Cor. 15:28.
This plot by the unholy trinity is being carried out to fulfillment in
the harlot church system today: the Jezebel spirit is being transformed into the
matriarch.
DRONES OF WITCHCRAFT
These three main demonic strongholds sit like queen bees with a swarm
of drones to do their bidding. The angel in Revelation 18:2 "cried mightily with a
strong voice, saying, 'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird.'" The foul spirit and the unclean and
hateful bird speak of demons.
Paul wrote, "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and the doctrines
of devils." 1 Tim. 4:1. He later added that "the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned to fables." 2 Tim. 4:3-4. Demons whisper into our itching ears, and
we succumb to their deceits when we have not settled the issue of utter surrender to the
lordship of Jesus Christ. We still lust for Self and do not love the truth.
Remember, the Lord was talking to the assemblies of the called-out-ones
in Asia when He mentioned the doctrine of Balaam in Revelation 2:14, the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans in Revelation 2:15, and the doctrine of Jezebel in Revelation 2:24. These were
false teachings that threatened the simplicity and purity of the devotion of the saints to
Jesus.
These church demons are very real and work in concert with
each other to create havoc within the body of Christ. These unseen puppeteers manipulate
our strings to create deception, confusion, division, bigotry, and hatred.
Church
demons lie and deceive us to the point that we can
become bound to these Things we call church. Even though we know we are in
bondage to these spiritually dead Things, we and demons can come up with the most
elaborate justifications for staying in them. "But who will preach my funeral?"
"My children have friends here." "I was born, baptized, and married in
here." "Granddaddy helped to build this church."
THE NAMES OF DEMONS
"Abolish Sunday School!" And so I did. The decision to do so
was not easy, nor was it without consequences. It cost me my job in the small, rural church
where I had just begun to preach. I had no idea in the beginning that demons would be
unearthed in such a decision, but I soon found out. The Lord exposed a golden calf in the
hearts of some of the people. Through these three simple words, "abolish Sunday
School," the Lord exposed a few people who were joined to a tradition of men, who by
their own confessions and choices showed that they loved the institution of Sunday School
too much to "test the Spirit" in the matter.
In this process, God exposed numerous deeds of the flesh among the core
dissenters. Each deed of the flesh italicized below had a corresponding demonic spirit
that went with it. Demons are named according to their activities.
Their doctrines and governmental policies were restrictive,
disallowing the Holy Spirit to do a new thing among them. Any thought or action that did
not fit into the narrow corridor of their church polity was rejected. Anyone who
dared to test those boundaries was thought to be an adversary to the faith. Thus, demons
of restriction were present.
They were possessive in their attempt to own the property, the
pulpit, the program, and the people. Thus, demons of possessiveness were present.
Their possessiveness made them manipulative and controlling
which was the practice of witchcraft. Demons of manipulation, control, and
witchcraft were present.
Two of the elders were deceptive when they went in stealth without my
knowledge to the higher authorities in an attempt to oust me. Demons of deception were
present.
They were rebellious against hearing a word of the Lord. They
did not pretend to be speaking for the Lord, but were standing on their tradition.
Consequently, they were stubborn, stiff-necked, and unyielding.
Change was not an option. Their stubbornness was prideful and arrogant.
Stiff-necked demons and demons of rebellion, pride, and arrogance were present.
They were idolatrous in that they loved their church
and tradition more than their willingness to trust and obey the Holy Spirit. Their
identities were wrapped up in their church. Demons of idolatry were present.
They were legalistic, political, clannish, unforgiving, suspicious,
jealous, impudent, slanderous, petty, spiteful, and contentious. All of
those demons were present as well.
If we are sectarian, there will be spirits of sectarianism; if
we are divisive, there will be spirits of division; if we are legalistic, there
will be spirits of legalism; if we are religious, there will be spirits of religion;
if we are seductive, there will spirits of seduction; if we are jealous, there
will be spirits of jealousy; if we are unforgiving, there will be spirits of unforgiveness;
if we are hateful, there will be spirits of hate; if we lust, there will be
spirits of lust; if we are power hungry, there will be spirits of intimidation
and domination; if we have malice and murder in our hearts, there will be spirits
of malice and murder.
