A people in trouble

When we face impossible situations in our lives, in our families and in our nation, interesting how almost everyone becomes a Christian and asks God why he is not fixing the situation speedily. Suddenly we recognize that God is Lord above all and we cry out to him for help. My people God has been crying for us to return to him, God wants our families and our nation to return to Him. God has given us a manual – the Bible, to teach us how to live lives that will not open us to so much suffering. God has sent us his servants in the community, everyday people who serve God and preach to us. God has given us true Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists to edify us but we mock them and continually judge and reject them when they bring a message of correction and repentance. We use the excuse of false prophets to reject even the true word and message of God.
Every time God’s people are in trouble, He sends a prophet with a directive and a solution. Problem is, do we recognize the prophet of this season sent for this issue or would we reject our true prophets like Jesus was rejected and crucified? The answer we want from God may not be what the prophet brings to us from God, Jesus was not the type of king or Messiah they expected and yet in Him was the answer to their desperate condition. 
Are we willing to repent in order for change to come? I have said this many times and I say it again, WE MUST REPENT AND OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS in order to be delivered from our woes. A change starts with you and me doing some introspection. Time to stop blaming others or each other or even our leaders and Pastors/prophets. Time to stop treating God as a candy machine that we only come to when we need help. Even candy has a price, have you paid the price God requires of you? Or are you looking for free handouts from God? What sacrifice are you willing to put on the altar? 
Jeremiah 11:11,14

11. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

 

The pain of Rejection

Lately as I examined my own journey from birth to becoming the servant of God I am today, I recognized many rejection points. I realize as I counsel and pray for many in the body of Christ that rejection is responsible for a lot of the issues faced by many today. It is responsible for lack of self worth and that inner ache that tends not to go away .  Our rejection points are numerous. Those times in life when we do not feel loved or accepted by a friend, family, church, neighbor, coworker, and the list continues. We are rejected for various reasons which leave us with feelings of inadequacy or inferiority. Everyone faces rejection in their lives at various times and this tends to leave an ache in our soul, it creates a crack that requires the perfect love of Christ to repair and heal.

Your rejection was not an accident. Rejection is a strongman that attacks our souls as a strategic move from the kingdom of darkness. His goal is to pile up so many instances of rejection from conception, through the womb and throughout our lives so that we will believe the lie that God cannot possibly love us. This spirit will come with his cohorts such as a lying spirit that makes us believe God does not care and our loved ones do not care. He comes with a spirit of death that will try to convince us to commit suicide because the lie of not being loved has set deep roots of self loathing. This spirit brings in so much more: anger, hurt, pain, infirmity, jealousy, isolation, strife and much more than we have time to cover here.

Sometimes we are on the other side of rejection; maybe we behave consciously or unconsciously in ways that leave others feeling rejected. Sometimes our actions towards others may be misinterpreted as rejection but oftentimes, we reject others because we have also been rejected. Rejected people reject others and the cycle continues.

The Bible says in John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Although the enemy is using this strategy to steal, kill and destroy many children of God, we must trust that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and will never reject us. The Psalmist says in Psalm 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. If you are hurting today because you feel rejected, press into the presence of the Lord.  Rather than keep trying to be accepted, loved or validated by those who reject you, run into the safety of the love of Christ. He is the only one who can bring healing to your wounded soul, he can restore you to a place of unconditional love. When everyone else disappoints you, remember that ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.  Only the love of Christ can set us free from the spirit of rejection.

Jesus understands what it feels like when we are rejected because he was also rejected and despised. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.  Jesus bore rejection so that we can be adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters. No matter who rejects us, we should rejoice because the love of God in our lives is sure. Heb 4:15 says For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

For more in depth information and help on the topic of rejection, we will be covering this at our December 2016 Deliverance Session. stay posted on our ministry Facebook Page ‘The Children’s Bread’ by Atina Music Foundation.