“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” -
(Romans 8:37 NIV).
We have only to flip through the pages of the Bible to see that overcoming the fear of rejection is a thread that runs through the record of history.
Noah overcame the fear of rejection when he obeyed God and built an Ark on dry land.
Abram overcame the fear of rejection when he left his homeland with no clear direction as to where he would go.
Jacob overcame the fear of rejection when he returned to his homeland and his brother whom he had deceived.
Joseph overcame the fear of rejection when he refused Potiphar’s wife’s sexual advances.
Moses overcame the fear of rejection when he went before the Pharaoh and demanded the Israelites’ release.
Joshua overcame the fear of rejection when he told the army their orders were to march around Jericho in silence for seven days.
Ruth, the Moabite, overcame her fear of rejection when she gleaned wheat in the field of a Jew.
Samuel overcame the fear of rejection when the people decided they wanted a King rather than God to be their ruler.
David overcame the fear of rejection when he offered to slay Goliath.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego overcame the fear of rejection when they refused to bow and worship King Nebuchadnezzar.
Esther overcame the fear of rejection when she went before the king to plead for the lives of her people.
Each and every one of the prophets overcame the fear of rejection as they delivered God’s message of judgment to the people.
When we turn the final page of the Old Testament and look into the New Testament, we see the same pattern of courage.
Jesus, his disciples, Paul, and the expanding body of believers all faced and overcame the fear of rejection. Paul’s attitude was
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks!
“If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies”
(Romans 8:31, 33).
And then the ultimate rejection occurred when our Lord and Savior hung on the Roman cross.
“He was despised and rejected by men” (Isaiah 53:3).
But Jesus overcame the fear of rejection and the result was his glorification. He knew crucifixion was imminent. Just before He was arrested Jesus prayed with His disciples: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1).
He didn’t mention His rejection and death on the cross that was ahead of Him. He prayed that God would be glorified. That was foremost in His mind and His heart. Likewise, I believe that we overcome the fear of rejection when glorifying God is foremost on our minds and in our hearts.
The apostle Paul faced rejection at every turn. In his letter to the Thessalonians, he wrote:
“We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God, we dared to tell you his gospel despite strong opposition. The appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts,”
(1 Thessalonians 2:2-4).
Whether it is sharing the gospel or the scars of our past, there will be some who do not accept us. We certainly are not above the prophets in the Old Testament or the disciples in the New. Not everyone liked what they had to say, but they pressed through the fear and walked in faith. It is because of them we have the gospel at our very fingertips!
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