2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Overcoming Satan When He Accuses Me to God The Accuser Has Access to the Throne
The Accuser is Muzzled by the Advocate Jesus, Our Intercessor
Satan Accused Simon and Demanded to Have Him
The Blood of Sprinkling

Chapter 2 Overcoming Satan When He Accuses Me to God I want to share on overcoming Satan, the accuser—who accuses me to God.

Turn to Revelation 12:7-11:

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. "

Revelation 12:11 is well known since it is often repeated. We understand that the "him" who is overcome by the blood and the word of testimony is Satan or the devil, but we are likely to overlook the role in which he is portrayed in this verse—that of the accuser.

We read in the book of Revelation what John sees as a great war taking place in heaven. Some theologians teach that this Scripture has already been fulfilled. Those who interpret the book of Revelation solely on a spiritual plane believe that this was completed when Jesus sprinkled His blood in the holy of holies after His resurrection.

Having studied the Revelation from many points of view, I believe that Revelation 12:1-17 is yet future. John sees a time coming when Satan will no longer be allowed to accuse the brethren before God. This book was given to John in the year A. D. 96. Jesus was crucified in the year A. D. 33, and in Revelation 1:1, over sixty years later, the Bible says,

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. " In other words, the book of Revelation concerns things that are to come to pass, and that was more than sixty years after Jesus had completed His work at Calvary.

Some persons say the war between Satan and Michael took place at Calvary. If so, then why do the brethren overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb in Revelation 12:1-17? It is evident they overcame the accuser after he had been cast down to earth. It is evident in Revelation 12:11 that "they loved not their lives untodeath, " and no disciple was martyred until after the sufferings of Christ had long been accomplished. So it couldn’t have taken place just at Calvary. True, Calvary provided the accuser’s defeat for us, but it hasn’t yet come into effect. Michael and his angels have yet to war against Satan and his angels and cast them down from the heavenlies. We need to understand that Satan STILL has access to God.

"But, brother, isn’t it true that Jesus in Luke 10:17-18, when the seventy returned again with rejoicing, saying,

’Even the demons are subject unto us through thy name, ’ that Jesus replied, ’I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven’?"

Satan was cast out of heaven in the past. He was cast out of heaven long before Calvary, when heaven was still his abode. From what I can understand, though, he has not yet been cast out of his access to God. He has been cast out of his abode with Him.

Luke 10:18 validates Satan’s loss of abode: "I beheld Satan as lightning fallfrom heaven, " which occurred before man ever drew the breath of life. The Accuser Has Access to the Throne Job 1:1-22—this book was written AFTER man was created and AFTER Satan had lost his abode there. Job 1:6 :

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and SATAN [when you see that word it means "adversary"] came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the EARTH [proving that he was not on the earth when he was saying these words], and from walking up and down in it. "

1 Peter 5:8 tells us he still does this, ". . . your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. " This scene described in the book of Job was not on earth. This was in heaven, a familiar place to the devil. He had lived there for eons and eons. In all likelihood he was even made (created) there and later assigned to rule over the earth before the creation of man.

Satan comes to God, who asks him, "Where do you come from?"

"From going to and fro in the earth, " Satan replies.

Now this is after the fall of the anointed cherub, after the creation of man, after the time Jesus referred to when He said, "I beheld Satan fall like lightning from heaven. " Yet, whom is Satan standing before in Job 1:1-22 and Job 2:1-13? He is standing before Yahweh whose "throne is in the heavens" (Psalms 103:19). This perplexed me for some time.

Satan was not in the earth, he was before God. God didn’t come down to earth and say, "You sons of God, you created angels, present yourselves before Me; and, Satan, come, also. " My problem was that Revelation 21:27 relates that no one may enter into the holy city who works abomination, or makes a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. How can he, then, enter into heaven and stand before God? Then I recalled the words: "So then every one of us shall give account ofhimself to God" (Romans 14:12). And I saw it!

Satan has to give account of himself to God. Evidently this is something he does regularly, or periodically. In Job 1:6 we read, "Now there was a day when thesons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. " Now look in Job 2:1, "AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present HIMSELF before the Lord. " So we see from these verses that Satan is coming to present himself before God and to give an account of his recent actions on earth.

