The Accuser of Our Brothers and Sisters

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”

Revelation 12:10

What’s happening in Afghanistan right now has everything to do with the church.

As the second-fastest-growing church in the world, Afghan followers of Jesus are precisely in the cross-hairs not only of Taliban guns but, perhaps more gravely, the adversary of the church, the accuser, also called Satan.… Click To Tweet

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. 

Revelation 12:17

The accuser goes after a particular type of person. Specifically, those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. In societies like Afghanistan, Iran, and other parts of the Muslim world where it is illegal to follow Jesus, these two characteristics can carry life or death consequences.

But our brothers and sisters in such lands have discovered a greater life, an eternal one, worth dying for.

The accuser of our brothers and sisters around the world can’t stand this devotion. He wants to stop the church growth that comes from such faith. Satan’s goal is to destroy the church. To devour its offspring. 

So unpleasant to talk about. We don’t like to mention Satan and devils. Sounds a bit whacked, weird, out there. Isn’t there enough evil and war in the world? Why would we want to add to the discomfort by discussing this in church?

It’s time to talk about the other war we are all fighting.

Adam Young, host of the podcast The Place we Find Ourselves, says

“To be human is to be at war.”

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“To be a Christian is to be a warrior.”

As followers of Jesus, we cannot ignore the reality of war.

Jesus deals directly with evil spirits in 32 chapters across the four gospels. When Jesus sent out the 72, he gave them authority over evil spirits. Evil is mentioned in various forms 199 times in the New Testament. In contrast, grace is mentioned 134 times. (Thank you, Adam Young, for pointing out these numbers.)

Today, right now, day and night, Satan stands before God, accusing Afghan believers. Iranian believers. Somali believers, Sudanese believers, Libyan believers, Saudi believers, Chinese believers, Pakistani believers, American believers, German believers, you, and me.

We who make up the church stand accused. 

Accused, yet not condemned.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

No, no. We may be accused, but we are not condemned. Jesus has redeemed us from condemnation.

Yet Satan accuses the church day and night. The opposer does not weary in his work. The enemy of the Lamb of God stands before God continually, an adversary to the church. 

Christ is our Advocate. He is the Advocate of the Afghan people. All who will trust Him are freed from condemnation.

There will be a day when he who accuses will accuse no longer.

There will be a day when the one who steals, kills, and destroys is thrown down.

But today, he charges. He attacks. He seeks to devour. He knows his time is short.

Matthew Henry in his timeless commentary said this regarding Satan in Revelation 12:10-11:

“Though he hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appear there to accuse the people of God. Let us therefore take heed that we give him no cause of accusation against us; and that, when we have sinned, we presently go in before the Lord, and accuse and condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as our Advocate.”

Today, as our enemy accuses, let us also go before the Lord. Let us repent. Yes, we deserve condemnation! But we hold fast our testimony of how the Advocate, the Redeemer, the Restorer of desolate places, has freed us from condemnation by His blood.

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them!

Revelation 12:11-12a

Church, join me in repentance today. Join me in keeping God’s commands, holding fast our testimony. Let us conquer our enemy by the blood of the Lamb. And let us learn from our Afghan brothers and sisters to love not our lives even unto death.

Jesus, thank you for redeeming us from the accusations of our adversary. Help our Afghan brothers and sisters conquer the accuser by Your blood and the word of their testimony. Amen.

@audreycfrank

 

Resources:

Iran and Afghanistan: Pray for the Two Fastest Growing Churches in the World

The Reality of a War Against Your Heart: The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast

On How to Lament for Afghanistan:

How Afghan Pastors Reflect on God’s Sovereignty

What’s Happening in Afghanistan? Stories from Believers on the Ground with Jennie and Pastor X.