-The scene Zechariah saw was that of a courtroom. God was the Judge. Joshua (not the Joshua with Moses) the High Priest is the defendant and Satan is the prosecuting attorney.

-Satan appears to have a case against Joshua because he appears to be wearing filthy garments while ministering and the High Priest was always to wear clean clothes.

B. Joshua represents the people before God and the people were sinful. This explains why Joshua’s priestly garments were dirty. His condition was Israel’s condition.

-A High Priest identified himself with the people he represented.

-Satan knew Israel was sinful and he protested to God that Israel and Joshua be judged. You can imagine Satan’s arguments.

-How do you think Joshua felt during all the trial? Certainly his heart was broken and his conscience was smitten.

C. When you and I disobey God we feel guilty. Guilt is an emotion that occurs when we receive a message of disapproval from the conscience that says, “You’ve done wrong. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

-Satan uses this guilt to condemn us to judgment. He attacks us in our heart and conscience.

See how subtle and merciless Satan really is;

–Before we sin, he shouts at us, “You can get away with this.”

–After we sin, he shouts at us, “You’ll never get away with this.”

God uses our guilt to convict us in our conscience to repentance.

II. SATAN’S WEAPON: ACCUSATION

A. It’s important that we learn the difference between Satan’s accusation (condemnation) and the Holy Spirit’s conviction.

-When the Holy Spirit convicts you, he uses the Word of God in love and seeks to bring you back into fellowship with your Heavenly Father.

-When Satan accuses you, he uses your own sins to make you feel hopelessly separated from God.

B. The difference between Holy Spirit conviction and satanic accusation.

-Holy Spirit conviction moves you toward God. Satanic accusation moves you away from God.

-Holy Spirit conviction leads to confession. Satanic accusation leads to condemnation.

-Holy Spirit conviction produces repentance. Satanic accusation produces regret and remorse.

-Holy Spirit conviction focuses on the mercy of God. Satanic accusation focuses on judgment of God.

III. SATAN’S PURPOSE: TO KEEP YOU FOCUSED ON THE PENALTY AND NOT THE PARDON FOR SIN

A. Satan wants you to feel guilty, helpless and hopeless. He wants you to experience regret and remorse, but not repentance..

-He wants to keep accusing you so that you focus your attention on yourself and your sins.

-He knows that once you look away by faith to Jesus Christ, you will repent, confess your sins and find cleansing and restored fellowship.

B. True conviction of the Spirit will always move you closer to God.

-It’s a sign that God’s grace and love is at work in your life.

-Your Defense: The Interceding Son of God

A. It is true that Satan stands at our right hand to resist us and accuse us. But it’s also true that Jesus Christ stands at God’s right hand to intercede for us.

-See Hebrews 7:25 and Luke 22:31-32.

-If we yield to sin, Jesus ministers as our advocate to forgive and to restore us to fellowship once again.

-If by faith we turn to Him and come to the throne of grace, He will see us through to victory.

C. Notice the stages of the experience of Joshua the High Priest.

-First there is Satan’s resistance. The accuser names Joshua’s sins at the throne and calls for a Holy God to judge Joshua.

-Second is God’s rebuke of Satan. God’s rebuke is based on God’s grace toward His people.

-Third is Joshua’s restoration. God ordered them to remove the filthy clothes and put holy garments on the High Priest.

D. Resistance – rebuke – restoration; these are the stages in the experience of confessing sin and returning to fellowship with Father.

-Satan will accuse you, but do not listen. Turn to Jesus Christ your advocate and confess your sins to Him.

-Depend on what God’s Word says and not on how you feel.

-Unconfessed sin in our life is a foothold for Satan.

-Proverbs 28:13, “He who conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Msg. from Yeoh SY