First, we have to understand the tactics of the enemy in order to deal with spirit of rejection. We cannot fully reach out to others unless we are delivered from this spirit. The devil doesn’t want for you to reach out and help others.
The spirit of rejection has to be completely rooted out of us, if we are to root the rejection out of others and help them in these final hours before the Lord comes. The Lord is appearing in the splendor of His glory. He is going to manifest, but first He needs us to make a difference; He needs for us to make an impact; He needs us to demonstrate His love to the lost and dying world. How can we demonstrate the love of God when we are filled with rejection?
The three major areas that the enemy (satan) uses to attack us using the demonic spirit of rejection
- He often speaks lies into our minds
Why is it that we so readily give heed to the voice of rejection whispering in our ear? That voice says, “I don’t belong here, nobody listens to or cares about me, I have nothing to offer.” The devil first targets us to cause us to buy that lie. He always deceives us into thinking those negative thoughts are coming from us rather than from him, and that is why he is called the father of lies in John 8:44.
- He likes to remind us of our past failures
The seeds of rejection sown into our lives through experiences of being abused while we were small, disregarded, abandoned or betrayed are fueled by the devil and can lead to self-rejection. When we feel rejected this way, we become our own worst enemy. Henri Nouwen writes, “Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that declares we are loved.” The New Testament declares again and again that we were chosen, predestined, adopted as God’s children and included in Christ based NOT on our own merit.
Ephesians 1:11-13; “All are free gifts bestowed upon us because of His great love for us.” I like what 1 Peter 2:9 says, in the Amplified Bible “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”.
Throughout the New Testament, we find out that the heart of the message of the Gospel is the very opposite of rejection. It is the promise of acceptance by our heavenly Father in the unconditional love of His son Jesus Christ.
- He works tirelessly to keep us from reading God’s Word
The devil knows that those who take their rightful place in studying God’s Word will ultimately be most fulfilled and fruitful for the kingdom, and so he resists us with might and opposition powers from reading our Bibles. When you and I engage in reading God’s word, we know the TRUTH. The Bible says; they shall know the truth and it shall set them free. (John 8:32) The best weapon in dealing with the voices of rejection in our lives is the truth of God’s Word. Why is it then that the spirit of rejection is often so tenacious? In part it is because rejection seeks to keep us from taking our rightful place in Christ and in His body.
The true danger of rejection
Rejection leads to bitterness and offense. When we feel rejected by someone, we develop bitter feelings and offense toward them. God wants us to leave the bitterness behind. He wants us to move forward in newness like the fresh morning rain. He has more to give us. He desires to bless us. He wants us to remove those things from our lives that hinder us, that make our heart sore and sour inside of us. He desires for us to be upright, forgiving and loving. He desires for us to release people from the offenses they have committed against us.
The four main ways to root out the spirit of rejection
1. Trust God as your vindicator
The Scripture affirms, “For the Lord will vindicate his people” (Psalms 135:14, RSV). To vindicate is to show or prove something to be right or accepted. It isn’t our job to get people to like us or to try to get even—it’s God’s. When we put our acceptance in Him, we free ourselves from the constant striving to be all things to all people and from the exhaustion of trying to get people to understand us. God is our vindicator. If you struggle with people, give your struggle to God. Be encouraged: God gives favor with the right people in the right place and at the right time.
2. Let God’s Word be your ultimate reality
God’s Word has some wonderful things to say about who we are in Christ: We are His righteousness (2 Corinthians. 5:21), accepted in the beloved (Ephesians. 1:6) and chosen by God for His good purposes (Ephesians. 1:11). I learned the voices of my past or current situations are not reality. Instead, what God says about us is more real than any other opinion; His Word is the voice of truth and our ultimate reality. When we honestly believe this, we can walk into any situation with confidence, regardless of our feelings.
3. Reject false thoughts and feelings with God’s Word
Apostle Paul instructs us to “destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The negative thoughts and feelings we encounter are simply Satan’s arguments and obstacles set up to hold us back from fulfilling God’s mission for our life here in the earth. Some translations refer to these arguments as “imaginations,” and they aren’t real.
The way we are to combat these things is to take them captive and put them into obedience to Christ. That is, when something comes our way that’s contrary to what God says, we are to reject it and replace it with truth. The greatest way to do this is to speak God’s truth aloud. For example, when confronted with fear, I try to quickly respond with a Scripture, like 2 Timothy 1:7: “God has not given me a spirit of fear or shyness. Instead, I have power, love and self-discipline.” Speaking Scripture aloud is the model that Jesus used during His own spiritual warfare (Matt. 4:1-11.), and it’s a great way to keep your mind focused on God’s truth and not your feelings or circumstances.
