Domination and Matriarchal Spirits

This can be a form of witchcraft.. it does not matter whether we are an Anglican witch, a Pentecostal witch, a Presbyterian witch, or whatever. If we, as adults, seek to control our children in an unscriptural manner and dominate them, then we are subject to the spirit of witchcraft operating through us. I believe that this is important for all of us to be careful about, particularly those of us who are in some form of authority, whether we be employer, pastors, parent.

If we have a strong or dominating spirit then it can bind those under us, and as we go into error, so we will lead those who are subject to our authority. The opposite of this is put in a beautiful way in scripture:

"The elders who are among you Iexhort, Iwho am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the

Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

"God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble."

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." (I Peter 5:1-6)

Remember that Jesus, in one of His last actions on this earth, washed the feet of His disciples. We must always keep a humble spirit, and in this way prevent the spirit of deception from entering us.

WRONG EXAMPLE

On many occasions I have seen disaster strike churches where the pastor has taken absolute authority over his flock, believing that he is hearing from God. When members of his flock have spoken to him concerning certain reservations, they have been told they are in rebellion. Invariably, the pastor of that church has himself fallen from grace as he has entered into some deception or error and considerable division has occurred within that church.

MATRIARCHAL SPIRITS

I have frequently found in meetings that, when I have spoken about the spirit of domination and asked those who believe that they have been dominated by their mother to raise their hand, up to seventy five per cent of those present in the meeting have done so. This form of domination can work in many ways. It is especially subtle in parent-in-law relationships.

It is a leading cause of break-up of marriages, as well as causing many women to feel rejected and unable to cope with problems within their marriage. Similarly, men who have been subject to domination often have homosexual tendencies or are weak and unable to face up to their responsibilities in marriage. It is totally unscriptural for parents to dominate their children in such a way that, as they grow older, there is still a hold over those children.

It is very clear from scripture that we must obey those who rule over us and be submissive, for they watch over our souls as those who must give account, (Heb. 13:17). Nevertheless those in authority must be very careful that they, too, are in submission to the part of the body of Christ to whom they minister, in accordance with I Peter 5:5, quoted above, otherwise there is a great danger of deception entering.

As an evangelist, I always submit to the authority of those who call me to a particular situation. I find great blessing as I kneel down and ask those who have called me, whether they be pastors, layman, or both, to pray over me for God's blessing. As I humble myself in these circumstances, I find that the anointing of God invariably falls and healings and deliverance's follow.

PASTOR IN BONDAGE

On another occasion, a pastor came to me and stated that he had had forty years' experience in the ministry but that he had now lost all power in his ministry. He was a man of 63 years of age and told me that he had spent 25 years in the Salvation Army, then 15 years in a Pentecostal church which did not believe that Christians could have demons.

The Holy Spirit indicated to me that I should ask him about his mother, and I did so. The response was immediate. A snarling voice came out of the man stating that he hated his mother. I asked the age of the man's mother and he stated that she was 93 years old and he stated further that she had always dominated him.

I took him up to my hotel room and began to pray. After a short time he got down on his hands and knees and then the dominating spirit which had come from his mother began to manifest itself on him. He began to shake like a dog coming out of the water. We all know how a dog shakes the water off itself when it comes out of the tide, and in the same way this man had a violent shaking on the back of his neck where the demon was attached.

It had spoken to his mind over many years and was a demon of domination from his mother. As I counselled him to forgive his mother, to honour her and to pray afresh for her, the spirit came loose. He finally vomited across the floor as the spirit came out of him, and finally stood up completely free.

Subsequently that church changed its teaching which said that a Christian could not have a demon.

DOMINANT WIFE

When a marriage becomes unbalanced, for example when the wife becomes the dominating force, then various unscriptural results follow. We have already remarked on how the spirit of homosexuality can enter boys who are brought up in this type of home. God's order is clearly set out:

"But Iwant you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." (ICor. 11:3)

When this scriptural order is departed from then Satan has a legal right to enter and cause havoc in that situation. I have come across many cases where the spirit of domination is clearly manifested as the child of the spirit of jezebel. This takes the form of a controlling spirit over a pastor through his wife and it can affect the whole church.

It has been suggested that some women take a subtle form of control over their husbands through the use of their own body. As the marriage progresses they tend to exercise control over their husband's thought life and actions through a dominating spirit.

This is of course disastrous, particularly in the case of churches where the spirit of Jezebel can literally destroy the work of God by causing divisions and spiritual death. One outworking of this situation can often be promiscuous children of believing parents, including pastors.

This form of domination has been manifested in these latter days in some forms of unscriptural teaching which have required members of the body of Christ to submit themselves to others in such a way that their every action had to be approved by another person.

Where practised this has invariably led to dissension and division because it is clearly not from God. Those who complain, or those who take a stand against such forms of domination have been told that they are rebellious and out of order. Praise God, the body of Christ as a whole has discerned this error and we find this type of doctrine diminishing. However, it will occur again if we do not keep a balance in the Word of God at all times.

MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN

I have found from long experience that a prime cause of tension in marriage is a spirit of witchcraft. This can come down through the parents of either the husband or wife, or both. Until it is dealt with, the problem will remain.