Defeating the Spirit of “You Are Not Wanted”
In the life of each person, one key physiological need is love and belonging. As humans, we were created to be a part of something. However, hurt people hurt people, and many of us have experienced various forms of rejection in life. One of the most painful is being told either verbally or through actions that you are not wanted.
How many people walk with a spirit of rejection? Suffering such rejection has been shown to have a major impact on a person:
Rejection or suffering physical pain both activate the same areas of the brain
Recalling a recent rejection can lower a score on a subsequent IQ test
Such rejection can destabilize people emotionally, cause surges of anger and aggression, and lead to the development of a self-destructive mindset. Rejection impacts mental health and many then. Fear of further rejection creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.
David wrote:
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.”
Psalm 27: 10
Key Words
Forsake: “’azab,” to leave, to loose, to forsake, to leave behind, to abandon, to neglect, to be deserted,
Care: “Acaph,” (aw-saf) to gather, receive, to collect, to gather an individual, to gather in and take away, to be brought into an association with other
Jesus wrote:
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”
Luke 6: 22, 23
Key Words
Hate: “Miseo,” to hate, to pursue with hatred, to be detested,
Exclude: “Aphorizo,” to divide, to separate, to sever, to mark off from others by boundaries, to exclude
Revile: “Oneidizo,” to defame, upbraid, revile
Cast out: “Ekballo,” to cast or drive out, to drive out with violence, to be deprived of the power to influence, to thrust out
Rejoice: “Chairo,” to rejoice, be glad
Leap: “Skirtao,” to leap,
There are two types of rejection we can endure as believers: Rejection because of things we have said or done; rejection for His Name’s sake. When we respond or act out of our emotions, we can create such rejection. But we will experience rejection because of being His. Many people, because of the call on their lives, experience severe rejection. Somehow, in the spiritual realm, the enemy recognizes that you carry a powerful call, even if you have not stepped into it just yet. In fact, you will often see believers who have a powerful call, endure severe rejection and being told they are not wanted.
How we respond to such rejection is important. Either the rejection makes us and as such defeats us, or the Holy Spirit makes us in the midst of the rejection. Remember what David said? David went through it and yet, despite being rejected, knew the Lord had welcomed him into his company.
John wrote:
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also out to love one another.”
1 John 4: 9- 11
And
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt!”
Jeremiah 31: 3, 4a
What voice are we looking to and what voice are we listening to? As a believer, we don’t belong to this world, and the world is going to hate you. We have to learn to stop looking to the world and instead, learn how to press deeper into the Secret Place.
We must allow His love to draw us. Often, when we are injured by rejection, we run from the Lord instead of running to Him. He took the severe rejection for us, so He knows what we are going through, and He has provided a means to overcome.
We need to know how to run after Him
To cling to Him
Rest in Him
He longs to build and rebuild us.
“Th Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3: 17
He has never left you, forsaken you, or cast you out. In fact, He wants you to know His delight in you. Not only does He delight in you, He rejoices over you with gladness, and He is calling you to experience His love. If you will receive His love it will quiet your soul and it will begin to restore you.
“ALL that the Father gives me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
John 6: 37