4. Don’t give up
Apostle Paul encourages us in Romans 12:2 and says;, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds”. Renewing is an active and ongoing process. Only by applying the principles of God’s Word consistently over time will you overcome your fears, hurts and wounds to experience the transformation and freedom as well as your inheritance in Christ Jesus. If you won’t give up, I promise you will find that bold, abundant life that Jesus died to give us (John 10:10b).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Life rarely turns out the way you’ve planned. An unexpected diagnosis, a sudden job layoff, a surprise relationship breakup, and or an accident – all kinds of challenges can come into your life at any time and it is targeted to blow your best plans apart. When that happens, you make a choice. You can allow your circumstances to bring you down and try to survive in a miserable state. Or, you can decide to rise above your challenges so you can thrive despite them.
Fifteen ways in which one can rise above unexpected challenges:
1. See the potential that exists
If you are a believer, you now have the spirit of God living inside of you. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” After accepting Christ, you become a new creation in Him. This means you have a new start, a new beginning; the things of your past are no more. It is such a blessing that God doesn’t keep any record of our past mistakes. However, this isn’t even the best part. The Spirit inside of you holds great potential, greater than anything you ever possessed before coming to know Jesus. Every human being on this earth has God given potential, which holds endless possibilities. Through this potential, each one of us has the ability to completely change the world. This potential that I am writing about is completely from God, not from man. God and man have a very different definition of what your potential is. I have realized that many believers do not understand what this means. Our God given potential is based on two main things, our willingness to do good works for the Kingdom and most importantly our love for God and for others. Each of one us has a God given potential; but it is up to us to develop, grow and use that potential to impact the world around us through our works and our love.
In Ephesians 2:10, the bible says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” and in Colossians 3:14, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Whenever your old dreams die, there is the potential for new dreams to be born. If you entrust your situation to God, He will bring something good out of even the worst circumstances. Every disappointment can be turned into an appointment to trust God’s plan. God is a redeeming God who has weaved a greater, more eternal picture than you cannot see right now. Place your hope in Him.
2. Realize that you’re not alone (Matthew 20:28)
Every man and woman experiences disappointments in life, to some degree. Common types of disappointments people experience includes disappointments with marriage, kids, self, others, circumstances, religion, and God. If you’re disappointed, you’re in good company with many others in our fallen world. So, don’t isolate yourself. Find some other believers to talk to, and support and encourage each other as you deal with your disappointments.
3. Cast your cares unto God (1 Peter 5:7)
God has promised to always be with you and act in love toward you. Even when you can’t sense God’s presence with you, believe His promise. He knows what you’re going through, and He cares. While you may not understand why God seems silent with so many challenges in your life, you can rest assured that His loving comfort and help is available to you at all times. Pray honestly about your thoughts and feelings related to your challenges. Don’t hesitate to express anything to God; He already knows anyway, and He wants you to draw closer to Him when you’re struggling. James 4:8 says; 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
4. Grieve your losses
Sadly, grief is part of the human experience. Loss is part of life, and grief is a natural response to loss. But we have the hope of Christ, and we know that He is strong enough to carry our burdens (Matthew 11:30). We can give our hurt to Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We can find solace in the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter (John 14:16).
I remember when Mikki (my first wife) transitioned to Heaven, a major grieving spirit grabbed my spirit man. I did not have anyone I can turn to except to depend on Holy Spirit. All of over sudden, the scriptures in the Book of John chapter 16 and verses 13, came alive in me. Holy Spirit became not only a friend but also the greatest comforter in my life. I also had to depend on prayers of other believers of like precious faith until I was ready to move forward. The same thing happened when my own mom transition to Heaven, the same Holy Spirit that helped me through the process of grieving helped me again. The good news is that as believes, we do not grief like the ones without hope (the world). We know that we shall be with our loved ones in Heaven again if they died in faith in Jesus Christ.
Face the fact that you’ve lost something valuable to you and rather than trying to ignore the hard reality or sugarcoat it in some way. Cry if you need to cry, journal about your loss if that helps, talk with a counselor or trusted friends but most of all find solace in God’s Word. I encourage you to do whatever else that helps you grieve your losses. Accept your situation and begin to work through it honestly. But don’t get stuck in a rut; once you’ve expressed your grief, start to move on. Steer clear of whining, complaining, and self-pity. Allow your grief to take its course. Then let go of your grief and look forward to what God has in store for you in the future.
also encourage you to stop reviewing your past mistakes; give up regrets and ask God to show you what He wants you to learn from your mistakes so you can grow beyond them. Take your eyes off the past and turn them toward what God is planning for the rest of your life. Pray for His guidance and step out to follow Him wherever He leads you.