God’s purpose in allowing Satan’s entrance into heaven is to permit his rendering an account of his deeds, not to fellowship with the adversary. And while Satan is reciting his activities, the slanderer takes advantage of the occasion to throw stones at the saints. Another common name for Satan is "the devil. " Recall that the Greek word for "the devil" is diabolos, which means "prosecutor, slanderer, and accuser. " Standing before the Judge of all the earth to render an account of recent activities, diabolos takes advantage of the occasion to slander God’s servants.

Observe Job 1:7: "And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?" After he answered the Lord Jehovah, "From going to and fro in the earth, andfrom walking up and down in it"; the Lord said to Satan, "Hast thou considered [set your heart to] my servant Job?" (You get on the enemy’s target list when you serve the Lord!) Job was an upright man, one who feared God and eschewed (avoided) evil, so it should come as no surprise that Satan had a whole book about him!

Jesus Christ, the Sinless One, was inspected by the evil one. Jesus said,

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). Perhaps we could paraphrase it: "The ruler of this age is coming to inspect Me, but he has no claim on Me. "

I’m so glad that when Satan inspected Jesus, he could not find one legal ground of evidence with which to accuse Him to the Father. Had Satan been able to find such ground, there would not have been an advocate for Jesus, and He would not have been a Lamb without spot or blemish. Thus we would be hopeless and helpless. When Satan accuses me to God he appeals to the legal holiness of God the Father. If at all possible, he will relate an actual fault in my life; if not possible, he will unjustly slander me before the Throne. Were it not for our Advocate at the Father’s right hand, our adversary would gain the upper hand. God, because He demands holiness, would have to blot us out. Thank God for an Advocate who is in the Father’s favor! In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Paul says he is not ignorant of Satan’s devices. "Towhom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. " The word "devices" means "war plans" or "war strategies. " In a warfare the adversaries seek to spy out the weaknesses in each other. Satan, the adversary, examines us to discover our personal weaknesses and to accuse us before God. Also, he seeks to discover our weaknesses so that he may better attack us.

Concerning Job, Satan answered God with a tone of mean insinuation in his voice. "Then Satan answered the LORD and said, Doth Job fear God fornought?" His words implied that Job only served God because of the material blessings the Lord showered upon him.

God told the adversary that he could smite everything Job had except his life. In Job 2:1-13 we find that only Job’s wife is left; his children are dead. Satan spared Job’s wife because they were one flesh, and Satan had to obey and recognize that union.

So, Satan decides: if I can’t get at Job directly, l can do it indirectly through hiswife."Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity?curse God, and die" (Job 2:9). This is why in Matthew 16:23, when Peter was speaking to Jesus, the Master identified the source of inspiration through which Peter responded as being Satan.

Satan accused God to Job through his wife’s "advice. "

After Satan accuses me to God, he accuses God to me.

We see this in Genesis 3:12; after Adam had sinned, he accused God, that is, he blamed his sinning on God. ". . . The womanwhom thou gavestto be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. " Directly he was blaming his wife, but indirectly he was blaming God. "The reason I’m in all this trouble, Lord, is because of the woman that YOU gave me. If YOU hadn’t put me in this situation, I’d never have had this happen in the first place " (paraphrased).

Many Christians are bitter toward God. Suppose God answers ninety-seven prayers. Seemingly, three prayers don’t obtain any answer. Satan says, "Ah, look at God, He didn’t fulfill His Word. " Satan accuses God to His people as well as accusing His people to God.

After Satan accused Job to God, he began to give God a list about Job. In Job 1:10 are given five specific areas about which Satan knew much. We have no reason to think that the tempter has altered his methods of "believer inspection" over the millenniums.

Satan inspects five things about Job and YOU:

He’d heard what words he spoke. He’d seen what he was like around the house. He knew how he conducted himself twenty-four hours a day. This thought is amplified in Psalms 119:23. "Princes (principalities) also did sit and speakagainst me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. "

He knew how much silver and gold Job had, how many sheep, how many oxen, how many servants, etc.

