War Zone- Week 5 Tactics of the Enemy vs. Strategies of the Believer (Fear Part 4)

We are continuing in our study on the tactic of fear. Just a reminder: Merriam Webster online dictionary defines fear as: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; anxious concern.   

Today we will be digging into the Word to take a closer look at another common fear that Christians face today.     

Fear of Rejection. 

Our first example is King Saul. 

1 Samuel 15:24-25, Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” (AMP) 

Saul had received specific instructions about the destruction of the Amalekites.  God was using Saul’s army to bring punishment on Amalek for how he treated Israel when they left Egypt.  1 Samuel 15:3, ‘Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” (AMP) 

Saul knew what God had commanded him to do, however, because he was afraid of being rejected by the people, he allowed them to go against what God had said.  His fear of rejection was stronger than his love and loyalty to God.   

The enemy uses fear of rejection against God’s people to try to prevent us from sharing the Word, stepping out in faith and obedience, building lasting relationships...  He wants to keep from living in all the blessing God has for us.  If we allow fear of rejection to hold us back from walking in obedience, we will miss those blessings.   

Our second example is Jesus. 

Isaiah 53:3, He was despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; And like One from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem Him. (ESV) 

John 1:11, He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (ESV) 

Mark 6:1-3, He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (ESV) 

Jesus understood rejection.  In the passage from Mark, we see that Jesus was rejected by those closest to him, those who had watched him grow from boy to man, who knew his character, his childhood friends and teenage companions. His own brothers even rejected him.   

Jesus walked in obedience, even unto death.  He did not allow fear of rejection to stop him from his primary mission: to redeem humanity from the kingdom of darkness and to restore dominion of the earth to men.  To do that we know he had to suffer and die to pay the ransom for mankind.  We also know that even after his resurrection from the dead and his ascension to heaven, people are still rejecting him.   

God knew that even after their ransom had been paid and their record marked PAID IN FULL that many would refuse to accept the gift of salvation, however, Hebrews 12:2b tells us why Jesus endured the ultimate rejection: the cross, “...who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”(ESV) 

As I was praying last week, reflecting on the death and resurrection of Christ, I felt the Lord speak to my heart.  He said that the people who followed Jesus for the signs and wonders he did were the ones who, at his Triumphal Entry, were worshipping and shouting Hosanna, Hosanna. These were also the same people who shouted Crucify Him, Crucify Him when he stood before Pilate.   

He said that those who followed him out of love, relationship, and obedience also worshipped at his Triumphal Entry, however, they were the ones who wept over his torture and death, many at the foot of the cross.  

Those who followed without relationship feared being rejected and put out of the synagogue, so they went along with the crowd. However, those who had an intimate relationship with Jesus risked their own lives by demonstrating their grief and sorrow.  

How can we overcome the fear of rejection? 

First, we must keep our minds renewed.  

Romans 12:2 says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  We keep our minds renewed by staying in the Word.  We must allow God’s Word to permeate our minds and hearts so that the lies of the enemy cannot stick.  

Additionally, we must remember that rejection does not define us.  We must keep reminding ourselves of how God sees us and our value to Him.   

Following are just a smattering of verses that show us our value in God’s eyes: 

1. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV) This verse demonstrates that we are worth the life of God’s son.  Jesus died to make us right with the Father.   

2. We know from Galatians 1:10, For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ (ESV) that it is God’s approval that really matters not that of men.   

3. Genesis 1:27 and 1 John 3:1 remind us that we were made in the image of God, and we are children of God.  

Genesis 1:27, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (ESV) 

1 John 3:1, See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (ESV) 

4. Psalm 86:15 says, God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 

5. 1 John 4:18, There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (ESV) This passage reminds us that when we have accepted and cling to God’s perfect love, we will not live in fear because his love will cast it from us.   

6. Romans 8:31, declares that God is for us!!  Who can be against us! “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (ESV) 

7. Jeremiah 31: 3, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[a] against us? (ESV) tells us that God’s love for us is everlasting! We cannot do anything to make God love us more or to cause him to love us less!!!! He will never reject us!! 

In conclusion, today we have a choice, will we allow fear of rejection to stop us from waking in obedience to God or will we like Jesus, press forward despite what others may think, do, or say?  Will we continually renew our minds with the Word and remind ourselves of our value and worth to God?