The Truth About the “Spirit of Jezebel” : Why the Idea Is Not Biblical — and Why It Is Spiritually Dangerous

December 2nd, 2025
by John Holmes

The Truth About the “Spirit of Jezebel”
Why the Idea Is Not Biblical —
and Why It Is Spiritually Dangerous

Photo Source: Artificially Generated

Note: If you have any questions about this topic or any of Pastor John's blog articles, feel free to contact him directly at pastor.john@fbcmoriarty.org, or you may contact the church office at office@fbcmoriarty.org.

There are a lot of churchy phrases floating around today that sound spiritual but really aren’t— and one of the more troubling in recent years is the phrase “the spirit of Jezebel.” Entire pockets of the hyper-charismatic world have embraced this phrase—especially self-appointed ‘deliverance ministries’ that host conferences promising freedom from hidden demons and generational curses. Add to that the YouTube ‘spirit healers,’ the sensational ‘spiritual warfare’ paperback books sold in stores that are built more on imagination than Scripture, and various other activities—and you’ll find an entire ecosystem built around this idea of spirits attaching themselves to people—even believers.

Within those circles, women in particular are sometimes labeled as having ‘the spirit of Jezebel’—a vague, catch-all accusation used to suggest manipulation, control, seduction, or rebellion. But here’s the real question: Is a ‘spirit of Jezebel’ even a biblical category? The short answer is no, and treating it as if it were often creates more spiritual harm than clarity.

This article explains why it is not biblical and how it becomes spiritually dangerous.

Where Do People Get the Idea of a "Jezebel Spirit"?
The concept usually comes from one of three sources: the Old Testament Jezebel, the symbolic Jezebel in Revelation, and/or from modern charismatic teachings.

The Old Testament Jezebel (1–2 Kings)

What do we know about Jezebel? She was a Phoenician queen who:

Promoted Baal worship in Israel (1 Kings 18)
Murdered God’s prophets (1 Kings 18:4)
Manipulated King Ahab (1 Kings 21)
Used seduction, intimidation, and idolatry to corrupt Israel

Because she embodied manipulation, domination, and idolatry, some Christians wrongly take her behaviors and treat them as a “spirit” that supposedly operates today. Or, conversely, it is used to stereotype a person's behavior descriptively.

The Jezebel in Revelation 2:20– “that woman Jezebel.”

Jesus rebukes the church in Thyatira because they “tolerate that woman Jezebel.”
Most bible scholars agree that this is a symbolic nickname, not an actual resurrected Jezebel or a demon named Jezebel. It generally means:

A false teacher with manipulative influence
A seducer into idolatry and immorality
Someone who resembles Jezebel’s character

And some Christians incorrectly assume:

“A demon named Jezebel must be behind her.”

But the text says nothing like that. This is a symbolic nickname given to a false teacher in that church—not a literal demon or the resurrected queen of 1 Kings. John uses her name like we might use “a Judas” to describe a betrayer. The text never says this was a demonic spirit or a named demon operating in the church.

Modern Charismatic/Deliverance Teachings and Ministries (20th Century and Forward)

The idea of a specific “Jezebel spirit” is almost entirely a modern invention, popularized in certain charismatic/deliverance movements. These teachings created a category that Scripture does not have:

A demon named Jezebel
A demonic personality is behind certain sins
A spiritual diagnosis for manipulation or seduction

None of this appears in the New Testament.

Modern teachers (esp. 1980s–present) invented the term “Jezebel spirit” to label:

Manipulation
Control
Seduction
Rebellion
Divisiveness

Again, all of this became popular through so-called 'deliverance ministries,' not Scripture.

But First, What Is A Deliverance Ministry?

A deliverance ministry is a type of ministry—usually, but not always, found in hyper-charismatic circles—that focuses on casting out demons from people (including Christians) to “free” them from various problems, sins, or emotional struggles.

