During an overseas trip I noticed a common theme of deliverance in both countries that I ministered in. It was deliverance from a “spirit of rejection.” Strangely, I wasn’t teaching on the subject of rejection nor did I call it out during the prayer and altar times. Still, many who came forward for ministry would manifest much in the same way. They would begin to choke, cough, and then vomit out a spirit of rejection.
The Holy Spirit was swift to give my team and I discernment as we encountered the same manifestation again and again. When we encountered it, we would say something like, “In the name of Jesus, I command the spirit of rejection to leave you! Come out now!” And sure enough, the person would typically choke, cough, and then vomit. Usually we had to lead such persons in a prayer of repentance to forgive those who’ve rejected them in the past or for rejecting themselves. One person kept shaking their head “no” when I commanded that spirit to leave, but I just kept after it until the person finally coughed the spirit out.
To be very real and honest, I HATE it when people vomit during deliverance. I wish there was another way. It seems that this spirit can hide deep, deep down on the inside. I also realized that some people will choose to hold on to rejection because they would rather hold on to their dignity and just not “go there” when it’s time to get delivered.
Why am I bringing this up in connection with prophets? It’s because prophets seem to have an acute struggle with rejection. Rejection is always speaking to them, bullying them, intimidating them, and basically trying to shut them down so they won’t speak what God says to speak.
I believe that most prophets need deliverance from rejection at certain points in their lives. It’s more than just an attitude. It’s a spirit that has to go if your prophetic word is going to go forth from a pure place, if at all. We also need to come out of agreement with rejection so this spirit no longer has access to us in the first place.
Things to watch out for:
- Don’t take things personal
We often measure our worth through our unrealistic perceptions of being accepted or not accepted by others. In so doing, we take things personal that were never meant to be personal. Our identity is in Christ. And remember, nobody owes you anything.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others
There is no comparison because you are uniquely you. Let people inspire you by what they do, but you don’t need to do what they do. You have your own assignment.
3. Avoid rejection rhetoric
I’ve been guilty of this in the past and I’m still working on it. It’s when you feel all alone and you begin to make prophetic sounding statements that are actually statements birthed from your own woundedness. Things like, “Get ready for people to leave you when God promotes you!” Or, “In order to go up, you have to leave some people behind.” Although there is an element of truth to this, do you really need to make an official, prophetic-like statement about it? No. What is happening is you are slipping into rejection rhetoric and possibly coming into agreement with the spirit of rejection itself.
4. Get this down: MISTAKES ARE OPPORTUNITIES
Because prophets seem to be more serious in their demeanor, when they make mistakes it’s almost like the end of the world has happened. They slip into self-condemnation, self-loathing, and practically hang up their calling when they miss a word, make a blunder, or have a personal failure.
If there is one thing I’ve learned more than anything else is that your mistake is your opportunity. God can and will turn everything around for good (Romans 8:28). Yes, you might need to work on your character or your reaction to your errors and missteps, but at the end of the day God can make it work for you instead of against you. Don’t self-reject over mistakes. Grow from them.
A prophet intimately knows the power of the word of God, and it’s the word of God that will deliver you from rejection! A prophet, then, is to receive their identity from God’s word and not from the acceptance or rejection of men. How you walk in Christ’s identity is by holding firm to His truths and promises for your life. The more attentive you are to studying and meditating on the Word, the better equipped you are to be able to steward your God-given identity, as well as teach others how to do the same. When you know His Word then you know His will and heart.
Here are some Scriptures that will help you to walk out your true identity of Christ:
- Lean not on your own understanding – Proverbs 3:5
- You have the mind of Christ – 1 Corinthians 2:16
- Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world – 1 John 4:4
- If God is for you, who can be against you – Romans 8:31
- God loves you – Zephaniah 3:17
- You are accepted in the Beloved – Psalm 27:10, Romans 15:7
Bill Hamon said in his book Prophets and Personal Prophecy, “God is very sensitive about His prophets. To touch one of His prophets is to touch the apple of His eye. To reject God’s prophets is to reject God. To fail to recognize the prophets, or to keep them from speaking, is to refuse God permission to speak.”
Even God knows you will face a unique struggle with rejection because of what you carry. Let it draw you in to the heart of the Father. It’s your vertical relationship with God that is to overshadow every other relationship you have in life, and not the other way around.
If the spirit of rejection has taken over your life, my prayer and decree for you is this:
“In the name of Jesus, I command the spirit of rejection to leave you. Be free!”
You are an amazing gift to the Body of Christ. God loves you and I do too!
The Praying Prophet
Jennifer Eivaz
Jennifereivaz.com
