The Christians Privelege of an Advocate Part 4

 Audio: mp3

There are many privileges of a Christian, many that we don’t even conceive of. Many we have thought for some time but have forgotten. Many we enjoy every day. These privileges only come through Jesus Christ. There are two main objectives of our study;

1. To increase and strengthen our faith to make our eyes see clearer so we can abide the last conflict we are in.
2. How to use these privileges. When we see what heaven has in store, how do we obtain it for our salvation? How to make advantageous strides towards our victory.

This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. The Christians privilege of an advocate belongs only to those who have received Jesus Christ, to those people who have an advocate with the Father. An advocate is given as those people have committed sin.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

The advocate is for those that sin, those that have been born again and have committed a sin. Those who are anti the advocate, those who do not receive Christ, have no advocate with the Father. Those who reject Christ in the person of his saints, as Cain rejected Abel. There were two different types of sin, a sin unto death, a sin committed by someone who has no advocate and the other a sin not unto death. We must receive Christ to have these privileges.

How to Use This Advocate

We can see in heaven that there is one provided but how can we access this privilege. How can we make the most of it?

1 John 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

The apostle here is writing of an advocate, the only place in Scripture where the word is found. We must presuppose we have a judgement. An advocate is one who pleads for one at a bar. An advocate stands in the place of the person who is guilty and speaks on their behalf and is qualified to do so. That is an advocate for the sin of somebody who is being born again, a Christian who has already accepted Christ but fallen into sin. The sin of saints and the sin of sinners are both condemned by the law of God.

Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

In heaven is God the Father, the judge of all. He is the judge in the highest court. As our text says, if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father. With that judge, we have an advocate for those who have sinned.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

A judge judges matters of law and we have broken the law.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

All these scriptures are to set the scene so we can understand what is going on in heaven.

We Have a Judge and Eye Witnesses

We have a law which is the standard, which cannot be altered. We have a guilty person who has transgressed that law. We have the accuser or the prosecutor who is bringing the case forward against us. How often? Day and night.

1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

We have an accuser who is accusing us of a crime which there are witnesses of that crime, eye witnesses. The Holy Spirit sees all things, not just the actions but the thoughts also. Have you sinned in your thoughts? Just as surely as you have sinned in your thoughts the case is before heaven over that sin. We need to take this solemn scene very seriously. Everything we do that is sin is answerable to the judge. Every dollar that is wasted, there must be an account in the judgement. Not just the monetary things but the thoughts and intents of the heart. What a hopeless case we have without an advocate. There is a witness of our thoughts.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

This is the purpose of our study, to understand what heaven has in store for us. All heaven, all the universe are interested in what we are doing. What we are doing in our homes, with our families, everything we do, heaven is interested and the case is open.

Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

All things are open. It makes us very vulnerable. All things are open to our adversary and to our witnesses. How often we do things that would make our angels blush and ashamed. What condition are we in?

Psalms 35:11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge [things] that I knew not.

The Court Room

We have a judge, we have witnesses, we have an accuser and we have a law that condemns us. Although we are born again, the law condemns all sin. We now see the court room;

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

This is not just the picture of the imagination, this is real. We want to strengthen our faith. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. We can’t see the court room but we know it’s there. We do know that we stand before the judge of all.

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Here is our advocate. Our advocate goes before the judgement throne to plead our cause for us. For those that would receive Jesus this advocate is there and Satan is there. All the false things which have many things to say are there. Jesus comes in as our advocate to plead our cause. This is the picture that Zechariah depicts of Joshua the high priest. It was a representation of all the people. It was a symbol of incorporating all the people.

