0759. Satan Resists Our Cleansing

Satan Resists Our Cleansing

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and satan standing * * to resist him" (Zec_3:1).

Joshua stood before the Lord. He was clothed in filthy garments. He was seeking cleansing. Satan stood. This is the picture described in Zechariah, chapter 3. It has an application for every believer.

Where is he who has not heard the voice of God saying, "Put off * * the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts"?

Where is he who has not cried out, "Woe is me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord"?

Where is he who has not bemoaned: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death"? Certainly every believer has been borne down in shame with the sense of sin.

It was Daniel who prayed and said, "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled."

It was David who said, "Against Thee and Thee only have I sinned."

It was Isaiah who said, "I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips."

Assuredly if any one says, "I have no sin," he deceives himself. What we need then is cleansing. Nor, are we so foolish as to try to cleanse ourselves. We stand before the Lord and we cry, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." We look around and, lo, satan stands by to resist us. He knows full well that a clean life is a life with a testimony. A life made "meet for the Master’s use." A life which will have fellowship with God. Therefore He resists our cleansing.

God says: "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord." Satan says: "There is no power can cleanse you and none can keep you clean."

God says: "Therefore must the camp of the Lord be holy, or, be clean, lest He see some unclean thing and turn away from thee." Satan says: "Be not righteous overmuch * * why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"

God says: "If a man therefore purge himself * * he shall be * * meet for the Master’s use." Satan says: "Yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin."

Let a saint cry: "Create in me a clean heart" and satan will resist him.

Let a believer plead: "Lord, help me to put off the old man which is corrupt," and satan will resist him.

Satan knows that a clean Christian will be a soul-winning Christian and a God-honored Christian and he resists his cleansing.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR