The Accuser vs The Advocate - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 23, 2023

How many of us have watched those dramatic television shows about lawyers 'duking' it out in the courtroom? Tension builds when one of the lawyers points a finger at the defendant, sitting on the stand. The lawyer squints her eyes and raises her voice, having asked the death knell question - one the defendant can't wiggle their way out of. The lawyer has asked something that no matter what the defendant says and no matter the reality, she will look bad. "Yes, or no!" the lawyer says as the defendant squirms, unsure what to say. The damage is soon done and the lawyer flips her hair. Heels clicking against the tiled floors as she returns to her seat, a look of accomplishment on her face.

Then the defendant's lawyer rises and approaches his client. He says a few words to calm her down and she takes a deep breath, before he also proceeds with questions. However, these questions allow the defendant to provide more context to the answer she gave while being grilled by the other attorney. Once over, the jury is nodding as they take their notes, even the judge looks less hostile. The other lawyer though? There are deep frown lines on her forehead and her lips have turned down at the corners. She is far from pleased that her strategy didn't go as planned.

Many of us don't yet realize that there is an Accuser and an Advocate in our lives. On a day-to-day basis, they are invisible to us, yet, their impact is very real. Both of these 'lawyers' stand before God and we are the topic of discussion, or rather, litigation. What happens during these moments can make the difference between a person experiencing favor or disaster in any given situation. The Accuser points a finger, suggesting we are irredeemable, that we should be punished for our sins. It wants the curses outlined in the Bible to be the norm for those accused. The Advocate, on the other hand, outlines the reasons why we deserve mercy, even when we did wrong. He enforces God's covenant with us (Hebrews 7:22).

The Accuser is like Jezebel, who used her knowledge of God's law to have Naboth accused of a crime he didn't commit and thus killed unjustly. Jezebel knew that as long as two scoundrels accused Naboth of having insulted the king and blasphemed against God, she could quickly get him out of the way and her husband could possess the dead man's vineyard. The devil schemes against us in just the same way. Knowing God's word, it conspires to put people in situations where it can accuse them of sin. It will even go as far as encouraging an individual to sin, only to then run and snitch on them, trying to get God to remove His hand of protection from the person. It is a legalist and seeks to strictly use God's word against people. It hates that God affords His people grace, forgiveness and vindication.

Fortunately, the Advocate stands at the right hand of God to counter satan's accusations. His name is Jesus Christ and we are told in 1 John 2:1 - My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. It is His job to defend those who have claimed Him as their Lord and Savior each and every time satan points a finger. Through Jesus, believers can condemn the accusations the devil has made, no matter which ones (Isaiah 54:17).

God is so gracious that not only does Jesus act as our lawyer, but, the Holy Spirit also serves as an attorney for those that the devil seeks to destroy. John 14:26 - But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you (AMP). Look at the words used to describe the Holy Spirit! We need Him in addition to Jesus fighting for us in the heavenly court of law to silence our enemy.

When we are aware that the Accuser wants to steal from us, kill us and destroy our lives, we start to live in a way that deprives it of opportunities. We stop lying, stealing, gossiping, fornicating and doing other things that God commanded us to refrain from. We will also be more aware of the need to live a life that gives our Advocate what He needs to defend us. To that end, we'll study God's word more, praise Him more, praying for others and doing the things God has asked us to do. As none of us is perfect, we will make mistakes. Nevertheless, learning to confess and repent of our sins, choosing to live righteously and in the fear of the Lord, limits what the Accuser can use or say against us. Praise God for giving His people a more than adequate defense team! And as long as we don't break the hedge of protection around us through covered-up sin, satan is powerless in its accusations and we are justified by the blood of Christ, just as if we never sinned. Glory to God!