The greatest deception in the modern church is the matter of using God's Word to put a badge of approval on covetousness. On the surface, the Jezebel doctrine works (see 1 Kings 21:14-16). It got Ahab what he wanted. He possessed his rights because when a man was stoned for high treason against the king, all his possessions reverted to the king.
Naboth the Jezreelite had told Ahab that he would not give him the inheritance of his fathers because the Lord forbade him to do so.
"And [Ahab] laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?... Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vinyard of Naboth the Jezreelite" (1 Kings 21:4-7).
Listen to the doctrine of Jezebel: "You are king, number one, and you have rights. Let nothing stop you from getting what you want." She said to Ahab, "Be happy! I'll get it for you." That is the false gospel in a nutshell. "Don't sweat it. Don't feel sad or condemned by those desires that eat you up. I'll get it for you." Like the deceptive methods Jezebel used, these doctrines twist and misuse Scripture.
But Ahab could not enjoy what he received because of a pesky prophet of God. "And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab . . . in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? . . . In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood. . . . And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord" (1 Kings 21:17-20).
Imagine Ahab walking about his new possession, saying, "Isn't life sweet? Ah, Jezebel. I may not agree with all her methods, but she certainly gets it done." But dogging his every footstep was the prophet Elijah.
So it is today. God has sent prophets, crying aloud, confronting the Jezebel doctrine of materialism, making it uncomfortable for Christians to enjoy their playthings and acquisitions. They have sold out. They cannot see it, but sin is behind all this. Every time I cry out against the prosperity doctrine, I sense the spirit and power of Elijah upon me. You are going to hear more and more exposing of this Jezebel doctrine. Everywhere, prophetic voices will be heard loud and clear, crying out, "Sin! You possessed by selling out to sin."
