Overcoming

Overcoming the Accuser

By Pastor Dan Kennedy

www.pastorkennedy.com

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Have you ever gossiped about someone in Church? Have you been the unfortunate person gossiped about? Today I would not only like to briefly look at the subject of gossip, but also at the three primary ways a Believer in Jesus Christ overcomes the accuser of his or her soul. When we speak derogatorily against others we unwittingly join forces with the accuser of the Brethren.

Revelation 12:7-12

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Let’s try to determine some critical truths from the context of this passage.

I. The Cataclysmic Heavenly War (Rev. 12:7)

One day, I believe in the not-so-distant future, there will be a huge Supernatural bitter heavenly War. This cataclysmic war will be between Michael, God’s Archangel with God’s angels, and Satan, the dragon with his fallen angels. This war will profoundly affect everyone on earth. I believe this passage could be a companion passage with Daniel 12:1 when Michael, the great prince of God’s people “arises” and there begins a time of great trouble never before seen in the nations of the world!

A cataclysmic heavenly war (this passage) with the direst of earthly consequences (Daniel 12:1)!

•The Book of Job reveals that the accuser is allowed in heaven to accuse God’s faithful – (Job 1:6-2:10). Satan had limited access to God’s Throne, where he brought his accusations. Job also reveals that Satan also obviously had (with God’s permission) intimate and powerful detrimental interaction in the lives of those on earth. It is my opinion that this is still true today.

•When we look at this passage in context in the Book of Revelation, we assume that this great battle occurs during the tribulation period - a time when the accuser and his angels are cast out and there is no longer any place for them in heaven. A time of great trouble both in the heavenly realms and on the earth (Daniel 12:1). The devil comes down on the earth in great wrath, because he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).

II. God’s Angels defeat the dragon and his angels (Rev. 12:8,9)

•There is no longer any place for the rebellious accusing angels in heaven. They are thrown down to the earth.

•We may have assumed that Satan was cast out of heaven when he and the rebellious angels originally sinned, but the fact of this verses asserting that his presence (and the presence of the fallen angels with him) have been allowed limited access in heaven for, at least, the express purpose of accusing God’s Children (day and night) before God, reveals that God’s plan is much broader than ours. The point still holds that Satan is cast out at this time, following this cataclysmic angelic war.

III. A Declaration is then made of Satan’s demise, with his angels (Rev. 12:10)

• With this declaration comes the revelation that Satan has accused God’s Children day and night before God.

• It is of interest that the following statement of overcoming is during one of the greatest turmoils in the history of the world… a time when the devil’s wrath is greatest because he knows his time is short. If these spiritual weapons are used during this time of the great wrath of our enemy, then we should be effectively employing their power today.

IV. The Three-tiered Effective Spiritual Weaponry to use against our supernatural foe (Rev. 12:11)

1. They conquered the enemy by the blood of the Lamb

o The Blood of the Lamb is the Power through which a Believer in Christ has victory. Jesus Christ’s blood and His death conquered sin and satan, and Christ’s resurrection conquered the death and the grave.

2. They conquered the enemy by the word of their testimony

o The Word of our testimony is our personal declaration of Christ’s transforming power in our lives, by His Holy Spirit.

3. They conquered the enemy because they loved not their lives even unto death

o There is great power against our enemy when we are willing to place our lives on the line against him.

Accuser

by Dan Kennedy

(The following reading was written as a parable... a story from my imagination, totally from a limited human perspective. It was primarily written to point out the terrible sadness when believers are accomplices with the accuser against other Children of God, through their demeaning, hateful and accusatory gossip. When we speak derogatorily against others we unwittingly join forces with the accuser of the Brethren.)

A heavy fog obscured my vision from everything but the huge structure looming before me. I walked hesitantly up its marbled steps, through the gilded colonnade of pillars, and entered the expansive courtroom through the massive doors that would make my arrival seem the least obvious to the throbbing mass of people I could hear and even feel inside. The interior of the massive structure reminded me of an expansive, ultra-high-ceiling cathedral, but with bleacher-like seating throughout, uncomfortably full with a very intrigued audience, reverberating with an agitated anticipation. I took my place among them on a seat that would give me optimum view.

It seemed that everyone's intense concentration was focused on a lone creature cringing in the center of that spacious courtyard. Before him was a Judge and on either side were lawyers. The air was electric with tension and consternation. The attorney defending the man was pacing back and forth from side to side. His hands were pensively clasp in front of him, at times, or subconsciously pulling at his beard.

Everyone was critically listening to the bitter diatribe from the accusing lawyer, who was spewing out torrents of viral words against the poor specimen on display.

The accusing lawyer, with a gleam of wicked triumph, was right up in the face of the man who was twisting and squirming in his hard-backed chair. The lawyer was hurling accusation after vile accusation concerning the man’s past questionable conduct. Even the good that the man had done seemed defiled and corrupt, given the deceptive and clever manipulation of this lawyer’s dramatic presentation and diabolical legalese.

