The following is an excerpt from our devotional series Finding Freedom from Rejection.
DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
Did you know the word reject means to exclude someone? Rejection includes denying acceptance or acknowledgement, as well as abandonment.
Pray for your fellow intercessor.
Sadly, almost everyone will face rejection at some point in their life. Whether it’s to a smaller degree, such as from a peer; or rejection from a significant person like a parent, spouse, or close family member; rejection has the potential to wreak havoc and destroy healthy relationships if you refuse to deal with the root.
The “rejection root” will begin to develop mistaken identity. Rejection will ruin your self-esteem and distort the truth that you are created with purpose. When you have no sense of purpose oftentimes depression, anxiety, identity crisis, ungodly relationships, and even suicide may follow.
I was an orphan in a literal sense by the time I was 15, but I carried an orphan spirit and the wounds of rejection with me well into my adult years. It negatively impacted my marriage and children and other relationships. I lived under the lie that I would never be accepted and that no matter what I did or how good I was, this would never change.
My personal journey to healing came when I had a revelation of who I truly am in Christ. I am a Daughter. Sonship is my portion, and can never be taken from me.
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:17 NIV)
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Mt 3:17 NLT)
In these verses, Jesus is baptized and about to begin His ministry. The Lord showed me this verse with fresh eyes one day when I was struggling with rejection. God delights and is pleased with me just as He is with Jesus His Son!
My healing came through this verse, when I realized one day that God identified Jesus as His Beloved Son and nothing more. He didn’t say this is my beloved apostle, beloved prophet, beloved intercessor, beloved CEO. He said this is My Son in whom I am pleased. He identified Jesus by who He was, not what He did. Those titles I mentioned earlier aren’t bad things. However, they must always come second to our position in Christ as Sons and Daughters.
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. (1 Jn 3:1)
We must renounce every label we wear.
Whether you’ve been called a failure, told you would never amount to anything, called horrible and hurtful words that is not who you are.
You are not a reject, a loser, unloved, or whatever you’ve been told. Those words do not define who you are. God does.
We must let go of the titles. Striving for greatness is not bad, but it becomes an obstacle when we wrap our identity in what we accomplish. Notice in the verse earlier mentioned it says, “He calls us His children and that’s what we are.” God doesn’t identify us by what we do. He calls us His own and for Him it’s enough.
If you are struggling under the weight of rejection or struggling with identity, pray with me.
Father, I am struggling to know who I am. I don’t want to carry the weight of rejection anymore. I release the torment of feeling unloved, unaccepted, and every issue rejection has brought into my life. Break every label ever spoken over me in my life. I am who You say I am. Break the power of every lie, by revealing Your truth to me in your word. Give me a fresh revelation of sonship. Forgive me when I have placed titles of honor above You. You care for me more than You care for my title. Thank You for choosing me. Thank You for accepting me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for keeping Your word. You will never leave me or abandon me.
Abba, I belong to You! I am a Son/Daughter of God and that is my highest calling.
Help me to never forget that.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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IFA contributing writer Gloria Robles is a passionate intercessor with a prophetic voice for today. For more from Gloria, go to Spotify or Anchor and listen to her podcast, Something To Share. Photo Credit: guvendemir/Getty Images Signature via Canva Teams.