A deliverance ministry often (but not always) incorrectly teaches that:

Many (or most) personal problems are caused by demons
Christians can be demonized or “infested” by specific spirits
These spirits must be identified, named, and cast out through special prayers or rituals or gatherings/meetings
Deep-rooted sins, trauma, or habits are often blamed on “spirits” instead of the human heart
They often claim to cast out spirits such as:

“Spirit of Jezebel”
“Spirit of fear”
“Spirit of anger”
“Spirit of lust”
“Generational curses”
“Regional or territorial spirits”

These categories do not come from the Bible, but from:

modern charismatic tradition
spiritual warfare books
subjective experiences
folklore mixed with Scripture

What Deliverance Ministries Look Like in Practice
Deliverance ministries often include:

1. Public sessions or conferences

People line up to have demons cast out through:

shouting
commanding spirits
“breaking strongholds”
laying on of hands
dramatic reactions (crying, shaking, coughing, etc.)
One-on-one “deliverance appointments”

2. Leaders at times even claim to diagnose which demon is “oppressing” someone, often using:

questionnaires
intuition
visions
spiritual impressions
“words of knowledge”

3. Teachings that go beyond Scripture, and they often teach or imply:

Christians can be controlled by specific demons
Sins are caused by demonic forces rather than the flesh
Special techniques are needed for freedom
Pastors and normal Christians are not all equipped for this work

Biblically, all of these ideas are incorrect or, at least, misleading.

The New Testament never teaches Christians to cast demons out of other Christians. Deliverance in Scripture is for unbelievers under Satan’s control, not Holy Spirit-filled believers. The Bible says sin comes from the heart—not a demon.

“Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own desire.”

— James 1:14

The apostles never diagnose a “spirit of ____.” There is no:

spirit of Jezebel
spirit of addiction
spirit of depression
spirit of anger

The Gospel—not deliverance rituals—is the solution to sin and bondage.

Freedom comes from:

repentance
faith
walking in the Spirit
renewing the mind with Scripture

Not from shouting at demons.

Why Deliverance Ministries Can Be Spiritually Dangerous

Deliverance ministries may:

blame demons for personal sin, hindering personal repentance
create fear and superstition
misuse spiritual authority
promote unbiblical teachings
stigmatize women with labels like “Jezebel spirit”
keep people dependent on the “deliverance minister” or church practicing it
replace biblical counseling with theatrics
lead people away from Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-filled, Word-based discipleship

In other words, they often overestimate Satan and underestimate the power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit. Such practitioners usually claim that passages like Luke 10:17-20 give them the authority to cast out demons and perform such work in Jesus' name.

How do Most Evangelicals Interpret Luke 10:17–20?
The seventy-two, returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” -- Luke 10:17-20, CSB

Most mainstream evangelical scholars, pastors, and commentaries agree: Luke 10:17–20 is NOT a universal promise of exorcistic power to all Christians. Instead, it refers to a specific, time-bound, apostolic-era mission given to the seventy disciples Jesus sent out.

The standard evangelical interpretation of Luke 10:17-20:

A temporary, special empowerment for the seventy during Jesus’s earthly ministry.
Not repeated verbatim for all believers today.
The main lesson is not about demons, but about:

the authority of Jesus,
the priority of salvation (“rejoice that your names are written in heaven”),
and the coming defeat of Satan in Jesus’s ministry.

Representative evangelical voices:

ESV Study Bible — “This was a special authority given to the seventy for this mission.”
CSB Study Bible — “These instructions were specific to this particular evangelistic mission.”
R.C. Sproul — “This does not constitute a general mandate for all Christians to engage demons directly.”
The Gospel Coalition (which, I must admit does not always publish articles that I fully agree with) has various articles on spiritual warfare emphasizing prayer, Scripture, and gospel proclamation, not exorcistic techniques.
John MacArthur — “The authority given to the seventy is not normative for today. The Christian’s true joy comes from salvation, not power encounters.”

Why Luke 10:17–20 Does NOT Support Modern Deliverance Ministries

A. The context of the passage limits the promise to the seventy (Luke 10:1). The authority

of vv. 17–19 is given to them, not to all believers at all times. The text explicitly states:

“After this, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them…” (v.1 CSB)

B. Jesus explicitly redirects their focus AWAY from spiritual power. This is key: Jesus said, “Don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (v.20) A deliverance-ministry model that celebrates power to cast out demons runs directly against Jesus’s command.

C. The “snakes and scorpions” are symbolic, not literal deliverance practices.

Evangelicals widely recognize this as symbolic language for hostile spiritual forces, not techniques for demon-fighting. The point is God’s protection, not a demon-hunting strategy.

D. No NT command instructs the average Christian to seek out demons. In fact:

Believers are told to resist, not rebuke, the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8–9).
Only Jesus and His apostles cast out demons with authority.
There is no instruction in Acts or the Epistles for Christians to:

break generational curses,
identify territorial spirits,
perform deliverance sessions,
or dialogue with demons.