Satan knows what you are like on the job. He knows how you respond to pressure at work. He is on the job when you are on the job! In the body of Christ, the phrase, "the work of your hands" denotes your ministry, and Satan knows all about the work of your hands. He is forever trying to tie your hands and get you bound up so you can’t swing the sword, plow the field, sow the seed, and reap the harvest.

His social influence is increased in the land. Many times when the tempter overcomes Christians, it is relatively easy for them to get back into fellowship with God—that’s not the hard part—but their testimony has been tarnished; the name of Christ has been marred. Restoring their influence with man takes much longer.

These then are the five areas that Satan inspected in Job. He inspects us, too, so that he can find something in our lives to throw in God’s face. The Accuser is Muzzled by the Advocate In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah 3:1-10, we see a glimpse of what we are talking about.

Zechariah prophesied during the post-exilic period after Israel had come out of the land of Babylon, where the Israelites had been in captivity, in confusion and in bondage for seventy years. Now that they were back in Israel, God was blessing and prospering them.

Haggai, too, spoke to Israel near this time. His word to them was: "You dwell incieled houses, but the house of God lies waste. " Decades previously Nebuchadnezzar’s armies had come and led them away as captives. They had desecrated into a pile of rubble that beautiful temple built by Solomon.

Now, over a hundred years later, they are back in the land and have cieled houses to dwell in; but the temple is still a mound of ruin. God begins to challenge them to consider their ways and to rebuild His house.

Zerubbabel is the chief architect and master craftsman.

God has a word for him: ". . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). From the book of Nehemiah we know they were trying to rebuild the wall with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other. Zerubbabel was to learn that the rebuilding of the temple was "not by might, nor by power. . . " The words "might" and "power" refer to weapons and armies in the Hebrew.

Before the temple could be rebuilt, the priestly order as well as the craftsmen had to be right. The spiritual leadership in the priesthood had to be functioning properly, and God corrected both the priestly order in Zechariah 3:1-10 and the manual labor in Zechariah 4:1-14. He spoke to both realms of authority (spiritual and natural) through the prophetic ministry of Zechariah.

Joshua was a literal man who was living during that period. (This isn’t the same Joshua who trained under Moses and led Israel into the land of promise.) It fell to his lot to be the high priest of Israel at this time. In Zechariah 3:1-10, the prophet gives a specific word for Joshua, the high priest.

"And he shewed me. . . . " The prophet is speaking here of the angel who has come and has been dealing with him up to this time. ". . Joshua the high priest. " This is a vision in which Zechariah saw a literal man. With the high priest there were two supernatural personalities present: the angel of the LORD, and Satan. The angel of the LORD as his advocate and Satan at ". . . his right hand to resisthim. " Resist means "to accuse, condemn. " The New American Standard Version reads "accuse him. "

Here was Joshua, who was high priest of Israel, and in Zechariah’s vision God showed him what was hindering the temple from being rebuilt. From the spiritual standpoint, the high priest was under the influence of the accuser. The chief reason was he had allowed his garments to spoil. Zechariah sees the angel of Yahweh standing there and Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to resist and accuse him.

• . . . Satan standing at his right hand. " The right side is our Godward side. Satan was standing at Joshua’s right hand to resist his work for God. This is why Satan accuses us, that he might resist our efforts in the Kingdom.

The two beings in Zechariah’s vision were the angel of the LORD and Satan. The angel of the LORD in the Old Testament was in all likelihood a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. I had prepared several pages of reasons why, but have omitted that study until a future time.

Many authorities, as you probably know, agree.

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD [this is Jesus], and Satan standing at his right hand to resist [accuse] him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD [Yahweh] rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee is not this [referring to Joshua the high priest] a brand plucked out of the fire?" In other words, "Isn’t Joshua a burning branch that’s been snatched out of the fire before being totally consumed?"

Many times the enemy condemns and accuses you with, "You haven’t done this yet. " "You haven’t done that yet. " "You haven’t attained to this yet, " etc. Don’t yield to the accuser and be unnecessarily hard on yourself. When Jesus intercedes for you, He refers to you as a "brand plucked out of the fire. " In other words, a few years ago you were in the fire of judgment and just a step from hell. So what that you are still smoldering a little? You were only recently plucked from the fire. Don’t expect too much too soon.

"Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel" (Zechariah 3:3). These filthy garments that Joshua was clothed with provided the legal grounds for Satan’s judicial argument against him. It is as though Satan has been saying, "God, You shouldn’t allow this man to be your high priest. Look at his filthy garments. Look at this in his life. Look at the other in his life. "

Satan condemns and accuses us before God at this very hour, pointing out various things in our lives. Although in our Christian life we have come out of many, many things in which we used to be entangled, we should remember still that our Father is so holy that He cannot behold or look upon any evil. He cannot look upon iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13), and with even so much as an evil thought, He couldn’t accept you with favor in His presence. None of us is able to stand before God. No matter how much God has done in our lives or how great was the pit from which we came, there are still things in our lives that demand God’s judgment.

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments. Joshua wasn’t an ungodly man. He was like the rest of us, still falling short of the glory of God. And Satan was finding this as his legal ground. Most of what he said about Job was false. Most of what he said about Joshua was true.

Yet, God vindicated both of these servants. When "the angel of the LORD" rebuked, that was the end of Satan in the vision. There wasn’t a continual battle.

One word from "the angel of the LORD, " and Satan disappears from the passage. In Zechariah 3:4 we read, "And he answered and spake unto those that stood beforehim, saying [there may have been other angels standing there], Take away the filthy garments from him. " As Jesus, our Advocate, intercedes for us asking the Father to have mercy upon us for our sins and failures, the Father accepts His intercessory ministry in our behalf and gives us undeserved kindness. However, our Advocate doesn’t stop with legal pardon. He goes on to change us. The angel said, "Take away the filthy garments from him. " He said later during His incarnation to Mary and Martha after Lazarus had come out of the tomb by His power, "Loose him from his grave clothes and let him go. "

Now He is saying to these angels that are in the presence of Joshua, "Take away the filthy garments from him. " This is sanctification—being made into the image of likeness of God. A beautiful picture is painted in Zechariah 3:1-10 of something wonderful in the believer’s life. "I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I willclothe thee with change of raiment, " or "I’ll make your present life different. " That’s what Jesus says to you today.

There is a difference between our STANDING and our STATE. Our standing before God is holy in Christ. Our state may not be quite so good as our standing (to put it mildly).

What God does in the act of justification is to make our STANDING completely righteous. The perfect righteousness of Christ is reckoned to our account. Our STATE is less than perfect. God wants to root us out of this present evil age. He wants to bring our STATE into perfection. He wants the disciple to be as His Master. The Father wants us to go on unto perfection. He wants us to lay aside every evil weight and anything that hinders us in our earthly course of perfection (maturity, completeness in Christ). In Zechariah 3:2 Jesus (the special "angel") is rebuking Satan on the basis of His righteousness (not Joshua’s), and now in verse 4 Jesus is actually effecting a change in Joshua’s life. "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass fromthee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. "

Only the Son of God could say that! In Zechariah 3:5, Zechariah speaks out in this vision. "And I said, Let them set a fairmitre upon his head. " In Exodus 28:36-38, a mitre is described as a turban with a gold plate in front of it that would very much resemble a crown. In fact, sometimes a mitre is taken to mean crown. This gold plate had engraved on it: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. That speaks of the crown. Zechariah was saying, "Don’t only clothe him with new garments. Also place a crown on his head. " The authority of priesthood is represented in the mitre.

"So they set a fair mitre upon his head" (Zechariah 3:5), and he took on the appearance of a king with this turban, this crown with its gold plate set upon his head. The priestly garments first; the priestly mitre second. The mitre is set upon his head to picture kingly authority. The high priest’s ephod picture Joshua’s serving capacity. InRevelation 1:5-6 we read: "Unto him thatloved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God. " Kings to exercise authority, and priests to offer sacrifices.

"And the angel of the Lord stood by" (Zechariah 3:5).

