Title: Destroying the Spirit of Rejection
Plot: A Deliverance Book that Explores the Damage Done by Rejection
Notes: This is particularly useful for those who experienced trauma young
Listen to "Destroying the Spirit of Rejection" on Spreaker.
Full Transcript
Hey, welcome back!
Today I will be reviewing Destroying the Spirit of Rejection by John Eckhardt
The beginning and the end of the book were solid, but not spectacular, and yet I gave his book six stars for content.
This study is not for everyone. I would put it in the category of Spiritual Warfare and deliverance. I understand if that makes you uncomfortable, but I would also caution that we cannot defeat the enemies we fail to confront. So if you should decide to leave, I encourage you to prayerfully consider returning. With the understanding that demons hate to be expelled. So don't be surprised if you sense resistance to this message, but always remember the demon possessed man who saw Jesus from a distance and ran toward him. Though he was full of demons and though they are strong, they cannot stop a man or woman from running to Christ for deliverance.
I was amazed at the breadth and depth of the attack of the spirit of rejection. I made a list of spirits John indicated that rejection invites in. And I ended up with a list of over 200. Though I am a Christian, I came to understand that the scene in the Bible where Jesus drives out the money changers from the temple, is an illustration not only that demons can enter spirit filled Christians, but that we have a God who hates them and will drive them out with force and determination when he's called upon to do so.
And so one by one I commanded all of the demons to depart from me in the name of Jesus and by the time I finished the list, even though it only took a few minutes. I was exhausted and I needed a nap. Being the middle of the day, the one I took after this experience was twice as long as my normal naps might last. And my neighbor informed me that she came over, rang my doorbell twice and pounded on my door and apparently I slept through it all. When looking in the mirror afterwards I noticed I looked thinner and younger. And so if for no other reason, do it for that one!
But something interesting happened later that night. A friend of mine invited me over and began yelling and behaving angrily toward me. As if I had done something bad, even though I hadn't. And I have surveillance cameras outside my house and that night the wind howled and we had a freak snow storm. It was as if my house was surrounded by a tempest. I took that to mean that the demons who were once on the inside were now expelled and not very happy about it. And so this tells me that a spirit filled Christian, can not only have a demon, he or she can have many. But that they cannot be possessed, meaning we cannot be controlled because God is behind the wheel in the Holy of Holies and these enterprising demons were only in the outer courtyard. And so if you are a Christian, and I made you uncomfortable by revealing it's possible you have demons, know that your condition after listening to this podcast is exactly the same as it was before listening. You are still in control, but you have a bunch of backseat drivers that need to go and a God with a whip and a temper that's aching to send them packing.
And so, if you're interested, you can find a link to the complete list of those spirits I just mentioned at the bottom of this podcast in the Full Transcripts of my website.
However, if you are not a spirit filled Christian, meaning if you have not received Jesus Christ, then I encourage you to do exactly that before attempting to expel any demons. Otherwise God warns they will eventually return with a vengeance.
And so for you, I recommend before casting out any demons, you first say this prayer. Say it with me now:
Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, but I believe you died on the cross for me and rose again from the dead. Now I turn from my sin and ask you to cleanse me from my sin, give me my new heart with you in it. I ask to be born-again. Be my Savior, my Lord, my God, my guide, and my friend. Please Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. In Jesus name I pray. Shalom!
Moving right along... John's book is a great one! I've already read it twice and I intend to read it again. Not because it was over my head, it was a well written, pleasant read, but rather because it's a lot of information to take in, and I sense the devil and his agents wanted me to forget it completely. And I want to remember anything they want me to forget. They even tried various tactics to delay me from making this podcast telling me this book is a big deal.
John makes the argument that demons operate in clusters to improve their odds of success, to increase their strength, and to embed and entrench themselves in a way that makes them difficult to dislodge. So owning a book like John's makes the process easier, because instead of beating our fists in the air aimlessly like shadow boxers, we can be deliberate and focused in our attack against our enemies. Remember, God did not issue us the bathing suits of beauty contents, but rather the spiritual armor of God. He gave us armor not to make us look good, but because we need it. Far too many Christians think they are in beauty contests. And I expect that for them, life will get ugly.