These are practices imported from Pentecostal tradition, not the Bible.

E. The NT pattern for spiritual warfare emphasizes ordinary means of grace. Not power

encounters, but:

the gospel (Rom 1:16)
the Word (Eph 6:17)
prayer (Eph 6:18)
holiness (James 4:7)
the church's discipline and teaching (2 Tim 2:24–26)

Deliverance-ministry teachings practically ignore these.

F. Even the apostles failed when they treated authority as a technique. Mark 9:29 teaches spiritual victory is tied to dependence on prayer, not formulas. Modern deliverance ministries often resemble the sons of Sceva—Jewish exorcists attempting to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits (and merely using techniques without divine authority, Acts 19:13–16).

Concise Refutation You Can Use in Conversation With People Concerning Luke 10

Statement to refute misuse of Luke 10:17-20 by those involved in 'deliverance.'

Claim: "Luke 10:19 gives all Christians authority to trample on demons, so we should practice deliverance."

Biblical counter-argument:

Luke 10:1 shows that the authority was given to the seventy, not all believers.
Jesus commands them not to focus on demon-subjection (v.20).
The NT never instructs believers to engage demons directly; instead, we are told to resist (James 4:7), stand firm (Eph 6:10–18), and proclaim Christ.
Jesus defeated Satan through the cross (Col 2:15), and believers are to overcome by the gospel, not techniques (Rev 12:11).
Unbiblical deliverance practices mirror Sceva (Acts 19:13–16), not the apostles.
Luke 10 is about Jesus’s authority and the joy of salvation, not a blueprint for modern exorcistic practices.

Okay, all that said, why specifically is the idea of a “Jezebel spirit” not biblical?

(1) The Bible names only a handful of demons(e.g., Legion). There is no demon named Jezebel, and there is no category of demons named after OT sinners.

There is no “spirit of Pharaoh.”
No “spirit of Goliath.”
No “spirit of Korah.”
And no “spirit of Jezebel.”

People sin because of their own hearts (Mark 7:20–23), not because of an “assigned Jezebel demon.”

(2) As stated above, the NT never teaches that Christians are to diagnose specific demons behind sins. Paul never says:

“The Corinthians struggle with a Jezebel spirit”
“Timothy, cast out the spirit of manipulation”
“Elders must discern which spirit is behind a person’s behavior.”

Instead, he says:

“Put to death what belongs to your earthly nature” (Col. 3:5, CSB).
“Do not give the devil an opportunity.” (Eph. 4:27).

Sin is fought by repentance and faith—not naming spirits.

For more on this, see the blog I wrote on this topic:

Can a Christian Be Possessed? The Truth About Oppression and Ownership

(3) Sinful patterns come from the flesh, not named spirits

Galatians 5 contrasts:

The flesh: manipulation, seduction, idolatry
The Spirit: love, kindness, self-control

The flesh—not Jezebel—is the problem.

When and why is the teaching dangerous or unbiblical?

(1) When sin is blamed on a demon instead of personal choice. That is, a person does not turn in repentance as the Bible describes. If someone says:

“She’s controlling because of a Jezebel spirit.”
“He’s manipulative because of the Jezebel demon.”

They shift responsibility away from the human heart.

Yet, Scripture clearly says:

“Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.”
-- James 1:14, CSB

And again:

"For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person. "

-- Mark 7:21–23, CSB

So, in essence, a “Jezebel spirit” becomes a scapegoat rather than a biblical explanation. Responsibility shifts from the sinner to the demonic influence acting upon the sinner.

(2) When it stigmatizes women

Many churches use “Jezebel spirit” to accuse:

Assertive women
Women who disagree
Women with leadership gifts
Women in conflict situations

This is not only unbiblical—it’s harmful.

(3) When it replaces pastoral counseling with blame

Instead of:

Wisdom
Discernment
Shepherding
Teaching
Confrontation

…someone simply says: “You have a Jezebel spirit.”

That is spiritually abusive instead of being biblical and lovingly corrective.

(4) When it borders on superstition

People start trying to “cast out” what the Bible calls:

The flesh
Pride
Desire
Idolatry
False teaching

This creates a mystical worldview instead of a biblical one.

So what do people usually mean when they say “Jezebel spirit”?

In practice, the phrase is used to describe:

A person who displays sinful traits resembling Jezebel:

Manipulation
Control
Seduction
Intimidation
Rebellion against authority
Leading others into compromise
Spiritual deceit

In other words: They mean personality patterns, not an actual demon.

