Narcissism — Nelson Schuman

Description

Nelson Schuman, founder of Restored To Freedom, presents narcissism as spiritual bondage sustained by soul wounds, unforgiveness and pride. He connects its spiritual roots with the activity of Jezebel and Leviathan. He refers to Revelation 2:18–23, Job 41 and the description of people who love themselves in 2 Timothy 3:1–9. He draws particular attention to the possibility of maintaining an appearance of godliness while harming others.

The mechanism he describes often begins with childhood experiences of rejection, humiliation, violence or exploitation. A person feels unprotected and powerless in relation to those on whom they depend. According to Schuman, wounds that remain unforgiven become a point of demonic influence on a person’s thoughts. Repeated reminders of the harm suffered sustain the conviction that others cannot be trusted and that one must protect oneself against further suffering.

Over time, a sense of safety becomes tied to controlling those around them. The person begins to demand that others act in accordance with their decisions. In Schuman’s teaching, demonic suggestions reinforce the belief that bringing people under one’s control will prevent further hurt. A person who was previously controlled begins to reproduce a similar way of treating others.

In this account, Jezebel is responsible for imposing one’s will through manipulation, guilt, intimidation and accusation. Opposition provokes anger, and a refusal to submit is portrayed as wrongdoing on the other person’s part. Conversations may be prolonged, interrupted and continued until the other person becomes exhausted and gives in. Words are sometimes deliberately ambiguous so that their meaning can later be denied and responsibility avoided.

An important element is the difference between public and private behaviour. To those around them, the person remains charming, helpful and religious, while belittling, blaming or intimidating those closest to them. Schuman also describes taking on the role of victim, gaining sympathy and accusing the other person of one’s own behaviour. Isolating that person from family and friends limits the possibility of exposing what is happening in the relationship.

Schuman associates Leviathan primarily with pride, a sense of superiority, self-justification and false humility. A person may appear humble while remaining inwardly convinced that they know better and do not need to change. As the basis for this connection, the author refers to the closing description of Leviathan in Job, where it is called king over the children of pride.

He also attributes to it the twisting of communication in the mind. A person may believe they heard words the other person did not say, or deny what they themselves said and did. The conversation becomes entangled in confusion over facts, intentions and responsibility. In this understanding, pride and distortion of the message make it difficult to acknowledge one’s own sin and receive correction.

Schuman includes both overt and covert expressions of this mechanism. He describes open demands for obedience, as well as control exercised through apparent innocence, appeals to compassion and a religious image. A person may seek recognition from the church community while failing to show the fruit of the Spirit towards those closest to them. In his teaching, participation in church life alone does not remove earlier wounds or spiritual bondage.

Dependence is also maintained through a struggle over whose account others will believe. Schuman describes getting one’s own version of events out first, presenting oneself as the injured party and portraying one’s partner as unstable or abusive. Public courtesy makes this image more credible. Meanwhile, the person being harmed remains despondent, confused and emotionally exhausted, making it even harder to communicate their own experience.

Schuman describes the other side of this dependence in terms of the activity of the spirit of Ahab. He connects it with fear of rejection, avoidance of confrontation and a need to please everyone. A person gives in to preserve the peace, takes responsibility for someone else’s anger and makes their sense of worth dependent on the other person’s acceptance. In this way, one person’s domination meets the other’s submission, and harmful behaviour continues to be tolerated.

According to Schuman, the path to deliverance begins with acknowledging the problem in one’s own behaviour and genuinely wanting to change. The person must stop justifying their pride and the harm they do to others. The author connects forgiving those who inflicted earlier wounds with removing the spiritual ground used by demons. Here he refers to Matthew 18:21–35.

He then points to repentance for pride and sins committed, and commanding the spirits of Jezebel and Leviathan to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. In his teaching, the healing of soul wounds and deliverance form a combined response to a mechanism that began with being harmed and then developed into controlling and harming others.

Schuman connects the outcome of transformation with the emergence of genuine fruit of the Spirit: love, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness and self-control. Change is to become visible in everyday relationships, especially towards those closest to the person. Bringing another person under one’s control gives way to the capacity for closeness, peaceful life together and treating them with love.

Sources

[1] Nelson Schuman, The Bible Actually Warns to Stay Away from Narcissists
https://www.restoredtofreedom.com/the-bible-actually-warns-to-stay-away-from-narcissists-2/

[2] Nelson Schuman, How to Know Who Is the Narcissist and Who Is the Empath in a Couple
https://www.restoredtofreedom.com/how-to-know-who-is-the-narcissist-and-who-is-the-empath-in-a-couple/

[3] Nelson Schuman, Signs a Person Has the Jezebel Spirit (Narcissist)
https://www.restoredtofreedom.com/signs-a-person-has-the-jezebel-spirit-narcissist/

[4] Nelson Schuman, Understanding How the Spirits of Jezebel, Ahab & Leviathan Affect People
https://www.restoredtofreedom.com/understanding-how-the-spirits-of-jezebel-ahab-leviathan-affect-people/

[5] Nelson Schuman, The Leviathan Spirit Causes Back & Neck Pain, Headaches, Insomnia, Confusion & Pride
https://www.restoredtofreedom.com/the-leviathan-spirit-causes-back-neck-pain-headaches-insomnia-confusion-pride/

Biblical references in the author’s teaching: Revelation 2:18–23; Job 41; 2 Timothy 3:1–9; Matthew 18:21–35.