Soon a man from the bleachers stood up encouraging the accusing lawyer with loud and obscene remarks, vehemently wanting to add credence to the accuracy of the vile lawyer’s damming statements. The whole crowd was now throbbing with feeling. Different people stood up in their places, from diverse sections in that sea of bleachers, several even jumped to their feet together in un-choreographed unison, yelling their disapproval at that wretched soul cowering before them. A few threw empty bottles, half-eaten food and trash at the man. Others just sat there in shocked silence – trying to make sense of it all.

As I listened, I too could recognize that pitiful creature; in fact, I knew him better that I had first realized. We had attended the same church together. He was a bit obnoxious, I thought, but the more I heard, the more obnoxious I believed the man to be and the more I could see why everyone was so angry with him. It all made a cruel, twisted kind of sense.

With each accusation, I became more and more caught up with the absolute wrongness of this poor character. He was becoming so wicked to me that I, too, stood to my feet, hatefully repeating some of the hidden stories that I had heard of the man's past, throwing my whole person squarely against this hapless victim. It was true that I did not know the circumstances first hand, but so what, his actions were obviously worse than anything I could say. The stories seemed so true.

While I was speaking, he turned and looked at me, his face was torn with unbelief, pain and agony. He mumbled what seemed to be an indistinguishable plea.

"Ha!" I gloated, not hearing him, "You deserve it, you dirty hypocrite!" Satisfied with myself, I wiped my sweaty brow with a not so clean handkerchief and sat down. I had released my pent-up anger and also earned the admiration of those seated around me. They bobbed their heads up and down self-righteously as they nodded approvingly in my direction. Some even walked over and patted me on the back.

What was his defense Lawyer saying? Busy with my own accusations, I hadn't even heard His request for permission to speak. He was telling the Judge that within the not-to-distant past the man had realized the sinfulness of his ways, had repented and turned to Christ's forgiveness.

I jumped to my feet. "He's a slow grower!" I shouted, as I challenged the kind Lawyer. "Those decisions didn't seem to leave much of an impact on him...he still has some ‘baddd’ habits...do you want to hear 'em?" The whole audience laughed, cat-called and yelled for me to “tell all”. Intoxicated with the spotlight and my pride, I rattled off in as graphic way as possible, some more of the unchristian-like things that I had heard gossiped about him in recent years.

The man shook in pain from my mocking, and with a cracking and almost inaudible voice, cried out his intense plea, “I appeal to the Blood of Jesus Christ!”

The defense Attorney clearly heard the man, looked at the crowd and held his point, in the face of my grossly misinformed and ill-advised tirade. The man was a genuine believer and truly repentant, no matter what anyone said.

"Do the records show that the man truly sought forgiveness through the sacred Blood?" The Judge questioned the defense, as if to underline the point.

"He did!" was the emphatic response.

"Not guilty!" The Judge thundered, bringing His gavel down hard on the high-gloss podium.

Those who had just been jeering at the man in the court room were stunned and some immediately stood up again in protest, waving their hands defiantly in the air and wildly stamping their feet to show the Judge their distain of His decision! Had the Judge heard what had just been said about that groveling creature in front of them?

The Judge had obviously heard but ignored the ill-conceived and ill-mannered protest. He continued to question the compassionate Defense.

"Did he claim forgiveness by the sacred Blood and repent from his waywardness?" He repeated for further clarification. "Did he seek to mend his ways when he failed and did he cry out for help and guidance to find the right path? Did He call upon the Name of the Lord for salvation, through the Blood of the Lamb?"

"He did!" was the firm, objective and honest reply.

“He is declared to be a Blood-bought Child of My Kingdom!” The Judge fervently concluded.

The Judge Himself was now directly and defiantly countering the vile lawyer and the accusing throng as He continued.

“He is Redeemed because of My Son’s Sacrifice - He is Not Guilty!” The Judge resounded his gavel again in triumphant finality even harder a second time!

I was incensed.

The man was almost bewildered with the decision as he staggered to his feet, his Lawyer gently helping him up.

"Foul!" Cried the opposition, reinforced by the heckling crowd.

"Silence!" Demanded the glowering Judge.

So frustrated was I, that in a fury I stood to leave...just as the Judge motioned for the clerk to call the next person to the stand.

Wheeling on one heel toward the entryway, I was almost to the door when my numbed brain finally assimilated the name that the clerk was calling. It was my name! "No!" I screamed. But in a moment “the angelic enforcers” were there, drawing me effortlessly, as I desperately struggled the whole way back to that nakedly exposed center-staged, hard-backed chair.

All of the eyes in the bleachers stared incredulously at me as the accusing lawyer opened his bulging brief case, pulled out a thick binder with my name on it and began, item by item, detail by detail, to unfold my past – both good and bad. He sarcastically told of good things, implying that everything I had accomplished was legalistically done to try to impress God, or to try to carnally impress people, and then he finished it off with every sordid detail of all the grimy stuff of which I was terribly ashamed.

Again, the air was electrified. One by one I saw my “friends”, some were my "Christian friends", standing hesitantly at first, and speaking -- against me. Each of their words cut me to the heart, and the crowd seemed to love it.

“What?” I cried to myself more than to the crowd. “What can I do to be free of the guilt of all of these things that I have done? Is there no place to go, no place to hide?”

