The Accuser and the Advocate.
Below are basic notes to a message I preached.
The Accuser and the Advocate.
Zechariah 3:1
“Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”
The nature of our enemy
1. The enemy is going to resist.
Though this man Joshua was wearing Holy Garments in a Holy place, we see the enemy resisting him.
You never reach a point on this side of heaven that there is a not a battle to be had.
2. The Enemy is your accuser.
We see this precedent set in the book of Job. Job is the oldest book, written before the book of Genesis. I say that to underline, we see here that the Devil and his agenda is to destroy and undermine everything one of us would endeavor to do.
Though God expressed faith in Job, the Devil doubted and incriminated the integrity of Job. He declared, “He only serves you because of the good in his life and the hedge about him.”
The nature, of our enemy....
He don’t believe in you. The enemy sees the worst in you. And worse, he shouts his evil pronouncement through the realms...
The Bible calls him, “The accuser of the brethren.”
JOB
Undermining your motives.
Doubting your desire.
That voice of sarcasm that will assail you of your intention.
Condemnation that he will heap on you everytime you perform below your aim. He maintains a record of every misstep, weakness, allowance and failure.
No doubt he provided all the reasons why you could and should compromise or indulge, in moments after you succumbed, when one would try to correct the mistake in repentance or contrition... he will begin to accuse you in your heart and mind.
Condemnation is the favorite weapon on those who find themselves in a place of sorrow for deeds, words, action and attitudes that are off the mark.
The difference between conviction and condemnation.
Condemnation is like a bat the enemy uses to resist your repentance and reform.
“You can’t live for God!”
“You are damaged!”
“You went to far.”
“How could you do that!”
“Why try!”
“You will just fall again!”
“Look at all those hypocrits... no one lives for God, just give up and be real!”
We have all heard that evil echo in our hearts. The enemy would like to keep you down through that spirit of condemnation that would cause us to cease.
Conviction is like a sharp stick prod you up when you have fallen.
Jesus said to Saul on the road to Damascus, “It is not easy for you to resist the goads.” These sharp sticks whose aim were to keep a ox in a set pattern and course.
Conviction says,
God loves you
Try again
There is always mercy
His arms are always outstretched toward you!
“We have an advocate with the father.”
It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance!
1 John 2:1 If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Conviction leads us to the doorway of the mercy.
Conviction leads us to repentance.
And so, while the Devil is Resisting you at every turn.
Revelation 12:9-11 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
The accuser is forever defaming you, doubting you, reminding you, of all the evil you have done.
No matter the accusation.
Even if what the Devil says about you is true.
Though his record is accurate of your carnality.
The Enemy that resist you.
The Enemy that accuses you...
He does not want to give you credit..
He will try to get you to forget evidence.
He will try to get you to leave out certain key evidence in your trial!
Zachariah 3:1-7
Read the text. Expand on it.
Notice what the Angel said!
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even theLord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
The Lord Rebuke thee!
It’s not just you against the Devil.
It’s the Devil against God’s purpose in your life.
The Lord Rebuke Thee!
Look at this
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Could it be that the Devil thought because Moses was chastined in not going into the promise Land that he thought Moses / his body belonged to him? The archangel did not try to contend with him... but simply said, "The Lord rebuke thee."
The Advocate of Moses would not let the Enemy claim his death as a victory. Though he did not fulfill his complete destiny, he was not claimed by his enemy, but rather preserved by his Advocate.
I have good news today!
The Accuser,
Though he has a powerful case.
Though he makes a powerful argument
Though he has centuries of experience.
Though he has successfully destroyed millions
The Advocate
The advocate has a special relationship with the Judge.
The advocate has permission to introduce special evidence that will exonerate you.
The advocate has been appointed to not just plead your case, but he also will determine the outcome.
The accuser of the bretheren is cast down.
They overcame him, by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony and that they loved not their lives unto death.
I testify to the supremacy of my Advocate.
He not only pleads my case.
He not only believes in my potential.
He provides his blood to offer absolution, redemption and salvation from the penalty of all my sins.
If I confess my Sins, He is faithful and Just to forgive them.
The case is fixed.
It's not fair.
I have the ability to tap into the measureless mercy of God.
I have access to this grace in which we stand!
Thank God for the Advocacy of Jesus Christ!
My Accuser will be cast down forever because of the work of my advocate.