But instead of saying:

“Manipulative behavior”
“Control issues”
“Sexually seductive behavior”
“Rebelliousness”
“Idolatrous influence”

…they use the sensational and unhelpful label “Jezebel spirit.”

A better, more biblical way to describe these behaviors:

Think in biblical categories:

(1) The flesh (Galatians 5:19–21)

Sinful patterns that come from our nature.

(2) Deception (2 Corinthians 11:3)

False teaching or misleading influence.

(3) Hardness of heart (Hebrews 3:12–13)

Persistent refusal to repent.

(4) False teaching/false prophets (Revelation 2:20)

People leading others astray.

These categories explain everything that people mean by “Jezebel spirit” without inventing a demon.

Are demons real? Yes (and that's another blog), but they do not possess someone who is a Holy Spirit-filled believer. For more on this, see the blog: Can a Christian Be Possessed? The Truth About Oppression and Ownership

Bottom Line: Sin is sin—there’s no demon named Jezebel.

Yes—sin is sin.

The Bible does not support:

A named demon called Jezebel
A deliverance ministry category called “Jezebel spirit”
The idea that specific sins must be cast out, not repented of
Using that label to shame women or avoid real counseling

What Scripture does teach:

People sin because of their hearts (Mark 7:21–23)
Satan tempts, but does not possess believers (1 John 5:18)
Manipulation, seduction, rebellion, etc., must be repented of
Revelation uses “Jezebel” symbolically to describe false teaching

So when someone says “Jezebel spirit,” the most charitable interpretation is:

“This person [of whom is being spoken about] is behaving in manipulative, seductive, or controlling ways similar to Jezebel in Scripture.”

But it is both better and more biblical to use the categories God uses in His Word:

the flesh, pride, deception, idolatry, and false teaching.

Colossians 1:13 explains that Jesus has already delivered His people. So, if we're 'delivered,' why do we keep on sinning?

Even though Christ has already delivered us from sin’s dominion, Scripture makes clear that He has not yet removed sin’s presence. Deliverance breaks slavery, not struggle. We are no longer controlled by sin, but we must still choose to walk in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is why the New Testament repeatedly calls believers to “put to death” the deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5) and to “work out” what God is working in us (Phil 2:12–13). Obedience is not earning salvation—it is responding to the freedom Christ has already purchased.

People keep sinning not because they need more deliverance sessions, but because sanctification is a lifelong process. Justification frees us from sin’s penalty, sanctification frees us increasingly from sin’s power, and glorification will one day free us from sin’s presence. Until that day, believers still battle the world, the flesh, and the devil, and God uses obedience as the Spirit-empowered means of growth. In other words, the Christian life is not a series of dramatic deliverances but a daily walk of repentance, discipline, and trust.

So when someone says, “If we’re delivered, why do I still struggle?” the biblical answer is simple: Jesus breaks the chains, but obedience is how we walk out of them. Deliverance is something Christ accomplished at the cross; holiness is something we pursue through Spirit-filled obedience. What we need is not repeated deliverance rituals, but deeper repentance, deeper submission, and deeper faith in the One who truly sets us free.

The Problem With This Faulty Thinking

Part of the problem with these deliverance ministries is that they build their entire model on a worldview that the Bible simply does not teach. Scripture does not tell Christians to hunt for hidden spirits behind every temptation, emotion, or conflict. Instead, the Bible consistently locates the root of our struggles not in roaming demons but in the human heart. Jesus said, ‘For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries… All these evil things come from within and defile a person’ (Mark 7:21–23). James echoes it: ‘Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire’ (James 1:14). Our core problem is not a demon of anger, lust, pride, or “Jezebel”—it is the sin that still dwells in our hearts.

Because of this, any ministry that claims to cast out specific demons for every human struggle is not operating from a biblical understanding of sin, sanctification, or spiritual warfare. It replaces repentance with rituals, exchanges heart transformation for theatrics, and ultimately distracts people from the real battle Scripture calls us to fight.

Moreover, here is the Good News that those ministries so often miss: Jesus has already delivered His people—fully, finally, and decisively. Scripture says that God ‘has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves’ (Col. 1:13). In Christ, we do not live in fear of hidden demons or lingering curses. We stand in the complete victory of a Savior who broke the power of darkness once and for all. So again, what we need is not repeated deliverance, but deeper obedience, repentance, and faith in the One who has already set us free.

"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -- John 3:3

Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?