Murder!? A murderous spirit in the church!? It can be in the
heart. Pastor Henry had lost favor with many of his parishioners. They called for a vote
to fire him and he won by a narrow margin. To the surprise of his congregation the
following Sunday, he confessed from the pulpit that he would have killed everyone who
voted against him had he a gun. The Catholic Inquisition in the 1500's is one among many
historical examples of how horrifying this spirit of murder can be in the name of
"Christianity." Church officials held secret trials and turned condemned
heretics over to secular governments to be burned. Jesus was tried, convicted, and
executed by the murderous religious leaders of His day. (They killed Him only because He
willingly laid down His life.) If we are seeking something for Self, we will despise those
who threaten us. Some would kill if they could.
The demons in the churches are many and vicious. Many churches
have become more of the battlefield for injury than a triage center for healing.
DEMONS AND PEOPLE
Demons can only work through willing people. Evil spirits have legal
access to those who commit sin. The practice of control and manipulation is sin and opens
the door to spirits of witchcraft.
Those who rule within these Things we call church may be few
in number, perhaps only one. It may be the pastor, but not necessarily. In most
denominations, pastors move around from church to church, limiting their
ability to get much of a stronghold over their congregations. Those pastors who gain such
a stronghold in their church are generally those who stay there a lifetime or
those who actually chartered a church in their own name.
Quite often, those in control are "lay" persons who not only
rule the church, but control the pastors as well. They may be male or female. The
matriarchal influence may be in Miss Neesie whose ancestors founded the church,
and nothing is ever done there without her approval. The Jezebel influence may be in
Jennifer who seduced Pastor John into having an affair with her, or it may be in Pastor
John who seduced Jennifer into having an affair with him. The witchcraft influence may be
in deacon Will who controls the purse strings, or it may be in self-appointed prophetess
Charlotte who manipulates people's lives through false prophecies. Many times rulers in
the churches are those who have money and position in the community and thereby
intimidate others who unduly revere them.
One pastor friend of mine told me years ago that when he went to a new church
situation, his first task was to discover who the "chief" was in order to find a
way to work with him or her.
WITCHCRAFT AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
One way to discern this counterfeit spirit of witchcraft is to see it
in contrast to the nature and work of the Holy Spirit.
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Witchcraft is characterized by deceit; the Holy Spirit is characterized
by honesty, truthfulness, and straightforwardness. God is Truth.
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Witchcraft is ambitious; therefore, it is impatient and pushy. It has
its own agenda and is not content to wait upon the Lord. The whole idea of waiting is
threatening to the practice of witchcraft. If we cannot wait on God to bring a thing
about, we are wanting something God has not ordained. If God ordained it, we should be
able to wait for Him to bring it about in His timing. His timing is perfect. The nature of
the Holy Spirit in us is to rest, wait, listen, and then act only when it is time to act.
The Holy Sprit is patient, gentle, kind, and long-suffering.
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Witchcraft deals in fear, anxiety, and restlessness. The Holy Spirit
offers trust, faith, confidence, and rest in God.
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Witchcraft creates an atmosphere that is negative and destructive. The
Holy Spirit creates an atmosphere that is positive and uplifting.
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Witchcraft bears the fruit of strife, poverty, and death. The Holy
Spirit bears the fruit of peace, blessing, and life.
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Witchcraft is characterized by one's attempt to control people and
circumstances by speaking curses. The Holy Spirit calls forth that which is good by
speaking blessings. With the tongue we can bless God or curse men. James 3:9.
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Witchcraft is intrusive. The Holy Spirit is gentle.
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Witchcraft is wicked. The Holy Spirit is righteous.
THE ROYAL LAW OF LIBERTY
James 1:25 refers to the perfect law of liberty. We have to let people
be free. We have to let them be free to be who they are and where they are at any given
point and time in their lives.
Any act of control that creates bondage for another person is the
subtle practice of witchcraft. Jesus Christ is Truth. He is the way, the truth, and the
life. John 14:6. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:32. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor. 3:17.
"It was for freedom, Christ set us free." Gal. 5:1.
The flesh nature of man is naturally prone to manipulation and control
which is the practice of witchcraft. Therefore, it is under the influence of the demons of
witchcraft. When witchcraft is present, the Jezebel demon is present. When the Jezebel
demon is present, the Ahab (Nicolaitan) demon is present. When these demons are in
operation within the carnal church, we have what Jesus called in Revelation
"the deep things of Satan."