RESISTING THE DEVIL

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7). Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world" (1 Pet 5:8-9).

Devotion 2 of 15

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION
The design of redemption

The design of redemption is to "bring us to God." Sin alienated us from Him, Christ reconciles us to Him (2 Cor 5:18-20). All of this relates to approaching God (Heb 10:22), coming to Him (Heb 11:6), or seeking to obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need (Heb 4:16). In salvation we come into "fellowship" with God's Son (1 Cor 1:9), and become "laborers together with God" (1 Cor 3:9). The new covenant enables God to walk and dwell in the redeemed (2 Cor 6:16).

Jesus did not die to simply make us better people. His intent was not the reclamation of society, the solidity of the home, or the stabilization of political structures. He did not induct a reformation movement designed to make this world a better place to live. These are common misconceptions that dominate the religious world of our day, but they are not true. The objective of salvation is met when the individual and God are brought together. It begins in this world as we
are "joined to the Lord" spiritually (1 Cor 6:17). It will be culminated in the world to come, when "so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess 4:17).

A PICTURE OF THE REDEEMED

"And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him" (Zech 3:1).

A picture of our situation is provided in a sight afforded the prophet Zechariah. Here will obtain a picture of why Satan is to be resisted.

The stance of Joshua

The picture Zechariah provides us deals with this perspective. Joshua the high priest was not standing before the governor of the land, but before "the angel of the Lord." Here one from earth is confronting one from heaven. We are at the heart of Divine purpose here: earth and heaven being brought together (Eph 3:10). Satan is not oblivious of the gravity of the situation. He does not come as a spectator, but as an opponent. In this dramatic moment, Satan stands at the very right hand of Joshua.

The devil's intention

We are not left to conjecture concerning Satan's intent. He comes to "resist" Joshua. We are not told the precise form of this resistance. There are, however, enough details provided for us to grasp the nature of the situation. He was obviously there as an accuser, pointing to Joshua's failure to meet Divine requirements. We are told that Joshua was "clothed with filthy garments," indicative of a guilty condition. No doubt the devil drew attention to Joshua's uncomely attire. Joshua was not worthy to stand before even "the angel of the Lord" -- not in his own right.

The Lord addresses Satan

But the Lord speaks to the adversary in stern rebuke: "The Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" (Zech 3:2). Do not think for one moment that Satan did not know Joshua had been plucked out of the fire! It was his fire from which God Himself had extracted Joshua. Satan was not there to resist God, but to resist Joshua. He did not make presentation to God, but to Joshua. The adversary was there to contaminate the conscience of Joshua; to defile his heart and mind with an acute sense of guilt!

However, Joshua does not answer Satan--God does! The faith of Joshua is seen in him voluntarily standing before the angel of the Lord. He had not been summoned there to give an account of his sins, but had been plucked out of the fire. This is a marvelous picture of the boldness of faith. Joshua did not fall down before the angel of the Lord; he stood before the angel, though "clothed in filthy garments." He was there because he wanted to be there. It was right for him to be there, because he had been "plucked out of the fire."

A marvelous benefit of faith is that God now speaks for you. It was the Lord who rebuked Satan, not Joshua. God was for Joshua, and none could be against him (Rom 8:31). Satan was trying to resist Joshua, but God took up Joshua's case, sternly and effectively rebuking his adversary. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Rom 4:8)!

God strengthens Joshua

God Himself now strengthens Joshua. He commands "those that stood before Him" to "Take away the filthy garments" from Joshua. Now that he had been plucked from the fire, it was no longer in order for Joshua to wear them. He then tells Joshua, "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (v 4). A "fair mitre" was then placed upon his head, and he was "clothed with garments," even, as Isaiah would say, with the "beautiful garments of salvation" (Isa 52:1).

Satan's diabolical intention

When it comes to the people of God, Satan's ultimate objective is to keep them from God. He seeks to contaminate their conscience, driving them out from the Lord. All of his temptations are calculated to drive a wedge between the saints and their God. Our view of Satan's activity must not be dictated by a law-concept, but by an understanding of the intent of salvation. You have not necessarily resisted Satan if you simply avoid being immoral. Remember, Joshua was standing before the Lord as the "high priest," and yet he was arrayed in "filthy garments." This does not mean he had been grossly immoral. It does mean that he was not to be compared with a holy God!

In a word, resisting the devil has to do with STAYING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. It deals with not allowing Satan to contaminate your conscience with the recollections of your unworthiness. This perspective will determine our approach to resisting the devil.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for plucking me out of the fire, and allowing me to stand before Your presence in purity and wholeness. I confess it is all because of the Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom I come to You, and through Whom I pledge to resist the devil.

-- TOMORROW: ONE OR THE OTHER--RESIST THE DEVIL OR THE LORD --