“Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost … since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25.
F. Lee Bailey, one of the most sensational trial lawyers of the last century, practiced the creed that every person is innocent until proven guilty. He did all that was humanly possible to defend a client. He entitled his autobiography, “The Defense Never Rests.” The word translated as Comforter or Helper in John’s gospel comes from a Greek word, Paraclete. It means advocate, or defense lawyer. Anyone accused of a crime needs—and has a right to—a defense attorney. Defendants in a capital crime must withstand a formidable prosecution by a District Attorney. The most chilling moment in the proceedings arrives when the defense lawyer says, “The defense rests its case.” The harrowing questions now bombard you. Has everything been said? Has every loophole been closed? Has all the evidence been countered and all the hostile witnesses been refuted? Ten, twenty years, life imprisonment, or death, hangs in the balance.
Did you know that you are on trial? From the very moment God’s word influenced your heart and Christ’s love drew you to him, you have been undergoing a great spiritual ordeal. Your difficulty in loving God is not just an insignificant, trivial personal battle. Out of revenge, Satan introduced sin into the world, seeking to erase God from the minds of men. Failing in this, he tried to destroy the personification of righteousness, Jesus Christ. Having failed once again, he is now attempting to nullify the work of Christ in this world. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.
Yes, you are on trial—and you are guilty! Man is born in sin. “All the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19. Sin is our natural heritage and death is our fixed destiny. The human heart is deceitful. All have transgressed the commandments of God. You are on trial and Satan is the prosecuting attorney. He is called Satan fifty-six times, meaning opponent or adversary. He is called the devil thirty-five times, meaning slanderer, accuser. He is the source of evil, a liar, the tempter and the great deceiver.
News flash! We have a Defense Attorney who never rests His case. “Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost … since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25. Your defense is flawless, and your defense attorney, the Paraclete Comforter, never rests! He brings these things to your remembrance:
When Satan says “You’re my possession,“ the Paraclete says: “I redeemed you!”
When Satan says “You’re a troubled individual,” your Defense Attorney says, “No! I’ve given you My peace!”
When Satan says, “You’re not good enough for heaven,” your Holy Ghost says, “I have justified you!”
When Satan says, “You are soiled with sin,” your Helper says, I have cleansed you!”
When Satan says, “God is angry with you,” your Advocate says, “I have forgiven you!”
When Satan says, “You’re too far from God,” your Eternal Lawyer says, “I’ve drawn you close to Me!”
When Satan says, “I can still control you,” your Comforter says, “I’ve given you victory!”
When Satan says, “You are still guilty,” the Almighty God says, “I can’t remember your sins!”
The defense—YOUR DEFENSE—never rests!