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WEEK TWENTY—FOUR: Friday, May 5—Thursday, May 11, 2006

I. REPENTANCE FOR SIN IN THE CHURCH: JEALOUSY

[The spirit of Jezebel witchcraft: Part One]

Introduction: The Holy Spirit cannot move in some churches because of the witchcraft controlling spirits blocking Him from doing so. This is a Jezebel spirit and consists of jealousy, lying, possessiveness, control and power which stems from insecurity.

I’ve seen time and time again how many other types of sins come into a church where there is leadership with jealous and controlling spirits. When will we wake up from this onslaught of the enemy?

Here is what Scripture states about the spirit of jealousy:

“For where there is jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every other kind of evil.” (James 3:16)

(Source: Riding with the King in Unity, by Giles F. Mack, P.O. Box 1761, Branson, MO 65615, pp. 88,89.)

“Father God, we come before You know, and we ask You to search our hearts, to see if there be any wicked way in us. Help us to quickly note when the spirit of jealousy begins to entrap itself around our hearts, and to quickly come unto You, in repentance, for healing, cleansing, and renewal.”

“We ask, Lord, for those who grieve or wound us—we ask the same prayer our Lord Jesus spoke on the Cross when he was in the agony of crucifixion. We ask YOU to forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“Thank You for the work You are doing in each of our lives, molding us into Your image, for the advancement of Your Kingdom. Thank You for crucifying our own flesh, that we might be free to worship you in SPIRIT and in TRUTH.”

“We ask all this in Jesus’ precious name, amen.”

II. REPENTANCE FOR THE SINS OF THE NATION: THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT (Part Three)

Two weeks ago, we examined the roots of the modern feminist movement, which was borne out of the oppression of American women in our early history. This week we will continue to examine “where we are now”—the evolution of the feminist movement and its agenda today on the American scene.

The following article is excerpted from Feminism, Family, and the Bible: A Biblical Assessment of Feminism's Impact on American Families, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Ph.D., published in The Religion and Society Report, Online Edition, Vol. 23, No. 1, Januray/February 2006.

The Feminist Assault on the Family

For the first time in its history, Western civilization is confronted with the need to define the meaning of the terms "marriage" and "family." What until now has been considered a "normal" family, made up of a father, a mother, and a number of children, has in recent years increasingly begun to be viewed as one among several options, which can no longer claim to be the only or even superior form of ordering human relationships. The Judeo-Christian view of marriage and the family with its roots in the Hebrew Scriptures has to a significant extent been replaced with a set of values that prizes human rights, self-fulfillment, and pragmatic utility on an individual or societal level. It can rightly be said that marriage and the family are institutions under siege in our world today and that, with marriage and the family, our very civilization is in crisis.

Feminist ideology has significantly contributed to this burgeoning crisis. Intrinsic to feminism, with its emphasis on women's rights and self-realization, is the effort to liberate women from what it perceives to be a male-dominated society. Radical feminist ideology, in particular, contends that the traditional and biblical concepts of gender roles and family relations are part of a patriarchal social construct that is designed to control and oppress women. According to radical feminists, the Bible's teaching on gender roles serves only to perpetuate "established patterns of power." Thus feminism, in order to achieve equality between the sexes, urges a radical reappraisal and redefinition of what it means to be a man or a woman and what constitutes a family.

Are humans and society the authorities that govern all of life, behavior, and morality? If so, a change in the spirit of the age would indeed warrant a change in social institutions such as marriage and the family. In this case, attempts at redefining sex, marriage, and family are part of human evolution. The Bible, however, stands in radical opposition to such a notion. According to the Scriptures, God—not humans or society—is the ultimate authority, because he is both the Creator and Sovereign Lord of the universe. He alone determines what is right and wrong, true or false, moral or immoral. God is also the Creator and Lord of the family. He established marriage as a covenantal bond between one man and one woman intended to last a lifetime. He, in his ultimate wisdom, ordained the relationship between man and woman as two distinct sexes who are equal in status, worth, and dignity, but who function according to specific, distinct roles.

As women struggle to define their role and identity in American society, it is imperative that they look to the Bible as their guide rather than to feminism. Feminists desire the complete liberation of women from any perceived gender bias based on antiquated models shaped by men. To be sure, no woman should be discriminated against on the basis of her sex, yet, in the end, if feminism has its way, women may wake up to find themselves enslaved to societal pressure, professional ambitions, and broken homes. The Bible alone, rightly interpreted and put into practice, offers true liberty to women who desire to live up to their God-designed potential. God's word provides the perfect template for true liberty and equality for men and women alike. American men and women must decide on what foundation they will build their homes. Should they choose the feminist approach that rejects biblical authority and demands that individual rights reign supreme? Or should they choose the biblical foundation, assigning to men and women complementary roles through which both genders are able to work together in mutual love and respect?

“Father God, we look to You, the Author and the Finisher of our faith, to lead us in Your paths of righteousness in this generation for Your Name’s sake. We ask You to forgive us from following the ancient paths, where there was once wisdom, as we each fulfill our roles as men and women in today’s world. Help us to restore what the locust has eaten in our sense of identity, and to build our lives on the firm foundation of the teachings of our faith. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

III. THE BLESSING OF ISRAEL: SECURITY

The two main areas of attack on Israel today are military—from Iran nuclear program and other Arab nations such as Syria, to the small terror organizations they back—and the war against Israel in media and world opinion in accusation of Israel as an immoral, unjust force that is endangering world peace.

God's answer is found in Isaiah 54:17

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."

Pray for:

• God's protection over Israel regarding the Iranian nuclear threat.
• Protection and thwarting of all terror activities which have increased manifold since Hamas has come into power in the Palestinian areas.
• The condemnation of every tongue that rises in judgment against Israel.
• For the new defense minister, Peretz, and the new Prime minister to take a strong proactive non-appeasing stand in dealing with Israel's security issues.

(Source: Intercessors for Israel)

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