Accusing Voices

Occasionally I awaken in the middle of the night with a free-floating anxiety. The “accuser of the brethren” whispers, “You’re no good; you’re worthless, a burden to others. Look at your history, how many times you’ve messed up.” Satan loves to torment Christians but when Jesus came, he declared, “That ends right now!” Then he adds an amazing reassurance: “Don’t think that I will ever accuse you to the Father” (John 5:45).

As God’s people, we sometimes can actually accuse ourselves. Paul says, “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts . . . and their conflicting thoughts accuse . . . them” (Romans 2:15).  Who is Paul talking to here? It is the Christian who is still trying to live out vestiges of the Old Covenant by striving to please God on his own. This Christian tells himself, “I’ve done well in the Lord all week so there’s no reason I can’t put together another week like this one.”

Others may accuse us, as happened in the case of the adulterous woman when the religious leaders brought her to Jesus and demanded that he accuse her, too. But how did Jesus answer her — and his own — accusers? “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Jesus turned the spotlight where it belonged: on their own sin. And one by one they went away (see 8:9).

Voices may scream in our ears but when they do, we will hear another voice above them all: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

Be still and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, “Jesus has set you free.” May God help you to build on the firm foundation that is based on the glorious love of Jesus — and rejoice in his wonderful grace!