What Comfort Do Believers Have When Accused by Satan?

Direct Answer

Yes — believers have the comfort that Jesus Christ, their righteous Advocate, defends them before the Father whenever Satan accuses them.

Satan is the accuser of the brethren, but God has provided an Advocate: Jesus Christ the righteous. When Satan tells the Father of a believer's failure, Jesus comes to the believer's defense, declaring that the believer is under the blood. This comfort is grounded in the work of the cross and the shed blood of Christ, which is the basis for the believer being considered blameless.

Key Scriptures

Revelation 12:10 — Directly identifies Satan as the accuser of the brethren who accuses them before God day and night.

1 John 2:1 — Gives the believer's comfort when they sin: an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Revelation 12:11 — Shows how the accused believers overcame Satan — by the blood of the Lamb.

What Does the Bible Say About Satan's Accusations and Our Comfort?

Scripture identifies Satan as 'the accuser of our brethren,' who 'accused them before our God day and night' (Revelation 12:10). Yet the same passage shows his accusation is not the final word: the accused brethren 'overcame him by the blood of the Lamb' (Revelation 12:11). John likewise writes, 'if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous' (1 John 2:1). Hebrews adds that Christ, after purging our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our advocate (Hebrews 1:3), and Paul assures believers that Christ confirms them to the end so that they may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8).

What Does Les Feldick Teach About the Believer's Comfort When Satan Accuses?

Les emphasizes that Satan continually accuses believers before God whenever they sin. This is why Revelation 12:10 pictures him as the accuser. Since believers remain in the body of flesh, they will fail, so Satan always has something to point to. Yet that is where the comfort begins: God has provided an Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Les calls the Advocate an attorney or mouthpiece. When Satan enters the throne room to accuse, Jesus immediately defends the believer, telling the Father, in effect, 'He's under the blood. He's forgiven. He's mine.' This defense rests on the cross and shed blood, the same basis on which carnal Corinthians could be considered blameless if the Lord came. Les also warns this is not a license to sin; believers must be constantly on guard, and a true believer does not deliberately plan to sin.

What Does Satan Do When a Believer Sins?

According to Scripture, Satan is the 'accuser of our brethren' who accuses them before God day and night (Revelation 12:10). Les explains that every time we sin, Satan is the first to run and tell God about it; he is constantly letting the Lord know where we have failed. Les also notes that this can only happen because believers are still in the flesh and subject to fall.

How Does Jesus Defend Believers Against Satan's Accusations?

Les pictures Satan coming into the throne room to accuse the believer, but Jesus Christ the righteous immediately steps forward as the Advocate and attorney. In so many words, He tells the Father, 'He's under the blood. He's forgiven. He's mine. You can't touch him.' Les says this is exactly why John writes that if any man sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Does This Comfort Give Believers a License to Sin?

No. Les makes clear that believers are subjected to sin and must constantly be on guard. He has never known a true believer who simply makes up his mind to get drunk or commit adultery. The comfort of an Advocate is for when believers fail — not a permission to sin freely. Believers are still responsible to be on guard even though they are secure in Christ.

Why Can Believers Be Considered Blameless Before God?

Les points to 1 Corinthians 1:8, where Paul says the Lord Jesus Christ will confirm believers unto the end so that they may be blameless. Even carnal Corinthian believers would be blameless if the Lord suddenly came. That is beyond human logic, but it is possible because of the work of the cross and the shed blood of Christ. In Revelation 12:11, the accused brethren overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and Les stresses that nowhere in Scripture is the blood overlooked.

From the Teaching

Confirmed Blameless by Christ

Les teaches that the Lord Jesus confirms believers unto the end so that, as far as God is concerned, they are blameless — and this is only possible because of the work of the cross and the shed blood of Christ.

Satan's Day-and-Night Accusation

Les explains that Satan accuses believers before God day and night, and that believers are prone to fall as long as they are in the body of flesh.

Satan Runs to Tell God

Les says that every time we sin, Satan is the first to run and tell God about it, constantly letting God know where we have failed.

The Advocate as Attorney

Les points out that even though Satan accuses believers before God the Father, believers have an advocate — the other word for which is an attorney.

Not a License to Sin

Les says believers are still subjected to sin and must constantly be on guard, but a true believer does not deliberately plan to get drunk or commit adultery.

He's Under the Blood

Les describes Jesus Christ the righteous as the Advocate who immediately tells the Father that the believer is under the blood.

The Lord Comes to Our Defense

Les calls the Advocate our attorney or mouthpiece, and says when Satan accuses, the Lord immediately comes to our defense saying, 'He's under the blood. He's forgiven. He's mine.'

Advocate at God's Right Hand

Les teaches that Christ, after purging or cleansing our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our advocate, and that the accused brethren overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb.

Bible Verses

Revelation 12:10: 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.

This is the key verse describing Satan's constant accusation of believers before God.

1 John 2:1: 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:

This verse gives the direct comfort to believers who sin: they have an Advocate with the Father.

Hebrews 1:3: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Shows Christ's work of purging sins and His position at God's right hand as the believer's advocate.

1 Corinthians 1:8: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Les uses this verse to show that believers can be considered blameless because of Christ's confirming work.

Revelation 12:11: 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.

Explains how the accused brethren overcame Satan — by the blood of the Lamb.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'advocate' mean in the Bible?

Les explains that an advocate is an attorney, a mouthpiece for the believer. Just as a lawyer speaks for his client, Jesus Christ the righteous speaks to the Father on our behalf when Satan accuses us.

Why does Satan accuse believers if they are already forgiven?

Because believers still sin in the body of flesh, and Satan has real failures to point to. Les says as long as we are in this body, we are prone to fall, so Satan has something to accuse until we are in the Lord's presence.

How does Jesus respond when Satan accuses a believer?

Jesus, as the Advocate, immediately comes to the believer's defense. In effect, He says, 'He's under the blood. He's forgiven. He's mine.' The believer is covered by the work of the cross.

Does the believer being blameless mean they never sin?

No. Believers do sin and are subject to failure. The blamelessness is a position before God based on the shed blood of Christ, not on the believer's own sinlessness. This is why the Advocate is so essential when failure happens.

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