He was approving the act by His very presence in front of Joshua as the change of raiment and the fair mitre were placed on him. The angel of the Lord was so much as saying, "I am approving this. I am condoning this. "

"And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, " that is, after He cleansed and anointed him, He admonished Joshua.

Now Joshua is clean; he has a fair crown on his head; his garments are white. Now he is given a charge, a responsibility: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ifthou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house" (Zechariah 3:7).

"Judge" means to deliver—the book of Judges means the Book of Deliverers. Samson judged Israel for forty years; Samuel judged Israel for forty years; Deborah judged Israel; that is, they DELIVERED Israel. Israel would fall into bondage but later repent and then have to be DELIVERED from their enemies.

"Judge my house"—so God’s house needed to be delivered, the temple needed to be cleansed. Jesus wants to cleanse the temple as much in our day as when He entered the outer court of the temple while on earth. That is a mere shadow of what He wants to do now. He wants to enter into the temple, drive out the money changers and all the thieves and robbers. He wants to deliver His house, but He is going to do it through people who walk in His ways, and keep His charge.

"If thou wilt walk in my ways"—personal obedience to God.

"If thou wilt keep my charge"—fulfill your temple responsibility as priest—then you will judge and deliver His house.

"And shalt also keep my courts"—entrusted with an expansion of authority from the inner court to the outer court.

"And I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by"—this heavenly vision—I’ll give you a place here in the temple of God. So this speaks of Joshua’s eternal inheritance in the heavenly temple. Jesus promised, "Him thatovercometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God" (Revelation 3:12).

We have seen a bit of the work of our adversary by looking at this Scripture.

Jesus, Our Intercessor When studying Jesus and His high priestly intercession for us as given in Hebrews 7:1-28, I was amazed to find no Scripture that implied that Jesus was now praying for the world. One Scripture said He did "make intercession for the transgressors. " Isaiah 53:1-12, speaks of this but was referring to Christ on the cross where He said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not whatthey do" (Luke 23:34).

All of the Scriptures show Jesus praying for "them, " which refers to believers, as portrayed in these Scriptures:

"Making intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

"Who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:34).

"I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me" (John 17:9).

I wondered why Jesus was not praying for the world.

After all, the church is in better shape than the world. But the Lord impressed upon me: I’m just going to pray for you. When you are where you ought to be, you are going to take care of the world. I pray for the church. When it gets where it should be, the reaching of the world will be a simple thing. The reaching of the world for Christ is simple. But it is the perfecting of the church which is so hard. That is why Jesus said no man knew the hour of His return, not even the angels, not even the Son, but only the Father. The reason for this is the church will have a great part in bringing back the King. "And thisgospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14).

We haven’t done our job yet. That is why Jesus is praying for us: "Wake them up, Father!" The whole of Hebrews 7:1-28 is a study of Jesus, who after the order of Melchizedek*, is our high priest and is continuing to pray for us. He has an unchangeable priesthood in heaven at the Father’s right hand. Jesus has been busier since He rose from the dead than He was when He ministered here on earth. While on earth He slept many nights, sometimes He prayed all night; but in heaven, as far as we know, He has prayed continuously for nearly 2,000 years. And we think we have done something when we pray an hour or two!

* We have an entire book on Melchizedek and the things he represents.

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to makeintercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). He makes intercession for us and that is why we are saved to the uttermost. The word "intercede" means more than just to pray for someone. It means "to stand in the place of another. "

We sometimes pray in proxy for people. I’ve not seen the word "proxy" in the Bible. However, as we understand that word, it means "to intercede. " To stand in for someone. Jesus, who has a perfect standing, who is at the highest position

God ever gave anyone, is standing in your place before the Father for our failures, our weaknesses, and our sins. There is nothing I can do, or cannot do, to affect this advocacy in my behalf.

I have two advocates, two intercessors. One of them I have nothing to do with concerning His intercessory ministry, and the other everything.

First, Jesus is my paraclete. 1 John 2:1-2 tells us,

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins.” The word "advocate" is "paraclete" in the original.

Jesus said in John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give youanother COMFORTER" (paraclete, another intercessor, another helper, another Strengthener, another to stand by, another advocate, another counselor, another comforter).

