We Are Accused and Defended Night and Day

We Are Accused and Defended Night and Day

The great dragon, that old serpent, the one who is called the Devil and Satan and who is the accuser of our brethren, accuses us before God day and night! Rev. 12:9-10. What an activity to be engaged in! He is extremely busy! He must have plenty of material to take from because he can keep it going day and night! He accuses us of everything possible; he leaves nothing out. He knows we are not supposed to sin; therefore he accuses us of sinning. He accuses us of sins we have committed, and of sins we have not committed, of conscious sins and of unconscious sins, in addition to everything that we have not done which he maintains we should have done. We are constantly being accused of all kinds of things, whether it is true or not, whether we are guilty or not, because besides being our accuser, he is also a liar and the father of lies.

But we also have a capable Defender, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who is Truth personified, and who is the atonement for our sins—sins that we have committed, and also those which we have not yet committed. 1 John 2:1-2. He, too, stands before the Father night and day.

Therefore we can and shall always refer the accuser to our perfect Mediator. He takes up our case; He is our lawyer, our Advocate! He wins the case because He has both the power and the right to forgive sins as well as to save us from sinning. He is able to put right what is still not in order. Therefore we can always rightfully and with good reason refer all accusations to our excellent Defender, Savior, and Sanctifier, Jesus Christ, the One who continually intercedes for us and whose prayers are always heard on the righteous foundation of His atonement for our sins!

There is much misery among God’s children because so many of them have not learned to resist this tireless and deceitful accuser. It is absolutely necessary to be obedient to these exhortations: “Nor give place to the devil.” Eph. 4:27. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” All creatures “test the wind” to see whether the conditions are favorable. If they are received they will come again soon, but they do not have a great desire to return wherever they have been brutally rejected.

By this we know that all those who are regularly plagued by Satan have in fact extended him a hearty welcome. Instead of resisting him steadfastly so that he left them in all haste and was slow to return, they have willingly lent him an ear and paid good attention to what he has said to them, so that he returned with the greatest pleasure as quickly as possible, continuing his successful work. Such a person has given him a place and a “good chair to sit on” instead of firmly and decisively refusing to open the door of his heart, even refusing to listen to a single sentence!

Why are you listening to the liar? Why even discuss things with such a smooth-tongued accuser when such a perfect Advocate has been appointed? You will pay dearly for such irresponsibility!

How can you know that it is Satan? Because he accuses! That is his specialty! He makes you restless, discouraged, hopeless, resigned, and does not point to deliverance but rather to rejection. True enough, God can also correct sternly, but He never accuses!

To God the Lord belong escapes from death! Ps. 68:20. He points to the escapes from misery, just as His servants do. Therefore these two voices are as different as night from day! God wants to save! Satan wants to destroy. God leads us into rest in our inner being. Satan causes us to be restless; he drives people “up the wall,” leading them in circles. God reminds us to put things right—thoroughly, promptly, without further ado, and unequivocally. However, Satan accuses you and makes you restless, with the result that you think it is never good enough and that there will never be an end of it and that you will constantly be in doubt about how much you should acknowledge and confess. Satan drives people so that they become quite exhausted in spirit, soul, and body. However, when God and His Spirit drive us, it leads to rest, blessedness, and strength.

You might like to ask that accusing voice if he thinks it will go badly with you. If the answer is “yes” you can be certain that it is the accuser, Satan, the one whom you are commanded to resist.

As with everything else, you can become rooted and grounded in resisting Satan, which is the most necessary thing of all. Of what help would it be to be greatly blessed by God and advance far on God’s way if one fine day everything were to collapse? You should secure what you have gained by learning to resist him!

When you know that you really want to depart from sin, really want to do God’s will, really want to be good and do the good, then it is God’s business to save, keep, and defend you, even if you are ever so wretched, and have been ever so wretched for a long time. He knew who you were before He began to work with you. He knew that He could make something out of you. Therefore you must continually and confidently commit yourself to Him and thank, glorify, and worship Him and Him alone!