The Way of the Wounded – Overcoming Rejection

Sunday November 7, 2021

https://www.facebook.com/Encountertexoma/videos/904352656886616

You’re a loser!     You’re not worth anything!     No-one will ever love you!    

 In fact you’re unlovable and undesirable!     God doesn’t love you!  

You’ll never have anyone!       They don’t like you and don’t want to be around you! 

Did I mention you’re a loser!     You’ll always be disappointed! 

People are always going to hurt you so don’t let them inside! 

People don’t care about you!  You’re not worth anything!  NOBODY WANTS YOU! 

If you’ve ever said these things about yourself there’s a good chance you’re dealing with A SPIRIT OF REJECTION! 

Today we begin a new series titled “The Way of the Wounded.”   And the first message in this series we’ll be talking about Overcoming the Wound of Rejection! 

REJECTION MAY BE THE MOST DIFFICULT THING FOR PEOPLE TO OVERCOME! 

BUT IF YOU DON’T OVERCOME REJECTION, REJECTION WILL OVERCOME YOU AND CONTROL YOUR LIFE! 

Rejection controls your decisions and your thinking! 

Many people are controlled by their need for acceptance! 

REJECTION IS OUR GREATEST FEAR BECAUSE WE WERE CREATED TO LOVE AND BE LOVED! 

REJECTION COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS: 

  1.  Being excluded!
  2. Being abandoned as a child!
  3. Being unwanted as a child!   (Example of Mom) 
  4. Gossiped about
  5. Divorce or adultery
  6. Verbal and physical abuse

A SPIRIT OF REJECTION!  It defines us, we live it, we expect it! 

We reject others before they reject us! 

If you and I don’t overcome rejection, rejection will overcome us! 

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS! 

Jesus did not die on the cross for us to “DEAL” with rejection!  Jesus died on the cross for us to DEFEAT rejection! 

Romans 8:37- “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

“…overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us!” 

WE CAN OVERCOME REJECTION BECAUSE JESUS OVERCAME REJECTION! 

Isaiah 53:1-6- “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” 

JESUS HAS EMPOWERED US TO OVERCOME THE WOUND OF REJECTION! 

1 John 5:4- “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” 

VICTORY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT!  YOU WERE BORN TO BE AN OVERCOMER!

 JESUS HAS EMPOWERED US TO OVERCOME REJECTION JUST LIKE HE DID! 

JESUS IS THE “WAY OF THE WOUNDED!” 

HOW CAN WE OVERCOME REJECTION? 

  1.  Receive God’s love and acceptance. 

Romans 8:38-39- And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

2.  Put your faith in Jesus Christ.

Put your faith in the work of the cross of Jesus Christ! 

Romans 5:11- “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

We haven’t been rejected by God, we’re friends of God! 

3.  Choose your friends wisely.

Get around fellow believers that will encourage you and build you up! 

1 Thessalonians 5:11- “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 

4.  Forgive those who have rejected you.

Colossians 3:13- “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” 

CONCLUSION:  I heard a story of a pastor that had been really hurt in ministry by some close friends.  He was rejected by those who were closest to him. 

He made this statement, “I’m never doing that again and no-one is going to hurt me like that again.” 

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, “I can’t use you.” 

A spirit of rejection will always keep us from God’s best for our life! 

THE GOOD NEWS!  Jesus overcame rejection so you and I can overcome rejection! 

LET’S PRAY!