Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson
Saints, the signs are right in front of us. No longer can we tip-toe around Rebekah and HOPE she gets delivered. If there’s one thing I learned about my Lord Jesus Christ, it is that we must confront sin. In Rebekah’s case, this is what was necessary to bring forth alignment. There are so many believers hiding behind prayer – KNOWING they are not going to pray or that they would rather this situation just go away. Prayer has become a catch phrase for many that simply means: “I ain’t getting involved in this right now.” The truth is, it’s going to TAKE PRAYER AND ACTION to set the stage for Rebekah’s freedom.
Remember this: Rebekah was an inside manipulator. Someone who was CLOSE to all the parties involved — often trusted. Rebekah KNEW exactly how to pit one person against the other WITH A SMILE & HER DEMURE NATURE.
Consider this: How many demons did Jesus face AND THEN GO pray about before he did anything? (Yes, I used the term demon. But you can also use evil spirit.) How many demons did His disciples come in contact with and waited to be led to act? This is a serious question that many saints must answer.
(Please do not misinterpret what the Lord is trying to convey here. There are times when you must PRAY for STRATEGY and wait until you receive instructions from the Lord. But we must have the wisdom to know the difference between doing this and then saying, “Come out! In Jesus Name!)
We must come to understand that when dealing with the Spirit of Rebekah operating inside a believer, IT IS NOT the believer that is being confronted but the SPIRIT ITSELF. This is basic spiritual warfare. If this is true, then why are some saints going home praying for people with demons instead of casting them out? Especially as it relates to REBEKAH who is usually an intimate relationship! (Now, many might object to this question; but it is truly a valid one. Not everyone is confident in the Lord’s power to deliver and set free – even if they say it with their lips.)
You see, in THIS PARTICULAR instance, Rebekah is not a stranger to this situation we find her in. She is SOMEONE close, right up under the nose of God’s people. She is someone’s armor bearer, spiritual parent, spiritual child, wife or mother. This is another characteristic that significantly differentiates Rebekah from Jezebel. In addition, Rebekah had something else in this position that JEZEBEL did not. You see, REBEKAH HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, DIRECT ACCESS & ABILITY TO INFLUENCE OTHERS.
Now, take a look at this in your own life or situation. Rebekah might be a person (male or female) that you know to be powerful in ministry or she could be someone lusting after or for power. You may have seen the Lord use them mightily. They are connected to or affiliated with some of the people in your own circle of influence, and may even come by recommendation. So don’t be decieved by these things. Rebekah is CUNNING and she slithers in.
Let’s take this to the WORD. Go with me to Genesis 24:42-50. Now, in this passage of scripture: “And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O LORD God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, 43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” 44 and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
Well, well, well … look at this. Abraham’s servant is out looking for a wife for Isaac. He’s not just looking for ANY WIFE, but an appointed wife. You see, Rebekah is indeed chosen of God — but is operating under a demonic veil of influence that has crept in. Abraham’s servant prays, asking the Lord to give him a sign when the “wife for Isaac, this appointed woman” shows up. Look at what happens next.
The scripture says: “But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also.”
Look at this with your spirit.
Now, REBEKAH was the CHOSEN WIFE of ISAAC BY GOD! A lot of stuff happened between that day and the time we meet Rebekah again as a MASTER MANIPULATOR. Life, as we all know, crept in the way and changed her. How many people do we know around who have been hurt — sometimes legitimately and other times perceived, and who have fallen on the wayside due to that wounding. While they seem healed, the strongholds of PARANOIA, SUSPICION and LACK OF TRUST has taken over their spirit. Instead of dealing with those things head-on and with help, they bury them — allowing the enemy to gain a foot hold on their mind. Pretty soon, their torment twists their own perceptions with the what “they believe” to be the mind of God.
What I want you to see here is that SATAN WILL USE SAINTS (EVEN THOSE CHOSEN BY GOD) to fulfill His demonic agenda against you. If you go on to read the story, you will learn that Rebekah didn’t come from a generation of witches and warlocks – per se – like Jezebel did. She didn’t have a heart of stone that was out to “get God.” YET, she was still deep in sin! So guess what people of God? This means that there must be a spirit operating in the heart of Rebekah that needed to be LOOSED FROM HER!
