Stronghold Part 7 – The Stronghold of Rejection

 

This list is NOT exhaustive, so you may encounter a stronghold or symptoms that aren’t listed.

You can recognize that a stronghold exists when any of the symptoms produced by that spirit are HABITUALLY PRESENT.

 

REJECTION
Addictive Behavior
Compulsions
Seeks Acceptance
Unworthiness
Withdrawal
Shallow Relationships
Loneliness

I’ve seen the spirit of rejection at work wherever people try to become MORE
ACCEPTABLE to God through their good works or religious rule keeping. Through
their efforts, they’re trying to forestall the possibility that God might reject them.

The spirit of rejection is common among believers whose meticulous observance
of God’s laws is more important to them than lovingly relating to their Lord. They
show more regard for their religious practices and observances, than in intimately
relating to God.

The spirit of rejection is one of the prevalent strongholds in the Messianic movement
today, along with strongholds of bitterness and rebellion. Rejection is the OPPOSITE of the acceptance and freedom that Jesus offers those who are in union with Him. Trying to become acceptable to God through your own efforts gets you nowhere. It’s much easier to rid yourself of the stronghold of rejection than compensate for it through good works.

Paul must have seen this trap among the Colossian believers. That’s why he
exhorted them,

“20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23).

Just know this: No religious rule keeping EVER keeps you from giving way to your
sin nature. Don’t even try it! You may be plagued by addictive behavior
that’s been a painful part of your life. But that alcohol or drugs is just a way to
dull the pain of your past or help you escape your present. The spirit of rejection
makes sure those darts pierce your mind frequently enough to drive you to
whatever helps you forget. The ruts in your road of response are so
deep that you’re convinced you don’t have any hope for change. That spirit
keeps whispering “You’re hopeless”, and you keep believing its lies.

The book of Proverbs describes this as:

(Pro. 5:13) A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

(Pro. 18:14) The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

A vibrant spirit helps a person through great difficulties, but a crushed spirit has a crippling effect in all areas of life.
The Lord Jesus Christ came that we might have Life, Abundant, Active, Eternal LIFE.

You may feel: weary, harried, frustrated, perplexed, fearful, anxious, burdened down etc. But Jesus Christ sees you, just as He saw the multitudes.

(Matt. 9:36) But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Recognizing what Christ has done may bring release to some; others may need to take further steps. These are

1.  Let the Holy Spirit help you identify how or where you have been wounded by rejection.
2.  Forgive the people who have harmed you.
3.  Lay down the destructive fruits of rejection such as resentment, bitterness, hatred, and rebellion.
4.  Accept that God has accepted you in Christ. Being born again you are His Son!
5.  Accept yourself. Find out who you are, In Christ. Ask, Seek, and Knock!

The supernatural experience of the out poured love of God is wonderful, but much more needs to be done to form our characters. God has to take us beyond the supernatural outpouring of love to the formation of a character that consistently expresses his love. That is a long process, and it requires God’s patience to take us through it.

The process of character building has seven successive phases, according to the apostle Peter:

5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.(2 Peter 1:5- 7 )

The starting point with everything God does is faith. There is no other place to begin. But after we have received The Faith, there has to be a process of character development. Follow these seven successive steps of character building.

Faith ~ Virtue (Excellence) Virtue ~ Knowledge (KJV Holy Bible Genesis – Revelation) Knowledge ~ Temperance (Self-control) Temperance ~ Patience (Perseverance) Patience ~ Godliness (Holiness) Godliness ~ Brotherly Kindness (Love) Brotherly Kindness ~ Charity (Agape Love)Charity

Some particular forms of social rejection

A. Physical violence
B. Abusive authority
C. Physical expulsion
D. Sexual advantages
E. Personal absence
F. Verbal repudiation
G. Verbal threats
H. Personal differences
I. Public humiliation
J. Conditional acceptance
K. Name-calling
L. Attack on character
M. Criticism, ridicule, negativism
N. Comparison, favoritism
O. Distrust
P. Withdrawal of right and privileges
Q. Undemonstrative, uncommunicative
R. Inadequate provision
S. Outside involvement
T. Refusal to accept responsibility
U. Unkept promises
V. Impersonal means to an end
W. Inequitable standards
X. Absence of recognition and praise
Y. Overprotection, indulgence
Z. Projected expectations
AA. Inadmission of failure
BB. Forced responsibility
CC. Encourage sinful behavior
DD. Permissiveness
EE. Inadequate example
FF. No personal relationship
GG. Premature death

V. Responses to “rejection”

A. Natural responses
1. Our own selfishness causes us to reject others
2. Allege rejection – repressed memories
3. React with fight, fright, flight
4. Against rejecters, others, God, ourselves, situations
5. Develop personality and identity in S.E.L.F.
6. Perpetuate rejective patterns
B. Christian response
1. Find our acceptance and identity in Christ
a. Christ accepted us – Rom. 15:7
b. Lord takes us up – Ps. 27:10
c. Entrust ourselves to Him – I Pet. 3:23
2. Accept others – Rom. 15:7

Related articles

• Strongholds Part 2 – The stronghold of Deceit (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Stronghold Part 5 – The Stronghold of Confusion/Doubt and Unbelief (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Stronghold Part 5 – The Stronghold of Jealousy/Envy (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Who are you? (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Strongholds pt.1 (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Stronghold Part 4 – The Stronghold of Heaviness (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• What Does it Mean to be in Christ? (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)
• Stronghold Part 3 – The stronghold of bitterness. (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)