5. Give thanks continually (Philippians 4:6)
Although this may be the last thing you feel like doing right now, it’s vital to give thanks to God in all circumstances (not for all circumstances, but in the midst of them). This causes you to notice what God is doing in your life and strengthens your assurance that He does care for you. Make giving thanks a daily practice. Pay attention to even the little ways that God provides for you each day – from a good meal, to a caring friend who takes the time to call and ask how you’re doing. When my mom transitioned to Heaven, He gave me a close friend whom He brought there to be with me at the hospital, with my mom before she passed away. This friend called me often to talk to me and encourage me. Now that is a friend indeed. That friend has remained with me through every challenge. I will be forever thankful to God for doing that for me.
6. Make an effort to win the battle over worry
Whenever a worrisome thought pops into your mind, pray about it. Don’t allow worries to stay in your mind long enough to grow into fear. Use your worries as catalysts to begin thinking about your next steps and start solving problems. Give each of your worries to God and step forward in faith as He leads you. Invite God to use the situations about which you’re worrying to show you more about who He is and what He is capable of doing. Ask God to exchange your worries for His peace.
Make it a daily habit to deliberately give God your worries; incorporate the practice into your routine so it becomes as regular as brushing your teeth or combing your hair. Whenever you feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or afraid, remember that God is with you and you can count on Him to help you. Keep your focus on God instead of on your worries.
Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow, is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
7. Place your trust ONLY in God (Proverbs 3: 5-7)
God is worthy of your trust. You picture of God will determine whether or not you trust Him, so consider why you believe what you believe. Get to know Him by reading what He reveals about Himself in the Bible. Then base your beliefs about God on the Bible, rather than on hearsay or other people’s opinions. As you grow to know God more, you’ll grow to love and trust Him more. Remember that your challenges serve a greater purpose in your life than what you can see right now. Consider the possible benefits of the challenge you’re going through. It may: offer you a chance to grow, give you an opportunity to empathize with and encourage others, remind you of your need for God’s care and help, draw you into a closer relationship with a loving God, serve as discipline you need to grow as a person, or allow you to share in Christ’s sufferings. Remember that God – who sees your soul from an eternal perspective – does not give you quick fixes for the here and now, but prepares you for spending eternity with Him.
8. Stay positive minded (Philippians 4:8)
It’s easy to see the ugliness of your plans not working out. But look beyond that to see the beauty of your new journey. Explore the potential plans for your new life by assessing the possibilities God has provided. Through prayer, personal reflection, and conversations with some people you trust, ask questions like these: “What are the good things about my life right now?, “What positive actions can I take without neglecting my commitments?”, “What gifts and talents has God given me?”, “How could I use at least one of these gifts or talents in a new and fresh way?”, “What opportunities has God placed in my life right now?”, “If I were to dream big, what would I love to do with the life God has given me?”, “What resources or knowledge do I have available to accomplish these dreams?”, “What resources or knowledge do I need to obtain in order to move forward?”, and “Who are the people God has placed in my life whom I can bless and who may be a blessing to me as well?”.
Ask God to help you believe in a wonderful new plan for your life. Trust that God will care for you, even though, right now, you can’t see the outcome of your current challenges. Change old, unhealthy and/or negative behavior patterns that are preventing you from making the progress you sense God wants you to make. Seek advice from wise friends and mentors as you go through the process of making changes in your life. Look for what doors God is opening and walk through them the best you can into your future. Don’t worry about getting too far astray if you’re truly trying to follow God; He will help you. Remember that God is sovereign, and you can’t thwart his ultimate plans. Notice the new person you’re becoming and enjoy the positive changes you notice.
9. Get rid of bitterness (Galatians 5:19-21)
Refuse to hold onto anger and resentment that will allow bitterness to grow in your soul. Flush out the poison of any bitterness you already have by answering God’s call to forgive. Just as God has forgiven you, He expects you to forgive the people who have hurt or offended you. You can count on God to help you through the process. Choose to forgive as an act of your will – despite your feelings – and God will change your heart in the process. Trust God to bring about justice in every situation rather than wasting your time and energy trying to get revenge. Be willing to pray for the people you’re forgiving, and act in love toward them. Enjoy the freedom that forgiveness will give you.
