Dealing with Accusations of the Enemy

FEELING UNWORTHY
Zechariah 3: 1-7; Romans 7: 24
Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us to ourselves in order to weaken our faith through condemnation. He accuses us to others to destroy relationships through strife. He accuses us to God as a prosecuting attorney pointing out our sins in order to turn God against us on legal grounds. He often succeeds in accusing us to ourselves and in accusing us to one another. The experience of Romans 7 (the infirmity of our flesh and our propensity to sin) makes us vulnerable to guilt and accusation. However, Romans 8 brings us out of condemnation, and the work of the cross disarms the enemy's accusatory assault against us before God (Colossians 2: 11-16). The work of the cross makes the enemy powerless. Zechariah 3 shows the futility of the enemy's efforts in this area. When he charges us with sin and failure, God simply says, "Jesus bore the sin, the penalty has been paid, and I have chosen them. They have been tried in the fire. My sovereign choice stands."
Zechariah 3 should be very encouraging to us because it reveals the enemy's helplessness before the blood of Christ and the sovereignty of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. God has chosen us and that settles it. He washes us, disciplines us, and gives us clean robes. How great is His abundant grace and steadfast love to His children!
A student who had confessed to sexual immorality was asked to stand before her Christian high school to express her repentance. Word of her situation had spread around school and everyone knew about the sin; therefore, it was necessary that they also be informed of her repentance. She stood before the assembled students and told of her failure and how she had turned back to the Lord. The Holy Spirit began to touch people, and teachers as well as students began to weep throughout the auditorium. Afterwards many came up in tears asking for prayer and confessing their own sins and need for help. The Lord had forgiven her and enabled her to be a blessing to many others. God is able to turn our shame and remove our reproach.
We are able to strengthen others when we turn to the Lord in our weaknesses and failures. Those who have never failed tend to be proud and critical and are often judgmental and condemning of others. Those who know their own frame (Psalm 103: 13-15) and who have seen their own “feet of clay” are more prone to compassion and mercy toward others.