The accuser of our brethren comes in many forms.

Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” –John 15:18

People do not have a problem with you, they have a problem with Jesus. These people can be anyone in the world, even church members. The accuser can get a hold of anyone at anytime and use them against you. Even if the person is speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit, there might be something wrong within your own heart that causes you to perceive evil from the other person when the evil is actually within yourself.

Jesus said offenses must come. Offenses, literally translated, are stumbling blocks, barriers placed in front of you to hinder your relationship with God. The goal of the accuser is always to get you offended so you will start walking down a path of self-destruction.

The offense the accuser causes usually does not just affect you, it affects others around you, and, with the age of social media, your offense could potentially affect millions of other people. It is important to recognize offense.

Jesus recognized offense. Peter had just got the revelation from the Father that Jesus is Messiah and Jesus just got done telling Peter He is going to build His church on this revelation. It seemed Peter was at a great peak of spirituality. Then, the accuser used Peter to attempt to place a stumbling block before Jesus, but Jesus knew better.

Peter had great intentions, but, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. -Proverbs 14:12

After Peter’s revelation about Jesus, Jesus began telling his disciples how He must suffer many things and die and raise again on the 3rd day. Peter did not want to hear about that. Peter wanted his friend Jesus to stay around with him for a long time.

Peter was reacting through his emotions, wanting what he wants based on his own will instead of God’s will. The original Hebrew meaning of good and evil is if something is where it is supposed to be or not, doing what it is supposed to do or not.

We are supposed to wait to hear from God and do His will. Was Peter doing what he was supposed to do? No, he was reacting how he wanted to react instead of reacting how God wanted Peter to react.

Peter was being evil in that moment, where he was just being good a moment before. That is human nature, and it is the nature of the accuser to be evil continually. The accuser of our brethren has not functioned in his role for a very long time, longer than humans have even existed.

Just know this, the peace of the Lord, the joy of Jesus, is something that can always be inside you, something that will carry you through the accusations of life.

When the devil, who is that serpent of old, that ancient accuser of our brethren, when he uses his evil tactics to work through other people, and even yourself, remember to recognize offense by continually keeping your relationship with Jesus tight. Study His Word, talk with Him, get to know Him more and more every day.

But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” –Matthew 16:23

Read the full Scripture HERE.

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. –Revelation 12:10