When all that could be said, had been said against me, my Attorney took the floor and looked up at the Judge with compassion written over His countenance. “He is Mine.” He carefully articulated. “This man is Mine!” He determinedly reiterated, raising His Voice even more forcefully over the din of the rowdy demeaning crowd.

Hanging my head and shaking it softly, I quietly declared over and over again in my weakness, my only plea, “I appeal to the Blood of the Righteous Lamb of God! ... I appeal to the Blood of the Righteous Lamb of God!”

The vast auditorium grew quiet and still. Only the wheezing and muttering of the accusing attorney clashed against the thick and heavy silence that had now absorbed the previous cacophony filling the room.

“Have you accepted, by faith, the sacred Blood of Jesus Christ as justification for all your sins?” the Judge pointedly queried me.

Nodding a trembling affirmative, and with a quivering voice, I stated again, “My unconditional hope is in the Blood of Jesus Christ for the cleansing of my sin!” The Judge then turned and looked at the clerk who had already expectantly opened The Book of Life.

“His name is found here,” came the clerk’s affirmation. Once again the Judge brought down the hardwood gavel on the glossy surface of the judicial podium. “This man is justified before My Throne!” He unequivocally declared!

The Judge paused and looked intently into my eyes. “You are legally totally innocent, free of any and all guilt and fully justified, because of the Blood of My Son. You are free to go."

“Not THAT again!” the accusing attorney stood up and shouted caustically. “You can’t keep doing this!”

“I can’t?” the Judge shot back. “I gave everything that was most precious to me to see him go free. He has accepted the provisions I made available to him in the human race, to clear him of the condemnation of his death demanded by The Law – I Personally have exceeded any of the requirements for the most stringent laws of the universe through the Divine Sacrifice – Laws which I myself had established, and this man has met my conditions, through redemptive, blood-bought faith – I can’t do what?” The Righteous Judge almost stood up as He pulled Himself forward, speaking with such force and gravity that the knuckles on His Hands grew white as He grasped the ornate railing around His Throne.

“The Law of sin required death. My Son has fulfilled all the most stringent Laws of the Universe – through My Son, this man has been declared righteous and free. He is a free man. Let him go!”

If the courtroom was silent before, it was deathly silent now. Even the wheezing of the accusing lawyer was silenced as he had slumped down in his seat, cowering in the farthest dark corner away from the Judge and Defense Attorney.

“Next,” The Judge said to His attendant.

Trembling, with sweaty palms and still terribly shaken, I weakly rose and slipped hesitantly out of my chair, leaving quietly and quickly away from the gawking, still questioning but silent crowd.

Just as I left - almost unnoticed, my Attorney handed me a beautifully wrapped gift. “When you leave, put it on before you enter the City,” He quietly instructed me.

I stumbled down the marbled steps and turned sharply around the corner of the building, trying to hide my tearstained face from the curious crowds flowing in and out between the gilded pillars. I fell on my knees and sobbed once more. I wailed because of the shame and humiliation of everything that I had just experienced. The deceptive reviling “accuser” had been shamelessly revealed to me - first-hand, who accuses the Blood-bought Redeemed, day and night before the Throne of God. I cried out in agony again because I had been so willingly deceived into participating with the lurid crowd, against the one who had preceded me, salivating on the juicy tidbits of fabricated gossip, fanned into white heat by that same accuser. I was greatly ashamed because I was so willingly caught up in self-deluded, putrefied collusion with his vile accusation of other Blood-bought Redeemed, before the very Throne of my own God. Shame! Shame! Shame!

Through my tears and deep sorrow I lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing with waves of regret washing over me. In my agony, my fingers brushed the gift that had fallen from my hands. I pulled myself into a sitting position against the outside wall of the courtroom and wrapped my arms around my gift, gently rocking back and forth while I quietly cried. Wiping my eyes with still shaking hands, I fumbled to open the exquisite present, when I felt a tender nudge from a Hand reaching toward me. I looked up and saw my Attorney kneeling before me with the kindest expression on His Face.

“When you finish putting on your robe, I’ll lead you into The City.” He said with a gracious smile.

In the package was a glorious robe exactly my size, embossed with a name that only He and I could perceive! As I put it on, it caused my old tearstained self-righteous rags to vanish away. His outstretched Hand help me to my feet and He led me down the golden way toward the sparkling pearl gates of The City, that lay in glorious array before me.

As we came through the Gates of the City, my Savior motioned for silence in all of heaven and declared with a loud voice, “This is my precious Child, whom I have purchased with my own Blood. He has been robed in My Righteousness. I have given to Him eternal life, he will never perish and no one can take Him out of My Hand!”

All of heaven wildly applauded Him and genuinely welcomed me!

~~~

I am declared justified by the King of all Ages, the Judge of all time, through His Precious Blood. I have been given the Robe of His Righteousness. I am declared to be His Eternal Child. I am part of His Glorious Bride! I will live forever in the Kingdom of the Living God. I am an heir and joint heir with Jesus Christ, The KING of all kings and the LORD of all lords…for all eternity!

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Revelation 12:11