It can be in the culture. Some cultures are so hierarchical, and so strong in their way of doing things, that they actually have control spirits that run right through them - and you can tell that, because you can't say anything. You can't raise a voice. You can't share a differing opinion. You can't question, or ask something, because you will be abused and shut down - that is a controlling culture. Some cultures are like that; some families are very like that; and some churches are like that.
Churches that proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ can be totally filled with a Jezebel spirit, controlling everyone; and the emphasis is always on performance, and external appearance, but never on the heart. People can't talk about what's going on, because they feel that if I say it, then something bad will happen to me. That is a Jezebelic power at work!
This is serious stuff, and it is the enemy of the End-Time move of God. It's the enemy of the church. It's the enemy of the kingdom advancing. It was the enemy in Elijah's day, and it's our enemy. You've got to find out where it attacks you. You've got to find the location of your battle, because if you don't know where your battle is, and what the issue is over, then you won't stand up, and deal with your part in it, and fight.
Ahab tolerated it, and then went along with it; but interestingly, God held him fully accountable for everything that he did - or was done under his name. You can't escape accountability to God.
It's no coincidence that you build something strong, and great, as far as a family; but bitterness and bitter envy, and ambition, will lead to the spirit operating. Someone who has got bitterness in their heart will be looking for power and control. They go into the occult, spiritism, idolatry; and it directly opens the way for controlling spirits. You become afraid to do anything without consulting the spirits or going to the idol. If you've been in a culture like that, then the spirit is already on your life and your life is not free until you're delivered.
Rebellion, when we're hurt, and rejected, and we rebel - the Bible says that a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
1 Samuel 15:23 - “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…”.
When you rebel against God's order, that usually means that you're rebelling against someone you know - don't tell me what to do. It's kind of an arising, to dishonour people who are in authority, and react and rebel. Of course, if you look in the media, that's what's going on everywhere; but to be part of the kingdom, you must align with God's order. When you align with God's order, and own responsibility for your life, then God's blessing falls on you.
Another way that controlling spirits come into people's lives is through what I call Boundary Violations. Here's how it works... Let me put it this way… my skin is a boundary. Everything inside it belongs to me, and I'm responsible for it. A boundary defines what you're responsible for. I'm responsible for my stuff; you are responsible for your stuff.
I am not responsible to keep you happy - it's impossible for me to do that. If I try to keep you happy, then I'm under your control. I'm under the control of a spirit. I am not responsible for your happiness; you are. My responsibility is to live the life to follow the Lord; and if you don't like that, and get unhappy with that, well I'm sorry - that's too bad.
Boundary violations are when you take on someone's responsibility that isn't yours. That means you control them, or you're trying to control a dysfunctional relationship. For example, if a parent fails; let’s say, a mother or father is an alcoholic, and one of the children steps up, and takes on their responsibility - it all looks good, but it's driven by fear, and the desire to save myself. That person enters a great bondage, that affects them all their life. They're trying to control every relationship, to keep it safe.
There are boundary violations, and when someone has got a control spirit around them, they can never bring forth any leader under them. You can never produce a leader if you're a controller, because they'll be forced to please you, and they will bury their gift, and their identity, just in the order of getting peace.
It's so corrupt! The spirit is so corrupt, and so we must hate it, as God hates it. You know God hates it so much, that He gave you a free will, to decide your own destiny. He loves us so much, that He will give us a free will about our destiny. We've got to be able to give people free will, to make their own choices and be responsible. This boundary-blurring is a big issue - when I take over someone's responsibility that's not mine, then I start to move in witchcraft. When I start to prophesy over someone, in things outside the boundaries of prophecy, then I'm operating in witchcraft.