Joseph Herrin (12-30-2011)

II Kings 9:30
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.

I want to share somewhat further regarding yesterday’s post where I spoke of facing much resistance and oppression while trying to revise the book Sarah’s Children. I appreciate those saints who wrote words of encouragement, and those who are praying for me. A number of people have written with words of exhortation. It has become evident to me that I was not clear in making known what it is that is hindering my writing on this subject. In truth, I did not see the matter clearly myself until after further reflection today. I am confident that the prayers of the saints are accountable for this clarity.

Of all the topics I have taught upon, there has been none that has been met with greater resistance than the subject of godly womanhood. Back in 1999 the Father made it known to me that I was to follow Christ down an afflicted path. He directed me to leave my job as a computer manager at a local hospital and to begin a ministry of writing and teaching. He said I was to follow wherever He led, and to trust Him for the care and provision of my family.

As I mentioned in a recent post, this walk was difficult for my entire family. The way of the cross is not easy. My wife had many fears, and her struggles were exacerbated by ministers and their wives in the church we attended who were under the influence of a strong matriarchal spirit. The head minister invited each of the minister’s wives to attend pastoral meetings. At the time, such an occurrence was very rare. All of the women were very reserved, and spoke little, except for the head minister’s wife. She was very brazen, and would even get up in the men’s faces and tell them what they were doing wrong. This woman had very short hair, and dressed in men’s clothing, and had a very outspoken manner. This contrasts greatly with the pattern God has set before Godly women in the Bible.

I Peter 3:1-6
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

The ministers and their wives, knowing that my wife was struggling with following me down the path I was called to walk, being frightened by many fears, told us that it was wrong for me to make any decisions that affected my wife without her being in agreement. They said marriage was a democracy and all decisions were to be shared equally. This counsel came primarily from the head pastor and his wife. I was told that I could not follow where Christ was leading me apart from my wife’s agreement.

I shared with these ministers and their wives what the Bible teaches, that Christ is the head of man, and I had to follow Christ’s leading.

I Corinthians 11:3
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

If I was held captive to my wife’s will, then I had two heads. If Christ’s counsel conflicted with the will of my wife I would be forced to choose one over the other. In effect, to follow the counsel of these ministers and their wives I would have to place my wife in a higher position than Christ, for my wife would ultimately determine whether I could do what the Spirit was directing me to do.

I knew the counsel being given by these men and women was un-Biblical, and contrary to the governmental order of Yahweh.

Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

I Timothy 2:12-13
And I do not permit a woman to teach or to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence.

I spoke openly with the ministers about these things, but they would not be persuaded. They encouraged my wife to speak forth her opposition to me, and emboldened her to manifest resistance to my leadership in the home. Things eventually came to a head, and the ministers asked to meet with me one morning after church. The Father spoke to me and said I would be put out of the body by these ministers, and that I was not to resist it. It was His way of bringing me out of Babylon. That same week I had received a pre-release copy of a book by Charles Newbold titled The Harlot Church System.

The sub-heading of this book cover says, “Come out of her, My people.” This is a quotation from Revelation 18:4. The Father used this book, which arrived unannounced in my mailbox, to indicate to me what was coming. I would be put out of the church by my fellow ministers, but the Father would use this event to bring me out from Babylon.

That final meeting was very difficult. The ministers asked me if I would recant my position, and adopt theirs. I explained to them patiently that I could no in good conscience do so, and shared again the Scriptures with them. After I had spoken, for the next hour, the four ministers and the head pastor’s wife, excoriated me. At one point, the head pastor’s wife jumped up from her seat and stood right in front of me. She pointed her finger in my face and said, “You think your words are prophetic, but I tell you they are pathetic!” The ministers then all gave their judgment that they could not continue in ministry with me.

In the years since, I have had repeated run-ins with this matriarchal spirit. When I wrote the book Sarah’s Children in 2002 I had a great deal of hateful correspondence, and many dropped off of my mailing list. Even men wrote to tell me that I was wrong, offering various reproaches. No one, it seemed, wanted to confront this spirit, or teach the crucified life of the disciples of Christ.

The world walks in support of this spirit. It is especially prevalent in Western nations, and so-called Christian nations. I feel the oppression of this spirit whenever I teach on this subject. On two different occasions in 2010 as I traveled across the country, the Spirit revealed to me a domineering female spirit in the home. In one place I asked the host couple for permission to teach on the subject, and they permitted me. Two women who had previously been excited and eager about the things I taught were in attendance. They both were greatly offended, and have not had any communication with me since.