When you are offended or disappointed by others and allow the hurt to germinate in your heart, bitterness and resentment will take root. Bitterness and resentment are sinful and self-defeating. They are characterized by an unforgiving spirit and generally such negative and critical attitudes, will color your conscious and unconscious thoughts and actions.
When this is allowed to fester, it will destroy and kill you. However, they can be dispelled with love. The Bible encourages us to love our enemies and even those that willfully do us wrong.
Hebrews 12: 14-15; “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” Ephesians 4:31,32; “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” 1 Peter 2:23; “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” Luke 23:34; “Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing…”
Matthew 6:14,15; “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” Romans 12:14-21; “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”
10. Focus on the big picture
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God sees us for who we shall become and not what we are right now.
We must shift our focus away from what’s wrong in our life and toward God, who is bigger than our challenges and is able to redeem them. Meditate on Bible passages that speak on the plan of God for your life to remind yourself that there is a bigger picture than what you can see right now and that the sovereign God has your life in His hands. Think and pray about what God may be saying to you through His Word, and what you can learn from it and apply to your life. In the light of God’s eternal purposes, your temporary challenges won’t seem as daunting as they did before. Keep in mind that where you may just see a mess in your life, God sees the potential for something good to happen.
11. Speak with sincerity
Psalms 15:2 says, “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.” The words that come out of your mouth reveal the condition of your heart and identify who you are. Speak with carefully, since your words can either bring about life or joy or hurt and destruction. Decide to speak positive words that reflect your hope and trust in God and that encourage others – no matter how challenging your circumstances are right now. Avoid the complaining of those who don’t have faith. Make time each day to praise God for His work in your life; the more you praise Him during your prayer times, the more praise will flow more naturally out of your mouth in other situations. Don’t listen to advice from negative or bitter people and avoid media content that negatively influences your thinking.
Listen to positive people and watch, read, or listen to uplifting shows, books, etc. Memorize Bible passages that give you hope as you deal with your specific challenges, and that build your trust in God’s love and care for you. Whenever you’re tempted to complain about something, pray about it first. Talk about your concerns with a trusted friend, mentor, or counselor. Each night before you go sleep, thank God for how He has cared for you that day, and your subconscious mind will be filled with positive thoughts. Whenever God answers your prayers, thank Him and tell others what He has done.
12. Walk confidently in a new direction
“Now this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). God has called us to walk in spiritual confidence. Even so, at times we all have situations where we don’t feel as confident as we would like to be. Gain confidence from placing your trust in God, instead of in people or circumstances. Be willing to take whatever steps God leads you to take into your future. Although you can’t be sure what life will bring, you can be certain that God will be with you. Keep a confident spiritual posture: head up (keeping your eyes on God), shoulders back (casting your cares continually on God), stomach in (staying centered on truth, not assumptions), stand straight and tall (standing on the sure foundation of hearing and doing God’s Word), walk forward (walking confidently with an eternal perspective).
13. Make healthy connections with other people
Notice what people God has placed in your life right now to help and support you. Thank God for them and allow those people to get close to you. Listen to people’s advice and allow Holy Spirit to use them to help you. While you’re looking for friends, be a good friend yourself. Become an encourager yourself. If you’re married, work on your communication with your spouse to keep your marriage strong while you’re going through challenges. Let Holy Spirit be your best counselor and friend. As we live in relationship with Jesus, submitted to God’s Holy Spirit, and believe the truths of the Bible, we will experience love, joy, peace, kindness, hope and optimism and we shall be able to make health connections with others in the Body of Christ. (Study John 15:1-5, Gal 5:22-23, Rom 8:28; 15:4 and Heb 10:23)
14. Use what you’ve learned to help others
God will make sure that none of the pain you’ve gone through while dealing with your challenges will be wasted, if you ask Him to show you how to use what you’ve learned in the process to bless others going through similar challenges. Be alert to the opportunities God presents for you to help others and take advantage of them. Ephesians 4:28 says, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”
15. Persevere
To persevere means to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement. Remember that God is not through with you yet. The book James chapter 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
Wait on God to complete His good work in your life. Keep placing your hope in God and finding your strength in Him. Trust that God will work all things in your life together for good. Turn to the Bible for fresh spiritual nourishment each day. Remember that you’ll never be completely satisfied in this fallen world but look forward to when all your longings will be fulfilled – when you meet God in heaven. Each day as you move forward, ask God – the source of all hope – to renew your strength and fill you with joy and peace.
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