There is a fascinating illustration that John uses in his book that essentially suggests that people struggling with the spirit of rejection are often experiencing a spiritual Benjamin Button. Though I haven't seen that movie I know the plot is that a man was born old and as he aged he became younger. Not having seen the movie, I don't know the mechanics of that or the affect it had on his mom during the birthing process, but presumably when he was born he looked eighty years old and then eighty years later he looked like an infant.
In a similar way, John indicated that the spirit of rejection causes its victims to age normally outwardly, but inwardly he forces a reversal. This means the older they get the less mature they behave and John said the goal is to spiritually strangle them in the night with their own umbilical chord. Don't ask me how the mechanics of that work, because I don't know, but I can tell you that everything he described happened to me at one time in my life. I have woke up choking in the night sensing hands around my neck trying to suffocate me. Considering that being the bachelor I am, I did in fact decorate my house like I was ten at the time. Therefore, it would seem he makes some compelling arguments with this line of reasoning.
So if you find yourself dwelling on your past, particularly your childhood, this might be an indication the spirit of rejection is having his way with you. And rather than indulge in this thinking, we should resist it. One of the demons the spirit of rejection invites is one of escapism, who encourages us to find ways to pretend we don't live in the world we live in. Whether through video games, book writing or day dreaming, watching TV and movies or hiding in our bedrooms. These demons work together to disconnect us from reality with the ultimate goal being to supplant our personality and replace it with theirs. Often people who suffer from rejection put on a facade having one identity on the outside and another on the in — because they fear that others would hate the real them. Therefore, they attempt to become someone else, and this is the mechanics of how demons can lead this person to suppress themselves so the inmates can run the asylum. Extreme cases of this result in schizophrenia where multiple personalities eventually emerge. One is the real owner of the body and the others are the strongest demons taking turns being in charge. Ultimately the host, may have no idea what happens when they punch out.
I've said it before the devil doesn't play fair, and demons are not our friends.
I have come to understand that it is very important we be careful about the things we agree to tacit or otherwise. As a result I have become very disagreeable. Because demons seek agreement in order to gain access. A stronghold occurs when the demon convinces us it has something to offer us that we want and especially need. And so in some cases people have received exorcisms, but the demons returned because they asked the host a question, and the answer ultimately brought the demons right back in. This is why, by the way, Jesus commanded the demons to shut up. He understood the person would hear their tricks and succumb by giving a bad answer to their questions.
These questions are subtle and slick. They might ask, "Don't you want to be strong?" And if the demon once tricked you into associating him with strength, then answering that question yes essentially tells the demon, you want him back. Demons obtain license to enter by asking us questions we answer poorly. This would be like me knocking on your door. And if you say "come in" or "come here" or give any statement, or make any face that implies I'm welcome, then you have granted me both access and license to enter your home. And I can stay until you throw me out. This is likely why God warned us not to utter the name of false Gods because saying their name out loud could be interpreted as an invitation into your presence.
Some people are persistent about getting into our homes. I once had a demon possessed man pounding on my door night and day torturing and harassing me because I lacked the understanding of the spirit realm that I have now. I didn't know he was demon possessed, and I was trying to be a good Christian. This turned me into a sucker he could exploit. He used my faith against me knowing that I was obligated by certain questions to respond with certain answers. I ultimately expelled that man permanently by installing a video doorbell and when he came I refused to open the door to him until he finally went away for good.
And so when it comes to demons, don't even open the door. And if you have opened the door you must throw them out and be serious about never letting them return again ever. They will leave if you command them to leave, but first command them to shut up to ensure they won't ask you a question you might answer poorly.
In John's book he uses a brilliant illustration of repairing the breach and rebuilding the wall by referencing the story of Nehemiah. Nehemiah wept because of the condition of Jerusalem and he obtained permission from the king to rebuild it. The rebuilding process was fraught with opposition, much in the same way demons operate. His enemies tried to circumvent and twist the law, they hurled insults and threats, they mocked and attempted to delay and divert the work. However, Nehemiah had a singular focus. He commanded half the men to work and the other half to be prepared for battle. And even the workers used one hand to work and had a sword in the other hand. And on top of all of that, they were issued trumpets so that if an attack was launched they could call for help.
Find the book, buy the book, and read the book. It is fantastic. I will be reading more of John's books. And I hope they meet this same standard of quality and revelation.
As always: thank you for listening. Have a brilliant week! And y'all Come back now! Ya here?
List of Spirits invited in by the Spirit of Rejection (from another website)
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