In another home, I was led to speak to the host couple privately regarding what I was perceiving in their home. I shared with the woman that she needed to relinquish the leadership of her family, and the husband needed to step up into that role. The man was very passive when I spoke with them, and the woman very vocal and extremely emotional. After a while I could see that no progress could be made, so I prayed with them. The woman was eager and excited when she contacted me to arrange the meetings in her home, but has not spoken with me since.

In the intervening years since 1999 I have encountered frequent and fervent resistance on this subject. My wife divorced me, being encouraged by a wealthy Christian woman from another church to not walk with me down an afflicted path of God’s choosing. I have been reproached in the courts, and put in jail twice over this same issue. I have found that everywhere, the message of Biblical womanhood is rejected, and the Jezebel spirit is supported both by the weight of societal opinion, by the laws of the state and nation, and by the practices of the churches.

When I have recently sat down to write on this subject, I have sensed the oppression from spiritual forces of wickedness. These forces have made known that the message is unwelcome, being rejected even by the majority in the churches, and the many things I have suffered at the hands of this spirit sit as a threatening menace seeking to influence my mind and drive me into silence.

The battle between this spirit and the ministers of God is shown forth in the history of Elijah’s encounter with Jezebel. This spirit is unusual in its power to intimidate even the most godly and courageous of Yahweh’s servants. Jezebel could hear of God’s miracle of sending fire from heaven, consuming the altar, the sacrifice, and the water; she could hear of the prophets of Baal and Asherah slain by the hundreds, and with absolute brazenness be un-cowed and speak reviling words and threats against God’s chosen minister. Elijah had never backed up before. He had never shrank from a fight. But before this spirit he was daunted. Responding to Jezebel’s threats, this great prophet’s arms hung down weakly, he had no will left to fight. He fled in discouragement to the wilderness and sat down under a tree to die.

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

The Jezebel spirit seeks to cast the righteous works of Yahweh’s servants into a dark light. It calls good evil, and evil good. This spirit is intractable. It will not submit, but seeks to make the spiritual man to submit to it. This spirit can shake even the most devoted servants of God. Jezebel waged war against the prophets of God, and slew many. Elijah knew this and was intimidated.

I Kings 18:4
Jezebel destroyed the prophets of Yahweh…

Yahweh appeared to His chosen prophet, Elijah, and sought to strengthen him. However, He did not ask Elijah to face this intimidating foe again. Instead, Elijah was instructed to anoint another man who would face this spirit and conquer it. This man was Jehu. Jehu was exceedingly bold, and he was zealous to perform the will of God. Jehu did not run from Jezebel, but sought her out. He found her in a high tower, which is a parable revealing the manner in which the Jezebel spirit seeks to elevate itself over others, rather than to submit, or to take a low and humble position of service. Yet, the very transgression of elevating herself became the instrument of her death. Jehu ordered any who were in the tower with her who were on his side to cast her down.

II Kings 9:32-33
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down.

Jezebel Cast Down

It is significant that it was eunuchs who cast Jezebel down. Those men who are attracted sexually to this spirit in a woman (or in the church) will not lift up a hand against it. Some men find a dominant feminine spirit to be seductive, even attractive, but it is repugnant to the Spirit of God for it is a spirit of pride and self-exaltation. Yahweh will cast down the proud, but He honors those of a humble and contrite spirit.

In writing this book there are spiritual forces I am coming up against. It has been difficult to make headway. The enemy would discourage with ignoble thoughts and suggestions. He says, “No one wants to hear this message anyway. Why trouble yourself? Why expose yourself again to enmity and reproach and even threats?” Some have written to me suggesting that my writing on this subject is not the will of God. I invite all who offer counsel to consider carefully whether they have apprehended the mind of Christ lest they be found to offer discouragement to Christ’s ministers when they should be praying for them to be strengthened.

Some time back I became aware that there is even a website called Jezebel that has posted a mocking and scathing article about me. They did this after I posted a prophetic word relating to the Gulf oil spill and the spirit of abortion in Houston and in the church.

http://jezebel.com/josephherrin

When Jezebel begins to attack the ministers of God, the result can unintentionally confirm that the man is on the right track. A man is known by his enemies, as well as his friends. If I must have enemies, let it be Jezebel, the enemy of all that is pleasing to the Father.

Revelation 2:20
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray…”

Yahshua would not have the church to even “tolerate” Jezebel. Many have gone much further than this. They have committed acts of adultery with her.

Revelation 2:22
“Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.”

It is my heart’s desire to speak forth truth, and not be daunted by any threat. Although the majority will never receive the words of truth, there is a small remnant who will. I ask once again of those who are willing to please pray for me as I set my face to complete this task. There are real adversaries, both in the natural and spiritual realms. I can sense the oppression, but God has given us a promise.

Isaiah 59:19
When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahweh will lift up a standard against him.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws  

 

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com  

 

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063