I awoke long before dawn. Bad dream. The church where I was working at in the dream, told me I could not be involved in the TV interview program. The person scheduled for the day’s program was Marilyn Monroe. Program leaders said I was cancelled due to my “heavy-handed questions.”  I promise you—I have no hidden thing for Marilyn, no subconscious lust that is only released in dreams. I knew, even in my dream, that I would never ask a question to trap, “gotcha” or belittle.

Another dream: I was opening a Wednesday evening Bible Study and a man interrupted to say to the gathering that I was not worthy of leading the meeting and to prove his point, he asked for evidence be brought forth. A woman presented a bagel—cut in half—that contained particles assumed to be a forbidden, but not identified substance.

As ridiculous and hilarious the dreams, I couldn’t go back to sleep. I felt seriously accused with only a thin defense. After coffee and half a bagel with peanut butter, the heavy accusation was still on me. I looked up “accusation” in a digital concordance.

“Satan is relentless in his accusations—he accuses God’s children continually. He hates God and all that God is, which means he also hates God’s mercy and forgiveness extended to sinful humanity. Satan the accuser stands before God in an attempt to somehow lessen God’s love or diminish God’s mercy. Fortunately, his accusations against us fall on deaf ears:” (Erwin Lutzer—Moody Church)

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33).

“Salvation belongs to the Lord, and His justification cannot be reversed. God is greater than our accuser.”

Accusation is systemic. Satan is the “accuser of the brethren,” (Revelation 12:10). Brené Brown reminds us we are self-accusers. “Never enough,” “Not good enough,” “Always….”

It has been a long time since Marilyn did a cameo appearance in my dreams or bagels were used as evidence of my inadequacy or ineptitude. There was a real spirit of accusation behind the silliness for which I had to say to any tormenters—“Stop it!” And, affirmation of …

“Salvation belongs to the Lord, and His justification cannot be reversed. God is greater than our accuser.”

God does not accuse! Remember that. He does not hang us over the fires of hell just to watch us sweat. Jesus said Holy Spirit has a different approach and always with the promise, “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” There is the promise of redemption and justification along with the conviction. If you are feeling accusation, it is satan and you can say, “Stop it! In Jesus Name.”

“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8).

I think Holy Spirit enjoys convicting us of sin or something we need to own, allow Him to fix and heal. While accusation is a weapon of torment, Holy Spirit knows conviction is the first step toward healing and wholeness. Our response is to own what we are experiencing conviction and ask for forgiveness and instruction what to do about the dwarfing element that Holy Spirit saw.

You and I live in an atmosphere of accusation. Those who live from biblical paradigms and mindset, will be accused. “You are anti-science, you are racist, you are without the hope of change or redemption.” You know the litany. The dream was not surprising when I figured out what the triggers were.  

No accusers Allowed!

Copyright 2021 D. Dean Benton