In this weeks sermon, we'll examine how to identify the spirit of rejection, what our responses should be as Christians and expose the crafty tactics of Satan. The Bible gives us a keen insight into dealing with these very real issues. We can obtain deliverance from the destructive effects of the enemy, receive love and acceptance, and finally obtain healing once-and-for-all.
Rejection is defined as the dismissing or refusing of a proposal or idea. The noun rejection can refer to the actual act of rejecting something or to the feeling one has after being rejected. In other words, you might have feelings of rejection after experiencing the rejection of others. The Latin noun rēicere, which means "to throw back," is the ancestor of the word rejection.
II Corinthians 9:8
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
Know who you are in and through Christ. You've been bought with a price and you are more than enough.
Rejection hurts. You can be left feeling worthless and unwanted when your ideas, input, or affections are pushed away. Perhaps you're dealing with feelings of rejection right now. Maybe it's in your marriage, with your boss, a coworker, family member or even a neighbor. Or possibly, you and your teenager are at odds with one another. Whatever it might be, what I can tell you is this: "God wants peace in your heart and in your home."
So, how do you respond in the right way when rejection comes at you? You give no place to Satan's tactics. Do not give him a foothold over you. Don't entertain his fiery darts by the thoughts he's shooting at your mind but rather cast them down. Pay no mind to it, cry it out if you must. Pray, to God for strength and he will tear down this stronghold as it's a strategic attack by the enemy. Don't allow him access into your life because you have authority over your mind. You have authority over your will. You have authority over your emotions.
Psalm 91:13
“Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”
Luke 10:19
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
The book of James instructed us to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee. Whatever is just, whatever is pure think on these things.
James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."
II Corinthians 10:3-6
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."
The person who rejects you is the one who has aligned their will to the enemy. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
The most important battlefield of your life is your mind! Spiritual warfare is primarily a matter of the mind. As long as the mind is held in check and is renewed to right thinking by the Word of God, the majority of spiritual attacks will fail. However, when the mind is left open and unguarded, it becomes the primary battlefield that Satan uses to destroy lives, relationships, finances, businesses, marriages, emotions, and so on. It is our responsibility to "Stand Guard" over these areas in our lives.
We see the person as the problem but if we will look in the spiritual realm they are being
controlled by Satan. We are to pray for them which despitefully use you. We are instructed to overcome evil with good. It's operating in "Love" that interrupts Satan's plan at his onset. We are to put on the full armor of God, and take a stand against the devil's schemes.
Matthew 5:43-48
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
We must surround ourselves around those who are called to build up, edify and encourage. Those who choose hate are not for you but against you. Those who refuse light, love darkness because of their evil deeds. Satan is the author of confusion. He hates unity, he opposes togetherness and rebels against the proper order of family. The enemy is out to cause division, discord and chaos. Remain in the realm of Praise & Thanksgiving and don't fall into the trap of Satan. Do not yield and give no place to the devil. Do not give him that weapon to use against you.
》Don't complain
》Don't Argue
》Know Satan's Tactics
》Keep Silent
》Shut your mouth
》Calm your emotions
》Breath
》Praise the Lord!!
》Don't focus on unanswered prayers
》Don't compare your life
》God will bring the blessing
Take a Stand against the Wiles of the Devil. What are the "Wiles of the Devil?" The word Wiles is one of three key words which you must know and understand when discussing the subject of Spiritual warfare. These three key words are: "Wiles, Devices and
Deception." It is impossible to have a correct and balanced view of spiritual warfare without having an understanding of these three foundational words.
The word "Wiles" (the first of these three words) is taken from the Greek word methodos (meth-o-dos). It is a compound of the words meta (me-ta), odos (pronounced hodos). The word meta is a preposition which simply means "With." The word odos is the Greek word for a "Road." By compounding these two words into one, they form the word methodos. Literally translated, the Greek word methodos means "With a road." It is from this word methodos that we derive the word "method." But the English word "method," is not really strong enough to convey the full meaning of methodos ("wiles.") The word methodos was carefully selected by the Holy Spirit because it tells us exactly how the devil operates and it tells us exactly how he comes to attack and assault a believer's mind.
The word "Wiles" (methodos) is often translated to carry the idea of something that is "cunning, crafty, subtle or full of trickery." However, in its most literal sense, the word methodos means "With a road." So the most basic translation of the word "Wiles" is simply "With a road."
By electing to use this word, Paul tells us how the devil puts his cunning, crafty, subtle, and tricky deception to work! The word "Wile" plainly tells us that the devil operates "With a road," or "On a road."
Contrary to the common belief of most people, this means that the devil does not have as many tricks in his bag as he would have you to believe. The word "Wiles" (methodos) plainly means that the enemy travels on one road; he travels on one lane; or he travels on one avenue. In other words, Satan primarily has only one trick in his bag and he obviously has learned to use that one trick very well!