"Another" [Greek: allos] means "another just like Jesus. " Jesus is my advocate. The same comforter, just like Jesus. I’l pray the Father to give you anothercomforter just like Me, the Holy Spirit. To fill the role of an intercessor, one must be possessed by the Spirit of Christ. At times I’ve asked people to remember me in prayer.

Later, I’d ask them if they prayed for me, and they’d answer, "Well, yes, " or "We whispered your name. " Paul besought Rome to "strive together with me inyour prayers to God for me" (Romans 15:30). This speaks of warfare and rarely do believers war in the Spirit for each other. We make Jesus do all the work!

Some anointed preacher might help you, praying in your behalf, but there is Someone greater who has you on His prayer list. And He calls to the Father in your behalf night and day; and whenever Satan accuses you, He tells him to be silent and He pleads your case. He prays for the needs in your life.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit is your ADVOCATE (paraclete) and ministers those things to your life where there is a hindrance to their taking place. This is the

Holy Spirit’s ministry. But He cannot intercede for me unless I yield and let Him do it through me (Romans 8:26). The only exception would be that He use another believer to intercede for me by the Spirit.

Christ intercedes for His church without our cooperation. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us only as we do cooperate.

Satan Accused Simon and Demanded to Have Him

Jesus is interceding for us right now, but He gave us an example of what He was going to do before He left the earth.Luke 22:31-32 tells us: "And the Lordsaid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee. "

Satan has desired to have me. When? When he goes to God and says, "Look at this, look at that. You shouldn’t have anything to do with David Alsobrook. Look at how he sometimes becomes angry at his wife. Look at his wavering; look at how he doubts You and doesn’t stand on Your Word. Hear how he judges that brother. See how he worries. " These are all terrible things in the sight of God. But Jesus has prayed for me. No matter what you are going through, know that Luke 22:31-32 is operating in your behalf. "I have prayed for thee. " He prayed for Peter before the battle! Do you know that Jesus always gets His prayers answered! When Satan came and inspected Jesus, he could not find one thing but purity.

"For the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30).

Jesus wasn’t the only one inspected that night. All the disciples were. Judas certainly was. In Peter especially, Satan had his target. Peter, more than any other of the disciples, was a target, for the keys of the Kingdom had been given to him (Matthew 16:19). He used those keys to open the door for the salvation of the Jews on the day of Pentecost. Ten years later he used those keys to open the door of salvation for the Gentiles through the house of Cornelius. Satan had his gun on Peter. That’s why you see Peter stumble so badly—he was in a place of high favor.

He was the only disciple who ever walked on water, the only disciple who had the keys to the Kingdom given to him. And he was always a third part of that special circle: Peter, James and John. He had a special place in the Kingdom of God. Likewise, Satan had a special aim for him.

It was unusual for Jesus to call Peter, "Simon, Simon" (Luke 22:31), because since renaming him, Jesus often called this Galilean fisherman PETER. Peter means ROCK.

Jesus named him ROCK. What does Simon mean? A reed.

Jesus found this reed who was so easily bent by the blowing winds of temptation, overcome by so many fleshly habits, given to a sailor’s tongue, and He said, "I’m going to make you a ROCK. "

True enough, this man, Simon, had been a reed sometimes, but a rock many times, too. Because he has this special place, he is an example for Christians. When you read his epistles, he sometimes refers to himself as "Simon Peter. " The reason is, he learned a great lesson. He learned he was reed (Simon) AND that he was rock (Peter).

We have much teaching on "the rock. " That is, what are in our reborn spirit. All of us are reed and rock. Before Jesus came along, we were all reed. In our flesh dwells no good thing. We are just all flesh. When Jesus came into our life, 2 Corinthians 5:17 went into effect, and old things passed away. Jesus comes into our spirits and we become an heir of God and joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

We now have all power over the enemy (Luke 10:19), and we are a new creation.

