What is the enemy's #1 attack? Doubt? Deception ? Unforgiveness? Pride? Disunity? Sickness? Well you'll probably be suprized to know that it's none of these or any other temptation. 2 Cor 2.11. "In order that Satan might not out-witt us for we are not un aware of his schemes" unfortunately in ignorance of his tactics, especially his number one scheme Satan does outwitt us! His most powerful weapon is... bitter prayer! Yes, the bible teaches that the enemy is praying! Prayer that seeks to destroy the grace of God over our lives i.e. crying out to God for him to judge us. And it is apparently so effective that Satan who hates wasting time is constantly doing it: Revelation 12.10 "The accuser of our brothers who accuses them before our God day night..." Satan is a Hebrew word meaning accuser or slanderer and in Greek Devil mean enemy or accuser i.e. his very name gives a way his main activity : accusation even his N.T. post cross name! Now this causes a lot of questions : (1) why does Satan focus on this attack of accusation ? (2) how can he go 'before God', why does God allow him in his presence , I thought he had already been thrown out of heaven ? (3) why does God listen to Satan ? (4) Does Satan's Accusations affect God ? If so why (5) In response to this what should our counter attack be? To seek God for answers to these questions I went away with a friend to a quiet hill retreat where we spent 2 days in prayer + study + this is what the LORD showed us:
(1) Satan the Prayer warrior ?
How many sermons do we hear that we should focus on prayer ? Why? Because the power is in heaven. God on his throne holds the reigns that control every thing. If God moves the whole situation changes. Satan knows the power of prayer or rather that the main decisions take place at the throne of God so that's where he centres his attack. When Satan tried a direct attack to kill may be 1000 Israelites through the curse of Balaam it failed as God was protecting. So Satan changed tactics. He Sent the Moabite woman to lead the Jews into adultery, with foreign women God in anger himself then killed 24,000 Jews! Satan's power is very limited since God's protection is infinite so his goal is to get God himself against us.
(2) Satan in the holy place ?
Rev 12.10 (above) says he's there day + night 1Cor 11.4 "...Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" Job 1.6 "...the angels came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came with them". Not only Satan but apparently other Demonic force: "I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the Lord said "who will entice Ahab into attaching Ramoth Gilead and another that. Finally a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said "I will entice him" "By what means ?" The Lord asked "I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets" he said "you will succeed in enticing him" said the Lord "Go and do it " Kings 22.19,22. Angels do not lie or deceive but agents of the Father of lies ie evil spirits do. These unholy flattering prophets were under the control of a Demonic deceiving spirit which 1st had taken permission from God before his throne! Clearly God has a purpose for allowing the Kingdom of darkness + and its rulers before his throne which we shall see...
(3) + (4) God submits to satan ?
Gives in to him ? Listens to him ?
God doesn’t even listen to the human prayer of sinners (John 9.31) so why to Devil ? What are the Devils Accusations / slanders / Here is an example; Satan “ God you see that good Christian, he is only serving your because you has gives him a good job, health and family. Take theses away and he will back-slide. Give him cancer, kill all his family and let him get the sack and he will deny Jesus + loose faith” Coming from satan such a hideous plan is no surprise what is amazing though is when God AGREES ! Read the first 2 chapters of job for this exact scenario. Note Job 2.3 God to satan “………… you incited me against him to ruin him with out any reason” The devils accusation incites or influences God ! we read this at the beginning of Job but it was after 36 Chapters of suffering that the lord spoke to him and apparently revealed this source of his sickness + problems ( Satan's accusations leading to his trial) so that it could be written in his book. But we can know this now so that when trails + testing comes we can be strong in faith and understanding. For those who dismiss the book of job as O.T. + outdated the Lord graciously tells as that the devil is not only the accuser of the Jews but of the ‘brothers’ in N.T ( Revelation 12.10) and hasn’t lessened this but intensified this activity “day + night”! God in humility, though he is well able to do every thing has chosen to share the responsibility or ruling the universe with others “God never does any thing except in answer to prayer” is a good way of putting it. God has 2 principals though which he reigns : justice + grace . When we pray for a believer it inspires, God’s grace on them. Heb 4.16 “let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may…find grace…..” however satan also boldly approaches to seek for justice ! He cries out for God to be just when we sin + judge us. He reminds god of all our sins – although he is a liar he doesn’t need to lie here. There is enough sin in us for the prosecution! Of course if we repent of our sin God is …..” just to forgive us”, satan’s case will not stand. Jesus the defence lawyer, the advocate ( I John 2.1) who is also day + night before the throne of God making his case (Heb 7.25) will win. But how about in the areas we are struggling in, don’t really repent of, or confess, areas we are blind to etc.
Satan’s weapon is the law of God , the righteousness of God, God’s supreme standards + justice. Jesus weapon is his own blood, + God’s mercy.
Since God listens to one side, having given the privilege of prayer, he Has to listen to the other Side ! That is fair ! That why he listens to the accuser (despite his evil motives…….) When I was a teacher if I only listened to one side of an argument between pupils I never got the whole story……..God could have using his eternal, almighty infinite hand crushed the devil at dealt with him in justice. Heb 2.14, tells us that through Jesus’ death God destroyed the devil, this is called redemption. The price was paid. Muslims believe that God just forgives + forgets the sin W/o Punishment but justice demands punishment hence the cross was the only way God could show mercy to man. Our dear George was a little confused about this and used to ask “Did God pay the price to the devil? Never !” I can understand his suprise but even with the devil God used Justice (How much more when We stand on Gods word for provision, deliverance, healing, etc will God definitely, faithfully keep his promises !) So every thing that happens is first battled out before the throne of God between he who ever lives to intercede and the one who day + night accuses.
Now how about the witness for the defence + prosecution ? We are both ! When we gossip or criticize or slander, in anger, we are binding some one on earth so it will be bound / finalised by the devil in heaven (matt 18.18) perhaps satan has a heavenly video camcorder to capture our comment “Oh Bob’s anger will never change ! He always tells lies’’ and after his accusation about Bob plays back our comment as evidence + wins + Bob losses God’s grace + backslides! Some one comes to you and says “ Harry always gets angry .its terrible he does not deserve to be a Pastor” you say “I know” Whatever 2 of you agree on earth will be done for you ( Matt 18.19 God’s justice has to work + ve and –ve) God’s grace is hindered over Harry’s life. Is this what Jesus warned in John 20.23 when he declared that if we did not forgive people’s sin they would not be forgiven ! In the wonderful now world renowned book the “Final Quest” in a vision in heaven Rick was shown how the # 1 hindrance to the church is the believers ! No wonder we have so little anointing we have not learnt to tame our tongues, control our anger – we cancel out most of prayers by our slander. When an intercessor comes to pray, who stands by his side to cross examine his evidence the defence? Zech 3.1 “the High Priest standing before the angel of the LORD and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The polices evidence was rejected on OJ Simpson trial because it has been tampered with. James 3 says salt water + fresh cannot come from the some spring. Similarly our prayers are so hindered and dry if there is criticism judgement bitterness on our lips an well. If some one comes to you with something bad about some one in anger or bitterness, don’t listen and enjoy it as if you were watching East Enders but tell them to stop supporting the accuser of the brethren ! How then can we out-witt the devil, since we are now aware of his schemes? By not letting unwholesome words out of our mouth but having our conversation full of grace (Eph 4.29 + Co 14.6) (ie good testimony + the blood of the lamb.”
If we allow guilt, + condemnation (insulting the cross in our lives) we are also siding with the prosecution as a witness against ourselves when he cries for judgement on our lives due to our guilt. Let’s be confident of God’s forgiveness + always rejoice in his love.
If we do not fear the judgement of God, which will begin with the believes ( 1 peter 4.17) we will not worry that day +night satan is crying out for God to withdraw his grace from some areas of our lives, and we will continue to work with the evil one in the ministry of accusation. However if we really are working out our salvation with fear + trembling (Phil 2.12) We will be pleading with God always in prayer for his mercy on our lives and interceding for others and we will understand the automatic consequence if we neglect this. On earth if someone spoils our friend’s mind by saying all bad things about us we quickly seek an opportunity to defend ourselves otherwise we will lose our relationship with the friends. How much more should we be concerned about the negative influence of the Master of evil himself who often successfully succeeds in inspiring the anger + justice of God? Let’s pray without ceasing so threat mercy can triumph over triumph over justice!
Carman’s album Mission 3.16 has the song “The Court Room” on YouTube
Satan is constantly crying out for God to allow divorce, fornication, backsliding, arguing, cancer, unemployment etc. Unless we intercede more, the prosecution will continue to win many cases…..