Zechariah 3:1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

The scripture says who is he that condemneth? Satan puts his hand up and says I will condemn. He was cast out of heaven for sinning and says we are to be condemned like he sinned. He is familiar with the court of heaven, he is standing to resist. Joshua represents all the children of Israel;

The people of God are here represented as a criminal on trial. Joshua, as high priest, is seeking for a blessing for his people, who are in great affliction. While he is pleading before God, Satan is standing at his right hand as his adversary. He is accusing the children of God, and making their case appear as desperate as possible. He presents before the Lord their evil doings and their defects. He shows their faults and failures, hoping they will appear of such a character in the eyes of Christ that He will render them no help in their great need. Joshua, as the representative of God’s people, stands under condemnation, clothed with filthy garments. Aware of the sins of his people, he is weighed down with discouragement. Satan is pressing upon his soul a sense of guiltiness that makes him feel almost hopeless. Yet there he stands as a suppliant, with Satan arrayed against him. {COL 166.4}

The work of Satan as an accuser began in heaven. This has been his work on earth ever since man’s fall, and it will be his work in a special sense as we approach nearer to the close of this world’s history. {COL 167.1}

A criminal is someone who has broken the law. We have broken the law and Satan has taken us to court for what we have done. The judge is just, justice to the law. How does your case stand? He shows their faults. He has witnesses, false witnesses and also the witness of the Holy Spirit. If we have done wrong, can God lie? The witness must be true. Jesus is called the true and faithful witness. This scene becomes more intense. We go through our lives not considering what is happening. Satan desires to put us to sleep so we don’t use our advocate so we don’t see what is going on in heaven. The truth of the investigative judgment has been going on. Satan has been working to create Laodicea who say we are ok, rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing. But Jesus is saying they are poor, miserable, blind and naked.

Have we been blind of what is going on in heaven? Are we not aware of what we do before heaven? Do we think we can commit sins and not actually use our Advocate in the correct way to plead our case? Do you think that Jesus will plead our case whether we ask him or not? Are we not aware of what we do before heaven? Are the books which contain our actions unfamiliar to us? The Psalms say cleanse thou me from secret sins. That is what David’s plea was like. David knew what it was like to be a born again person and sin and he was very aware of the judgement and his adversaries that were trying to destroy him. So he plead, cleanse thou me from secret sins.

 The work of Satan as an accuser began in heaven. This has been his work on earth ever since man’s fall, and it will be his work in a special sense as we approach nearer to the close of this world’s history. As he sees that his time is short, he will work with greater earnestness to deceive and destroy. He is angry when he sees a people on the earth who, even in their weakness and sinfulness, have respect to the law of Jehovah. {COL 167.1}

Satan’s work of accusing is increased as we approach near to the close of this world’s history. As he sees his time is short, Satan is trying to make you sin and as soon as you’ve sinned, he’s off telling heaven what you’ve done. As soon as you trip over he knows about it.

He is determined that they shall not obey God. He delights in their unworthiness, and has devices prepared for every soul, that all may be ensnared and separated from God. He seeks to accuse and condemn God and all who strive to carry out His purposes in this world in mercy and love, in compassion and forgiveness. {COL 167.1}

He is angry when he sees a people on the earth who even in their sinfulness and weakness have respect to the law of Jehovah. Do you respect Gods law? Do you hold it in high esteem? Indeed we do, but do we transgress it? Do we fall, do we falter? If we respect Gods law, if we are not anti-Jesus, we have an advocate with the Father which we must use.

Every manifestation of God’s power for His people arouses the enmity of Satan. Every time God works in their behalf, Satan with his angels works with renewed vigor to compass their ruin. He is jealous of all who make Christ their strength. His object is to instigate evil, and when he has succeeded, throw all the blame upon the tempted ones. He points to their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which have dishonored their Redeemer. All this he urges as an argument proving his right to work his will in their destruction. He endeavors to affright their souls with the thought that their case is hopeless, that the stain of their defilement can never be washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield fully to his temptations, and turn from their allegiance to God. {COL 168.1}

Satan wants to tell us your case is hopeless, you’ve sinned, you’ve done this thing and you can’t change it. Sorry, too late, too bad, you may as well die. Come and join with me, come to the world. Satan tempts and goads and lures us into sin. He is determined that if he is not allowed in heaven, that we must enter there. If we enter there, in Satan’s mind that is not just. Satan has a case before the court of heaven that when we complain and have a whinge and have no gratitude towards Christ and his blessings, every time, Satan says see, there they are again. The time of Jacobs trouble, wasn’t that Jacobs trouble that Satan kept plaguing him that his sins weren’t forgiven? What did Jacob do? He wrestled with all his strength and muscle and nerve. If we think we can pass this final judgement with less energy than that of Jacob, we are deceiving ourselves. If we think that Christ has washed our future sins away without repentance, we have been deceived. We must be aware that Satan has a strong argument against us. How successful our lawyer, advocate, and barrister is.

