Danger in the Local Church
Part 4 
by Dr. John Tetsola

In the previous months, we mentioned that the betrayal & disloyal spirit was the number one cause of division and splits in the local church. This spirit doesn't begin overnight, but is a process. We mentioned that in the Old Testament, Absalom was a person; in the New Testament he's a spirit. Two characteristics of this Absalom spirit, this spirit of disloyalty and betrayal were mentioned, the first being Unresolved Offenses, and the second, The Despising of Authority. Now let's look at another characteristic or identifiable pattern of this spirit that has the potential to split the local church.

Spiritually Appealing

But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.
2 Samuel 14: 25-26

Another characteristic of those with this spirit is that they are usually spiritually attractive. An Absalom spirit is spiritually attractive. This spirit loves to attach itself to those who are up and comers in a church, who have gifting and potential, and who are spiritually attractive. It attaches itself to people who are spiritually appealing. Maybe you have a very strong gift of the word or knowledge, or of revelation; no matter what it is, the gifting makes you attractive and gives you influence. It is that attractiveness that draws this spirit to you.

Absalom had long hair and was very handsome. The hair speaks of power and the anointing. People with a betrayal and disloyal spirit are people that are visible and have attractive gifts. It does not necessarily mean you are attractive physically, but that you are attractive because you have wonderful gifts that make you appealing. That gives you visibility, and the visibility in turn gives you some measure of authority, and the enemy can use you.

God speaks of the length and thickness of Samson's hair as a sign of his anointing. In the case of Absalom, we see this charismatic figure, and this spirit was attracted to him. Most people out front in a church, who get the most exposure with gifting, are always the first target of these spirits - a gifted vocalist, a gifted soloist, a gifted prophet, a gifted preacher or teacher. These are the kinds of qualities in people that this spirit looks for.

The betrayal and disloyal spirit is a unique spirit of Lucifer. Lucifer was the leader of the heavenly choir. His name means "shining one." There was no one in heaven as beautiful as he. Of all the created beings and angels, Lucifer was the most attractive. The spirit of disloyalty and betrayal broke out first on the worship team. The people who are up front, who are the most attractive and visible, are going to be the ones who are the targets. In the end, however, Absalom was hung by his own beauty and anointing, and his end was a disgrace. The church must understand this, for that which you are anointed with and by has the potential to be destructive to you when abused and mismanaged. It's called being destroyed by the anointing!

Next month we'll look at two additional characteristics or identifiable patterns of this spirit.

by Dr. John A. Tetsola