Does Satan Accuse Us Before God?

I would suggest that Satan does not go before God and accuse Christians.  

You might think, but the Bible says he does—and it’s true, some verses suggest that.  

In Job 1:9-10, the Bible tells that Satan accused Job before God, and in Revelation 12:10, it says that he accuses the brethren.  However, those verses must be properly understood — historically (When did the people live?, grammatically (what does it mean that Satan made accusations?), and contextually (What do the passage, chapter, and book reveal about what the verses say?).

The verses in Job and Revelation are not about Christians. Job was a Gentile who lived long before God’s covenant with His chosen people. In Revelation 12:10, Satan accuses the brethren– those who will put their faith in Jesus during the Tribulation.

As Christians, we don’t live in either of those times. We have a very different relationship with God than Job or the Tribulation saints will have.

Satan is No Fool

Satan knows that accusing Christians before God would be futile.  Therefore, he would be foolish to waste his time doing so.  Satan is no fool.  He knows we are:

• fully redeemed from our sin (Eph 1:7, 1 Cor 6:20), 
• completely washed clean (Rev 1:5), 
• standing in the imputed righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Cor 1:30), 
• sealed unto the day of redemption (Eph 1:7, 4:30), and 
• there is, therefore, no condemnation that can be brought against us and separate us from God (Rom 8:1, 8:38-39).  

Satan also knows that God is faithful to His promise to keep us and to give us our guaranteed inheritance  (Eph 1:13-14).  Accusing us before God would be of no avail.

Satan’s Tactics

I suggest that instead of accusing us before God, Satan spends his time “messing” with us. He tries to destroy our witness by confusing our minds and, just like with Eve, tempting us to sin with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Satan knows that Jesus has given us a mission to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20).  He knows that Jesus commanded His followers to be a light unto the world (Phil. 2:15; 1 Thess 5:5), to speak the good news of His saving grace (Acts 1:8), and to help build the Kingdom of God on earth.  

Satan also knows that we will not be effective if we are despairing, anxious, fearful, worrying, or committing sins.  Along with his minions, Satan tries to tempt and distract us, to confuse our minds, to trouble our souls.  He doesn’t want us to speak clearly about who Christ is, what He has done, and the gift of salvation He offers.

Rather than accusing us before God, which is futile, Satan’s “end game” is to harm or destroy our testimony.  If our lives don’t reflect the truths that we speak, people will not trust in the One of whom we speak.  Satan desires that worldly things fill our minds, influence our words, motivate our actions, and keep us from growing in our relationship with Jesus.

C.S. Lewis on Satan’s Tactics

In his book, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote about Satan’s strategies to “mess’ with Christians.  The book tells of the Devil, Screwtape, and his protege, Wormwood, to whom he wrote letters of instruction.  

Illustrating Satan’s understanding of his lack of total power, Screwtape wrote: 

“Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that “suits” him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.” (letter 16)

Additionally, Screwtape wrote of his strategy that his evil angels should employ in dealing with Christians:

• steal their time,
• distract them,
• keep them busy,
• tempt them,
• overstimulate and jam their minds, and
• let them be excessively focused on worldly things.

That’s how Satan attempts to diminish and destroy our testimonies, our joy, and our peace in the Lord.  Although our positional standing with God is secure, our practical living is vulnerable to the Evil One’s tactics.  Don’t let him make you forget about Jesus and cause you to focus on worldly things.  

In Summary

Don’t worry about Satan trying to accuse you.  Concern yourself with standing strong in Christ and believing His words only.  Spend time growing your relationship with Jesus — devote your heart to Him, renew your mind in His Word, and strengthen your soul with confidence in His faithfulness to you.  

Look to Jesus and call upon Him. Do your best to surrender to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you. That’s how you can resist Satan and cause him to flee from you (James 4:7).

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