Zechariah 3:1-7
1. Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Joshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”
3 Joshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Joshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.” 5 Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by. 6 Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Joshua and said, 7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.
This scene occurs in heaven. The setting is like a courtroom where God is the judge, Joshua, the high priest is the defendant, and Satan is the prosecutor. Satan appears to have a case against Joshua because Joshua is wearing filthy garments and the high priest was to wear clean clothes.
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (Revelation 12:10).
We have learned that as the deceiver Satan uses lies to attack the mind to make us ignorant of Gods will. If Satan cannot defeat you by deceiving your mind, He will try to destroy your body. Then he goes after your will. Suppose that the believer does not take advantage of their victorious position in Christ. Suppose they refuse to use the spiritual defenses provided. The believer sins, what then? You would think that Satan, having led the person into sin would leave them to suffer the consequences, but this does not happen. Satan has one more trick up his sleeve to make the Christian doubly defeated.
Joshua, the high priest stands before guilty before God. Satan stands at his right hand to accuse him. Jesus stands at God’s right hand to represent Joshua and restore him. This explains why Jesus returned to heaven with wounds not scares. Did God close his eyes to the reality of Joshua’s sin? Of course not! God will never defend his children’s sins, he will however defend his children. When Abraham lied in Egypt, he defended Abraham not his sin. When you listen to Satan’s accusations, you will focus your attention on yourself and your sin, this will lead to defeat and despair. When we listen to the Holy Spirit’s conviction, we will look by faith to Jesus, our advocate at the throne of God. Satan will accuse you. You do not have to listen. Turn by Faith to Jesus our advocate, and confess our sins to him. Depend on what God’s word says, not on how you feel.
How did Joshua feel? How do you feel when you purposely sin against the Savior who loves you and has given Himself for you? He was broken hearted as you and I should be when we are confronted and convicted with our sins by the Holy Spirit.
Often though it is not only the Holy Spirit, but Satan who moves in to kill us spiritually and physically. He attacks us in our heart and conscience. Remember how God looks at you as His child: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who ahas called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9)
Satan’s weapon is accusation When Satan talks to you about God, he lies. When he talks about you to God he sometimes tells the truth. He is the accuser of the brethren. He has access to heaven, the very throne of God. There he reminds God of the condition of his saints. We must learn between Satan’s accusations and God’s conviction. Guilt and shame only good if comes from Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit convicts you, he uses the word of God in love and seeks to bring you into fellowship with the father like He did Peter. When Satan accuses you, he uses our own sin in a hateful way, and seeks to make us feel helpless and hopeless like he did Judas.
Despair and spiritual paralysis result from listening to Satan’s accusations. When you have that helpless hopeless feeling, you can be sure Satan is accusing you. We cannot control the origins of our troubles, but we can control the outcome.
Satan’s purpose is to bring an indictment by God’s will. Satan wants you to feel guilty. He wants us to experience regret and remorse, but not repentance. He wants to keep accusing you so that you focus your attention on yourself and your sins. Walk by faith not by sight. When you look away by faith to Jesus, you will repent and confess.. You will find cleansing and restoration. As long as you are feeling guilty, you are under indictment and you are moving farther and farther from the lord.. As Christians we must not fall into Satan’s trap . There is a place for spiritual conviction. Excessive guilt and sorrow can only lead to depression, despair, and defeat.
Our defense is the interceding Son of God. In another military battle, God told His people: “Be not afraid nor confused by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s....You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, you stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.” (II Chronicles 20:15,17). Your part in this battle against Satan is to worship the Lord and praise His name for giving you the victory.
Satan stands at our right hand to resist us and accuse us. But it is also true that Jesus stands at God’s right hand to intercede for us. “If any person sins, they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1). Jesus finished His work on earth and returned to heaven to take up His unfinished work. He is perfecting us and preparing us for glory. He intercedes for us and provides the grace that we need when we are tested and tempted.. If by faith we turn to him and come to the throne of grace he will see us through to victory. If we yield to temptation and sin, then he ministers as our advocate to forgive us and restore us to fellowship once again. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). Don't get discouraged and quit because God has not given up on you, He is on your side.