"What is that one trick that the devil uses against people?" Or perhaps we should more correctly ask, "If the devil operates on one single avenue of travel, where is that diabolical road headed toward?" These questions lead us to the second important word to understand when discussing spiritual warfare: the word "Devices."
The Devices of the Devil:
In Second Corinthians 2:11, Paul gives us a clue as to where this road the devil is traveling on is headed. He says "...we are not ignorant of Satan's devices."
The word "Devices" is taken from the word noemata (no-e-ma-ta), which is derived from the word nous (pronounced noous). The word nous is the Greek word for the "Mind" or the "Intellect." However, the form noemata, as used by Paul in Second Corinthians 2:11, carries out the idea of a deceived mind. Specifically, this word noemata denotes the insidious and malevolent plot of Satan to fill the human mind with "Confusion."
The word "Devices" (noemata) actually depicts the "insidious plots" and "wicket schemes" of Satan to attack and victimize the human mind. One expositor has even stated that the word "Devices" bears the notion of "mind games." With this idea of "mind games" in mind, you could translate the verse, "...we are not ignorant of the mind games that Satan tries to pull on us."
Because Paul used this word "Devices" to describe attacks which he, himself, had resisted, we know that even Paul had to deal with the mental assaults of the adversary from time to time. Even Paul knew about the "mind games" which the devil tries to pull on people!
It was for this very reason that Paul said, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
The devil loves to make a playground out of people's minds! He delights in filling their emotions and senses with illusions that captivate their minds and ultimately, his aim is to destroy them. He is a master when it comes to "mind games."
John 10:10
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Like Paul, we must make a mental decision to take charge of our minds and "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." We must stop listening to ourselves, and start speaking to ourselves!
By considering the words "wiles" and "devices" we have now seen two vitally important things which we must know about the devil's strategy to attack and victimize the human mind.
First, the word "wiles" (methodos) explicitly tells us that the devil travels "with a road" or "On a road." This road which the devil is traveling on is obviously headed somewhere! Where is that road headed?
The word "Devices" clearly demonstrates that this road of the devil is headed toward the mind. Whoever controls the mind, also controls that person's health and emotions. The enemy knows this! Therefore, he seeks to penetrate our intellect, our mental control center, so that he may flood it with deception and falsehood. Once this is accomplished, then from this position of control, the devil can begin to manipulate that person's body and emotions.
When this penetration into the mind is accomplished, and once the adversary has paved a road into that person's mind and emotions, the process of mental and spiritual captivity is well under way. If this devilish process is not aborted by the power of God, and by the renewing of the mind, it is only a matter of time before a solid stronghold of deception will begin to dominate and manipulate that person's self-image, emotional status and his overall thinking.
This leads us to the third word which we must understand when discussing spiritual warfare: the word "Deception."
The Deception of the Devil:
Deception occurs when a person believes the lies that the enemy has been telling him. The moment you begin to believe the lie that the devil has been telling you, is the very moment when those wicked thoughts and mind games began to produce reality in your life.
The devil may assault your mind by repeatedly telling you that you are a failure. However, as long as you resist those allegations, they will exert absolutely no power in our life.
If, on the other hand, you begin to give credence to these lies and mentally perceive them as though they are really the truth, those lies will begin to dictate to you and will dominate your emotions and your thinking. In the end, your faith in that lie will give power to it, and will cause it to become a bona fide reality in your life; and you will become a failure.
Perhaps the enemy constantly bombarded your mind about sickness. Perhaps his lying
allegations have repeatedly told you that you are going to contract a terrible disease and die an early death. When these lies first assaulted your mind, you resisted them and refused to believe what you were hearing. Now, however, you have begun to wonder if these thought may have some validity.
If this process is not stopped, it will only be a matter of time until you truly begin to feel
physically sick in your body. Do not give credence to those lying insinuations! When you
embrace those "mind games" and perceive them as truth, you give power to them! Thus, if you do not speak to yourself and take charge of your mind, the complete process of deception will continue working in your life, until finally, the process is complete and your fears become reality. When this occurs, you are deceived.
So these three things—the wiles, devices and deception of the devil are extremely importantly for us to see and understand, especially when studying the subject of spiritual warfare.
For review the word "Wiles" (methodos) tells us that the devil operates "with a road" or primarily with one avenue," of attack.
Second, the word "Devices" (noemata) tells us where that avenue is headed: It is headed toward the mind. Once that road is paved into the mind, the enemy begins to regularly travel in and out of one's mind and emotions to confuse and scramble the mind with wrong thinking, wrong believing and false perceptions.
In the third place, "Deception" occurs when you embrace that lie that the devil is telling you. This false perception which you have embraced will empower that lie to become a bona fide reality in your life.
John 16:33
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
In His Grip,
Pastor Wendy Schenkel
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