Controllers, controllers, controllers.......... I have come to the grand conclusion that the most dominant evil spirit roaming the earth today is the spirit of Jezebel!For those of you that don't know, the Jezebel spirit is the spirit that is fixated on always wanting to be in control, especially over things and people they have no business controlling.
It doesn't matter how this spirit is disguised, (Pastor, Dad, Boss, Wife, Husband, children, supervisor etc) its obvious traits are to manipulate, intimidate and eventually dominate people, environments and things.
What I have discovered to be even more alarming is that it would appear as if this spirit has its nest in most churches! Upon further inspection I have also discovered that if the leader of a church is controlling, then it is of no surprise that a great majority of the members portray controlling behavior also. Sometimes I sit in awe, the way I see some leaders handle, speak to and treat their members. In fact I am left wondering whether Jesus said to, feed the sheep or beat the sheep!
Why do these Pastors, leaders etc feel the need to control others? Aside from the controlling issues, if the Pastor/Leader feel as if you're not bowing to their command (Not the word of God) then the entire church is programmed to show their loyalty to the Pastor (not the word of God that speaks about loving thy neighbor) by turning against you..... Not to mentioned the silly petty statements that's hurled from pulpits such as "who isn't here isn't suppose to be here!" or "This is my church!"..... say what? Did not Jesus instruct leaders and followers of him to leave the ninety and nine sheep that were safe and go in search of the one lost sheep? Isn't it also Idolatry to place anything or anyone above God or his word inclusive of Pastors/Leaders etc?
Personally, I am literally sick of the choreograph performances and lies that I hear being spewed from pulpits, where these folks speak about unity and love and how we ought to love one another, turn around and hug 5 people and tell them you love them, or turn around and look your neighbor in the eye and say, "I got your back" (Yeah right!). However, you have zero relationship or communication with this same neighbor after you leave church. You don't care what they're going through, you don't follow up with them, you don't know if they're eating, you don't know what their spiritual walk is like, you probably don't even know their names. What is even more tragic, some churches would boast about how God moved in their church and X amount of folks came to know Christ, however, no one followed up with these recently converted people. in fact they're left as prey for the Devil and his cohorts. Then to top if off, you take the tithes and offerings of the faithful few only to bring in these "celebrity preachers", when you have just as Anointed preachers and teachers among you if not even better. This is a clear sign to that congregation that a) the leader does not have confidence or even trust his own followers and b) no one is holding that leader accountable for his negligent behavior of his members. In my personal opinion, I think it's a poor reflection of leadership when you can not find just one among your own who has been sitting under your ministry for years to do what you as the leader should have been mentoring them to do. In other word if you see those that you lead as failures then you leadership is a failure!
I was in a conversation sometime ago with a particular pastor, when this Pastor verbally attack me with such disdain anger and hostility as I was engaging in a conversation concerning spiritual warfare with others around us. He was so hostile that the non Christians that were there said to him, "Hey Rev cool down ya'll on the same side, right!". I was not surprise by the behavior displayed, because I am acutely aware of the internal competitiveness, lack of love and non-unity that they speak so eloquently of on Sunday mornings but find it so difficult to perform during the other six day of the week. I am further convinced that such behavior is evidence of internal insecurities, thus the uncanny desire to control everything and everyone. Therefore, you would frequently hear from such leaders/Pastors, "I am the Pastor here", "This is my church", "No one can tell me what to do in my church, I'm in charge", "This is my pulpit". Isn't it amazing how everything is followed by "my, my, my" until conveniently they need to raise funds for a bigger church or they want you to sow a seed into the "Kingdom", so it's now "Our church". Pastor Myles Munroe in one of his teachings on leadership said that leaders that display such behavior are "sick people". They mentor no one and keep everything for themselves. Instead of displaying love and unity like the Holy scriptures insist we ought to do, they in turn made the decision to treat "their" churches like some Nazi concentration camp whose sole purpose is to stamp out anything or anyone that remotely represents true love and unity or oppose their tyrant rule in anyway.
How is it that you can do all this so called love and unity song and dance in church but when you see your fellow church member on the streets you pretend as if you don't know them or you didn't see them? At the same time, when you do acknowledge them because there is no way of escaping their presence, your mouth is packed with lies, such as "My mind was just on them the other day", "The Lord had you in my spirit", "We have been praying for you", "I was just telling sister or brother so and so that we were coming to visit you to see how you were doing" etc".
My dear readers, please I really need your help with this one, how could the Lord place someone in your spirit, to the extent according to you, you're constantly praying for them but the "Holy Spirit" never once prompted you to go and look for that person and physically reach out to that person or see how they're doing? Again, the followers of such leaders will for the most part do what the leader does or instruct them to do and rarely what God commands in his word for them to do. Leaders, as a reminder scripture plainly says you are the Shepherd over the sheep and he that is greatest among you (which are the shepherds or sheep keepers) must be a servant to the sheep and not the other way around .........
Hypocrites, Hypocrites, hypocrites, true to scripture, " Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" 2 Timothy 3:5. Well friends, I can not say this enough and that is.. GET TO KNOW GOD FOR YOURSELF AND PLACE YOUR TRUST IN HIM ONLY, FOR THE ARMS OF FLESH WILL SURLY FAIL YOU, Jeremiah. 17:5. There are so many folks that have been turned off, hurt and disappointed by the hypocrisy of church folks. It is with great regret that I have to say this, but the people of the world extend more genuine love, concern and unity than most churches folks ever do, unless of course they need you to sow a love seed.
Sundays for the most part are considered to be the day of grand performances for most church folks, where most of them are "slain under the the so called power of God", but don't have sufficient power to be their brothers keeper........ WOW! Isn't it amazing how they will tell you the church is not the four walls but that the people are the church. However, they expect you to come to the four walls, instead of them (the people) being the church bring the church to you.
Now I understand when Jesus said the following, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" Matthew 7:22-23. Mighty God! Please usher in change and show us the light.
May God help us all!
Written by: Kevin L A Ewing
kevinewing@coralwave.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
