Our Enemy, the Devil - Pt 3

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. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by. (Zechariah 3:1-5 ESV). If you are very much like I am, then you often are perplexed with the frequency of taking one step forward just to take two steps back! It would be wonderful if our Christian journey were just one steady rise to perfection with very little, if any, setbacks. However, we all know that simply is not the case. In fact, the Scripture instructs us that this life will be one of trial and challenge. If we are not very careful it can lead us to a sense of failure and a desire to quit. Be that as it may, I have some good news for you. Failure and guilt need never be a motivation to quit again. This is a tactic the devil uses over and over again. He first tempts you to sin and then accuses you once you give in to that sin. And having led you into sin, he doesn't just leave you to suffer the consequences. Instead, he wants to make sure that you are doubly defeated. He wants to drive you away from the presence of God. This is the backdrop of our reading today. Zechariah was given this wonderful vision from the Lord. It concerned Joshua. He was standing condemned, just like us when we sin. The devil was going for the kill, but suddenly he stopped in his tracks because God made this incredible declaration of his protection and redemption. He was “a brand plucked from the fire.” He belonged to God. John Wesley's father, Samuel, was a dedicated pastor, but there were those in his parish who did not like him. On February 9, 1709, a fire broke out in the rectory at Epworth, possibly set by one of the rector's enemies. Young John, not yet six years old, was stranded on an upper floor of the building. Two neighbors rescued him just seconds before the roof crashed in. One neighbor stood on the other's shoulders and pulled the young boy through the window. Samuel Wesley said, "Come, neighbors, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God. He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go. I am rich enough." John Wesley often referred to himself as a "brand plucked out of the fire." In later years he often noted February 9th in his journal and gave thanks to God for His mercy. Samuel Wesley labored for 40 years at Epworth and saw very little fruit; but consider what his family accomplished! Aren't you glad you are His? Don't let the devil drive you away from the presence of God.