Since I transitioned into ministry in 2015 I have seen many people in the church who believe incorrectly that to be a loving godly person that we should try to appease everyone and say yes to most everyone’s requests so as not to offend anyone (which often turn to demands if the person doesn’t get what they want). Many churches have unfortunately bowed down to the squeaky wheel individuals who make the biggest stink if they don’t get their way in order to try to keep them happy (especially if they are larger tithers). The people who create the most havoc and get angry when they don’t get their way are usually operating from unhealed soul wounds which allow demons to control their thoughts. The spirit of Jezebel speaks to people who have been hurt deeply in their pasts and tells them to position themselves into positions of authority within the church so they can control as many people as possible and come against the true Holy Spirit and hurt the hurting people more.
I have seen many churches where the people who are the most controlling and demanding are used to getting their way because of their bullying behavior and if you stand up to them you will face their wrath. They are not operating in the spirit of the Lord but rather the toxic spirit of Jezebel. A healthy and godly father has to say no at times when their child demands their selfish and ungodly way, even if they throw fits. For most people who are in leadership positions trying to do what the Lord wants – it puts them in an awkward position of being forced to say “no”, knowing that the person will often raise their voice, get mad and possibly lie about them to others in their church to turn against them. We see the same behavior in marriages when the person who struggles more with the Jezebel spirit will behave like a spoiled child if they don’t get their own way. They will often over talk their spouse which stops them from speaking the truth and wears them down in order to have their weaker spouse give in to their every demand in order to try to minimize the length of the argument.
Sometimes we must be like God and “just say no” and speak the truth no matter what the other person will say or do. It is not comfortable for most to have to stand up against someone who will make things messy, but we need to fear the Lord more than we do the man or woman. If we tolerate and excuse ungodly behavior just to avoid a confrontation that could last for days or weeks or longer, then we will be accountable to the Lord for tolerating sin. There are millions who behave with the spirit of Jezebel and they know that all they have to do to get a person to give into their demands is often throw a fit, get angry, limit their spouse in sexual intimacy or talk on and on wearing their victims down or lying about them.
We are not to tolerate people with the spirit of Jezebel to control us or others within the church. We must stand up to them and take them out of positions within the church where they are in charge of teaching people.
Revelation 2:18-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
We are not to just say yes to everything someone wants when it goes against God:
Hebrews 12:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
Proverbs 3:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
God says no to Jesus
Luke 22:42-44 New King James Version (NKJV)
42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
God says no because He knows the bigger picture and the perfect plan. God says no when he has a better plan than we do.
God says no to Paul
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Thorn in the Flesh
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The saying “a thorn in the flesh” or “a thorn in my eye” in the Bible times is like what we say today when we say “a pain in our rear.” A messenger of Satan would mean a person sent to come against what Paul was trying to accomplish. So often if you are trying to help get people converted to Christ or delivered and make an impact for the Kingdom of God – the enemy usually sends someone to buffet you (or come against what you are trying to do by lying about you or your ministry to thwart it).
God says no to Moses
Moses’ Error at Kadesh
20 Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
God says no to David
Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession
12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”
13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” 15 Then Nathan departed to his house.
The Death of David’s Son
And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”
And they said, “He is dead.”
20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
22 And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
So just like God, we have to sometimes just say no to people who will push you over and over to try and get their way that does not line up with the Lord. We must do what the Father instructs us to do even if people get angry, want to riot, threaten us, accuse us of atrocities, lie, and try to hurt our good reputation. The enemy knows how to threaten to get his way in people but it’s time for God’s true remnant to stand up to the enemy and do what is godly and right no matter what. A healthy fear of the Lord is much better than an unhealthy fear of man.