John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not]. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

This is no less the story of us with Satan. Consider Jesus the advocate, the lawyer. Jesus hasn’t even spoken and He has silenced the accusers. They come with matter of law. The law says they should die. He brought their enemies to naught. We have an advocate, a successful advocate with the Father who is able to stop Satan if you would use Him. Do we have a sense of our need? Think of the fear of this woman caught in sin and knowing the law herself. An Israelite. Justice is justice. She thought she was going to die. Yearning in her spirit she said, help me.

Do we realise that in our body we want to do something and we can’t? We love the law of God and that which we want to do, we can’t so we falter. Who shall deliver me from this body of death? If we do not perceive our need for an advocate, we will not ask. It is said of Jesus that this man receives sinners. The Pharisees were people of law but they didn’t receive sinners but Jesus the advocate, what type of clients does he take? He takes sinners people who have transgressed the law. If you were summoned to court and you did not ask someone to take your case and you go to court, do you expect to see a lawyer in court for you? The scripture says we must ask, he that asks receiveth. Jacob asked and wrestled until the blessing was granted. We need to cry unto the Lord. Here is a story about a woman who needed help against her adversaries and she went to the king. This woman kept coming and saying help me, help me, help me.

Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

We are the children of God but we must ask with the deep anguish of our case, help me. The accuser is there day and night so we must ask day and night, help my cause. Have you invited Jesus to be your advocate? Have you entertained Him to plead for your cause? Have you come to an awareness that Satan is about to destroy me? Have you gone to Jesus and said, help me, take my cause? David was very aware of his sins. He was very aware of the adversary.

Psalms 43:1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

Has that been your cry? Help me? Plead my cause for me.

Psalms 35:1 [A Psalm] of David. Plead [my cause], O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

Satan is fighting against you trying to get you to sin. When he wounds you and you’ve sinned, he’s off to the court to tell them what you’ve done. We must say take my case. I love the law and I’m born again but I find this war in my members. Have you asked Jesus? This question we return to God is;

Isaiah 38:14 Like a crane [or] a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail [with looking] upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

The Lords people cannot of themselves answer the charge of Satan. We have nothing to say against the charges brought against us. If we go to the court on our own behalf, we shall fail. We need an advocate to plead for us. This is the first consideration of how to use an advocate. If you have not asked Him, why would He do it? He’s waiting for us to ask Him with our hearts. If you have asked Him and He says, yes I’ll take your cause, the second thing is that you must reveal your cause to Him. We aren’t just to ask the lawyer but to say what we have done. I’ve transgressed in all these points and the adversary has said all this about me. We must reveal our cause.

Matthew 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34 So Jesus had compassion [on them], and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

They were requesting, help me, plead my cause. What is it exactly you want me to plead? What do you want me to do?

Jeremiah 11:20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

God knows our hearts but should we still tell Him? Unto God, Jesus we have revealed our sins. Confess your sins to the advocate. Forsake them and say I did not mean to do this, I love the law. I want salvation from this position. This is where Satan is trying to hurt me. This is the sore spot of my life. These are the wounds I need to have healed. We are to ask in our private lives for Jesus to plead our cause and then to confess our sins.

Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.