Yes, Rebekah is a master manipulator. But she is also a WOMAN BOUND who needs the healing touch of God. Even in the midst of Rebekah’s machinations, there must be a compassion within our hearts to cry out for her freedom.
Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
If Rebekah is tormenting you in this hour, then I encourage you to fall on your face and pray for her. Despite what some people may have told you, we are ALL CALLED to pray for our enemies! Not just the enemies we choose.
I encourage you to read about Rebekah’s life in its entirety. We can identify her – the skilled, MASTER manipulator – in many ways. The ways, I’ve listed below are actually revealed as you learn more about her life. In addition, there are other examples of manipulation in the scriptures that you can glean from, but for the purpose of this lesson here are four of the top IDENTIFIERS:
1. DUAL PERSONALITY: Genesis 24 describes Rebekah as a woman with a very sweet demeanor and a measure of innocence; Yet, just three chapters later (Genesis 27), we see her as a cunning serpent. We must begin to ask the Lord to SHOW US THE SPIRIT of people? Ask him to reveal their true motives. Many times, Rebekah has dual or multiple personalities – one way with you, another way at church, and even another way at home with family/spouse.
2. POWER STRUGGLE: There is a hidden almost underlining need for power and control. It isn’t often exerted forcefully; but when Rebekah is in the role as “manipulator” it comes forth – making demands, using guilt, condemnation, accusatoin or otherwise EMOTIONALLY pressings or oppressing people to bend to her will and her view point. Be careful, gift giving and offering to help, and other schemes and schisms can follow this quest for power. Rebekah wants to prove she is “helpful” as a facade to KILL YOU. Ask the Lord to reveal to you if there is a stronghold of competition in the air? Competition is always about power and control. She also seeks to INCITE competition. Is that not what she did with ESAU AND JACOB? And Isaac ended up looking like a deer caught in the headlights! Read about Rebekah from the time she met Abraham’s servant until we see her again manipulating Jacob. Your eyes will be opened.
3. AGGRESSION: This is VERY subtle, but DO WATCH OUT FOR IT. Many of us see aggression as something loud and gaudy. This isn’t always so. Rebekah operates in PASSIVE AGGRESSION — which in many ways is FAR WORSE than direct aggression. I’ve seen women aggressively badger their husbands about a particular issue or something they want him to do — and they will not relent until they get their way no matter HOW MUCH time passes. This badgering isn’t always outwardly negative, but can be manipulative and seem “sweet.” The goal here is to CONFUSE their victims, BRING FORTH GUILT, TIRE THEM OUT or WEAR THEM DOWN. (I found an excellent article on aggression on the web. Check it out.)
4. DRAWN TO THE WEAK OR THE NAÏVE: Skilled manipulators can identify weakness or innocence in people right away. They draw toward the weakest links one by one — chiseling away at them. Like scavengers, they drop hooks and nuggets… steadily reeling them into their trap. They will seek out and identify those vulnerable areas and prey on those areas by meeting or filling needs until that person, people or group becomes falsely obligated or aligned to them. Rebecca used her “mother-power” to negatively influence her son. The ultimate goal though is to gain that person’s TRUST. Why? So that the person being manipulated WOULD NEVER BELIEVE that they ol’ innocent Rebekah meant them any harm. Rebekah has mastered the “little old me” mentality.
There is also a subtle rebellion or contraryness in the midst of this. REALLY watch for these two. In my experiences as a minister, these are VERY DIFFICULT for Rebekkah to hide. The “portrayal of a demure or helful spirit” will rise up into a “rebellious one quickly” in scenarios where involving the central focus or target of her manipulation and those she is puppetting to propel her madness.
Rebekah is deeply tormented by the enemy. She may also be scarred from never being healed from a “legitimate” hurt — and covers this area, refusing to deal with it outside of isolation. Often, those walking in this spirit will have a string of ministers, ministries and relationships that have been left burned in her wake.
Rebekah always asserts herself as superior and with great understanding concerning how to “set-something-right.” The trick of the enemy here is a simple one: Instead of trusting God, Rebekah makes things happen on her own and OFTEN outside of the laws of love in the scripture — operating under a scavenger mindset.
There are some steps you can take to get Rebekah healed from this stronghold or to get this spirit out of your life.
Part II: Delivering Rebekah
