FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

manipulate. But most often this spirit will work through feminine in- fluences with seduction, charm, compromise, manipulation and co- ercion. When these do not work, then pressure, deceit, false accusation, and spirits, including murder, may be implemented. We see this in the record of queen Jezebel and Naboth in 1 Kings chapter 21. Naboth was a righteous man and respected his Godly inheritance. Ahab the king wanted Naboth’s vineyard for convenience to himself. When Naboth refused to sell out of Godly principle Ahab threw a hissy fit. His wife, Jezebel, never to be intimidated by princi- ple, and certainly not Godly principles, said she would take care of it for him. In similar fashion to the administrators in Daniel 6 she hatched a plan to catch Naboth in a scheme. 1 Kings 21:9, 10: “ And she wrote letters in Ahab's name,sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9 She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You have blasphemed God and the king. Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die .” This evil plan was carried out and righteous Naboth was stoned as a blasphemer. This is not too different from the plan that the Pharisees hatched against Jesus, and in the end He too was murdered for the crime of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65, Mark 14:63, 64). This spirit will often succeed if it finds a willing partner, as Jezebel did with Ahab. Ahab did not seem to be an unreasonable man at times, but he was evil in his heart. He willingly allowed Jezebel to work through or with him, because he liked the benefits of evil he received. In this one example, Naboth was murdered. While Ahab did not hatch the plan, he was very happy to receive the rewards of iniquity (1 Kings 21:16). Ahab personally is an enabler and Jezebel will seek out such a person with whom to work. When the spirit working through a person finds a prophet or servant of God, unwilling to compromise, then witchcraft will be increased. Now witchcraft is not first and foremost spiritual, it is first a work of the flesh. Galatians 5:19 “ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, [witchcraft] hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish

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