Peter forgot that he was still Simon. When talking to Jesus he sounded like the ROCK: "I’m ready to go with you both into prison and to death. " Other "rock" speeches may sound like: "Lord, I’m just going to stand for my healing, even if I can’t see well without glasses. " "Lord, I’m not going to eat another bite of food for forty days. " "Lord, I’ll never rebel against You again in any way. " The rock nature really means these promises, but the reed nature pulls us down if we don’t properly deal with it.

We have viewed Peter’s speech, "Lord, I’m ready to go with you both into prison and to death" as being solely the boast of pride. Actually, there was a great element of love. This was his realization of God’s ability, why he walked on the water with Jesus; he knew the ability of Jesus. He’d seen the glory of Jesus with Moses and Elijah on the mountain. He knew the power of Jesus to deliver the demonized son in the valley. In John 13:37-38, Jesus is talking to Peter. He tells him, "You are going to denyMe three times. . . . " "I will lay down my life for Your sake, " is Peter’s reply.

"You are going to deny Me, " Jesus tells him. In the English versions the chapter ends here. It is highly possible that the division here is in the wrong place and that the rest of the passage through John 14:4 is spoken to Peter specifically. In that case, Jesus goes on to say to Peter: "Let not your heart be troubled: yebelieve in God, believe also in me. . . . I go and prepare a place for you. " You see, it was Peter’s heart that was troubled. "What do you mean I’m going to deny You!"

"That’s all right, son, I’m going to take care of it. You’ll make a mess out of it, but I’ve already prayed for you and soon I’m going to receive you unto Myself. " Jesus comforted Peter. Still, it is interesting that in all references to Peter’s denial, Jesus forewarned him with the name "Simon. "

"Simon, Simon—reed, reed. " "Hey, Reed. . " And Peter remembers three years before.

"Oh, what are You calling me? Call me Peter. Don’t You remember what You named me? I am more than a conqueror. My name is Peter (Rock). "

Paul was a rock, too, but he still realized he had that reed nature to contend with, for in Romans 7:18 he said, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwellethno good thing. " The secret lies in bringing the flesh into the subjection of the Spirit. That is the secret of Jesus’ victory over the enemy!

Peter needed to bring that flesh into subjection; he was sleeping when he should have been praying. Often I hear "rocks" say, "Who needs to pray? I’ve got faith!"

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan [the adversary] hath desired [Greek: demanded] to have you. " Evidently, Jesus meant that Satan had gone to God and accused Peter before Him. Evidently the Father alerted Jesus about this through the Holy Spirit, and Jesus then interceded in Simon’s behalf before the event ever occurred. "But I have prayed for thee. " Not, "I will, " but "I HAVE. " ". . . That he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31).

Simon, he found chaff in you. That reed nature is still there, and he desired to have you. "BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, that thy faith fail not: andwhen thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. "

Jesus knows all about those times when you are going to stumble, just as He knew ahead of time that Peter would fall. When the Lord saved you, He knew of every time when you’d deny Him. He knew of every time when you would yield to the tempter. He knew, and He prayed for you before those things occurred. He saw other things that would sting and bruise you, but because He continues to uphold you before the Father, interceding in your behalf, you are changed into His image. The Lord knows of every time that you are going to fail Him. You may say, "That’s it. It is over. Period. " But with the Lord, it is only a comma. Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, but it was only going to be a "comma" and not a "period" in Peter’s relationship with the Lord.

Hallelujah! That is why Jesus is continually interceding for us. The Blood of Sprinkling

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. . . and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel"

(Hebrews 12:22-24). The New International Version reads, "the blood of sprinkling that speaks a better word than Abel’s blood spoke. " The "blood of sprinkling" is important. The blood of the atonement lamb which was offered once a year (Yom Kippur) in the nation of Israel (Leviticus 16:1-34), was sprinkled on the mercy seat in the holy of holies where the high priest went on the Day of Atonement. Jesus, as our high priest in heaven, shed His blood once at Calvary.

"The blood of sprinkling" refers to the blood on the mercy seat. That means you have come to the blood on the mercy seat.

Hebrews 9:1-28 and Hebrews 10:1-39 clearly describe how the high priest under the law went into the tabernacle made with hands, but Jesus entered into the heavenly temple, not with blood of bulls and goats, but with His own blood to appear in the presence of God FOR US.

