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There are two opposing ministries taking place before the throne of God: the ministry of Christ and the ministry of satan; the ministries of intercession and accusation. Our actions can align us with Jesus or present us as co-workers with satan. Since ministry essentially means serving, who’s cause are you truly serving?
The Ministry of Satan: Accusation
Satan is serving his own cause: rebellion against God and all His desires. In his rebellion, he is desperately trying to take as many humans with him into punishment as possible. His mission: separation. His method: deception. His ministry: accusation. He works to deceive mankind and then accuse them of their rebellion before God.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Zechariah 3:1 ESV
“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 has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.’” Revelation 12:10 ESV
Satan is known to accuse us before God day and night; accusing us of our failures, our shortcomings, and our outright rebellion. He knows the law of God better than most of us do, and he’s expecting God to enforce the judgments of His own law against us.
The Ministry of Christ: Intercession
Fortunately for us, we are not saved by works of the law, but by faith in Christ who fulfilled the law on our behalf and payed the penalty already required of us. As if that were not enough, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father pleading and interceding on behalf of all who have drawn near to God through faith in Him. What confidence that should give us!
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?” Romans 8:33-34 AMP
Jesus is not accusing us of our failures, He’s answering the accusation against us by saying that He paid the penalty with His own blood. A life for a life — He paid it. Jesus is not accusing us. He’s not judging us. He’s not looking to pass sentence against us. He’s interceding for us!
“For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.” John 3:17 AMP
Jesus serves the Father, and He’s working to save all who come to Him. His mission: reconciliation. His method: grace. His ministry: intercession. He works to give mercy and remove the burden of debt and the penalty that we deserve. “Amazing grace” isn’t descriptive enough for that.
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25
Choose Wisely
Anyone agreeing with the work of Christ in Heaven will be actively working to reconcile others to God. They will be looking to bring others into the favor of Jesus.
“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life — to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” 1 John 3:16-17 ESV
Anyone in agreement with the work of satan will be actively accusing others. Satan encourages us to join him by accusing while Jesus is interceding, pleading with the Father for mercy. We can decide to participate with the ministry of satan through accusation or we can work alongside Jesus to see others reconciled to God.
Who’s cause are you serving?