Sometimes we will tell a lawyer the story according to us and we justify ourselves. To Jesus our advocate we are not justify ourselves. If we do not reveal everything that we know to God, we will not prosper in such a cause as the advocate will go to plead to us and then the advocate knows nothing about it all because the client never revealed the truth or cause but hid sins. This is what Ananias and Sapphira did. They lied to the Holy Ghost. If we kill Jesus in the person of His saints, if we become anti Him, He cannot plead our cause. The devil was a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies. Two things cannot be advocated in this court.

Lies

If we do not confess every sin, we shall not be forgiven. If we reject Christ and crucify Him afresh unto ourselves, we cannot have this advocate. It’s imperative that we ask and reveal the whole cause to him. The child has pain and it’s hurting and goes to the mother for help but hides the hurt, the mother searches everywhere until she finds the hurt. We must not be concerned if we cannot remember everything, but we must not hide anything. We must tell Him everything we know. We must commit it to Him. Job knew the necessity of an advocate. People still dispute whether Job was righteous or not, but the advocate brought him forth as a righteous man.

Job 5:8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

If we would let go of your case, all the accusations that have come and put them in the hands of someone else, stopped having control over your own affairs, leave it with Him and don’t take it back.

Psalms 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

A lawyer who has a client, who first will ask for help and secondly reveal the truth of the matter and third leave it with him, has the best advantage against the evil one. Which of you desire to see him abolished? I desire to see Satan confounded. If I desire, I must commit my cause to Jesus or I will fail.

Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.

It’s so much easier to commit something into a successful advocate. This is why we looked into that scripture of an adulterous woman. Trust in Him and He will bring it to pass. If the case is told him truthfully and committed to Him with all the heart, the advocate will not fail. All we have to do when we have committed our cause to Christ is to watch with the angels and see how the business goes, how the court session goes and see the answers of Christ. See the goodness He pleads and how the justice of the law is met through the sacrifice. Then we can see. We must wait on the Lord. We will meet this in the most excruciating experience and these words we’ll have to recall;

Micah 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD [shall be] a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, [and] I shall behold his righteousness.

This is the answer of a person who has sinned. Don’t start talking about what I’ve done, I’ve committed it to God. I desire to be saved from this wretched body. I have fallen but will arise. I will bear the indignation of the Lord as I have sinned against Him.

Wait on the Lord

We are to wait with expectation.

Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him.

We are not to wait in a careless wait, but in expectation.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

We are to wait with courage. We are not to become disheartened in a state of depression. We are to wait with courage. We are to wait and keep his ways. We aren’t to continue in sin.

Psalms 81:13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways! 14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

We are to wait on the Lord and not become restless and think about what God is doing in heaven for me. In our waiting we can fall asleep like the foolish and wise virgins. Their lamps went out while they were sleeping. If we keep His ways, the success of the court session will go so much better. The success of the court session would have been so much better if we had waited on the Lord and not fallen asleep into sin and became impatient and left. If we obey God when he deals with our sins, He says, wait on me. Though it tarry it shall come. We have been beaten in the war. We have sinned. We have asked Jesus be our advocate. We can resist Satan if he ever comes to tempt us our case is hopeless. The only one way we can resist Satan is by faith.

When Satan suggests doubt to your soul, when he tells you that you are too unworthy, too sinful, to realize the blessing of God, present Christ before him as your Advocate and Saviour. Tell him you know that you are a sinner, but that Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He came “not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). {TMK 245.3}

Repeat His promises: “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). . . . “Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me” (Isaiah 27:5). “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). Be simplehearted enough to believe these promises of God. When Satan comes to you, and tells you that because you are unhappy, perplexed, and troubled you are not a child of God, do not become discouraged for one moment, but gird up the loins of your mind. Let your heart repose in God. He has promised that if you come to Him, you shall find rest to your soul; and if you have done this, rest assured that He will fulfill His word in you…. {TMK 245.4}

Feeling has nothing to do with faith. Firmly believing what He has said He is also able to perform. Commit your way unto God. Commit your way unto the successful advocate and you will come forth as the light, as the church triumphant. He will justify and sanctify all His children according to his word. Commit your cause to Jesus and let Him manage it. May our hearts rejoice in our Advocate.

Amen.