Jesus is now appearing in the presence of God FOR US, in our behalf, as our advocate, a real representative and attorney.

"The blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. " Shed blood speaks! In Genesis 4:10, when God called to Cain, He said, "Thevoice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. " He wasn’t speaking figuratively. God can hear the sound of shed blood. It cries to God. Abel’s blood cried out: Vengeance! Vengeance! Judgment! And so God placed judgment on Cain, a mark of banishment and exile. He was sent away to the land of Nod for the murder of his brother. *

Now the "blood of sprinkling, " which is the blood of Jesus on the mercy seat in heaven, speaks "better things than that of Abel. " It speaks a better word than the blood of Abel spoke. It doesn’t cry out for vengeance; it cries out for mercy. We overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our vocal agreement here on earth; and when the devil accuses us to God in heaven, Jesus overcomes the devil by His blood on the mercy seat. It is His testimony concerning the blood and our acceptance of it that overcomes the devil.

Satan may say, "Look at Your servant—this, that and the other. " If some of it is true, God cannot say, "That’s absolutely wrong. " Satan appeals to the legal holiness of God that demands judgment for sin. Then, in the heavenly courtroom, the Judge (God) turns to the Attorney (Jesus) after the Prosecutor (the devil) has made his case and asks, "What do You have to say?"

"I shed My blood for David, and David accepts My blood, " answers the Attorney.

"Is that all You have to say?"

"Yes, that is all I have to say. "

"Case dismissed, " declares the Judge. In the Old Testament, in the holy of holies, the ark of the covenant had the mercy seat on top of it, and in between were the cherubim. God said that He dwelt or abode "over the mercy seat. "

• For a more detailed study of Cain and Abel, see chapter 2 of The PreciousBlood, entitled "Why God Accepted Abel and Rejected Cain. "

So in front of God the Father is the blood of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things . . . but with the precious blood of Christ. . . . " Now if I was not redeemed with corruptible things, and I was redeemed by the blood, then what is that blood? Incorruptible! Not capable of death! That blood on the mercy seat is just as living as that which flowed in Jesus’ veins. It talks. It says, "Mercy.

Mercy. " It speaks a better word.

Satan is muzzled before the Father. He is left without a word to say. The Father of Mercy and God of all Comfort is His legal role of justice. I’m reminded of a great hymn written by Charles Wesley: The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One; He cannot turn away the presence of His Son. His Spirit answers to the Blood, His Spirit answers to the Blood. And tells me I am born of God.

Five bleeding wounds He bears, Received on Calvary.

They pour effectual prayers; They strongly plead for me.

"Forgive him, oh, forgive, " they cry. "Forgive him, Oh, forgive, " they cry.

"Let not that ransomed sinner die. "

"Who is he that condemneth?" (Romans 8:34). It is Christ who intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand. He makes intercession for us. He stands in our place. The Father looks at us in Him, and Jesus says, "I shed My blood and He accepts My blood. " As long as we are under that blood covering, then we have this continual, perfect, and wonderful salvation. Jesus intercedes for us on the basis of the blood.

Jesus overcomes the accuser in Heaven by the blood of the Lamb and the word of His (Jesus’) testimony. For us Jesus overcomes the accuser in Heaven. Every time Satan accuses us before the Father, Jesus is our legal advocate and technical representative before the Father’s right hand.

He pleads the merits of His blood. The Father continues His acceptance of us even with all our faults and failures, our sins and shortcomings, because of the perfect righteousness of Jesus and because we truly do desire to be pleasing to Him. Every hour that Satan accuses the saints before God, he is cast down by Jesus at the Father’s right hand. In summary of this chapter, I’d like to remind you that the enemy’s three primary roles of attack against you are:1) Tempter; 2) the Deceiver; 3) the Accuser.

Announce the following liberation decree to your soul:

"Through the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony I can overcome the tempter, the deceiver, and the accuser. "

Say with determination in your heart:

"I’m not going to let the tempter overcome me. I’m not going to let the deceiver overcome me. I’m not going to let the accuser overcome me. "