Are you filthy?
Do you or others feel you are good enough to be in Gods presence?
Is satan, making you out to be not worth Gods attention?
In cell group we looked at this passage as we looked into ‘Tune into the ways and works of God’
In Zechariah 3 (NLT)
Then the angel showed me Jeshua[a] the high priest standing before the angel of theLord. The Accuser, Satan,[b] was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”
3 Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”
5 Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, 7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.
8 “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets.[c] I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.
10 “And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.”
Jeshua, like many of us was not in a good state. He was dirty and not fit to stand before a king, let alone God. Satan, is saying such a man can not be in your presence. Many of us feel like that. Many people have told me they are not worthy of Jesus or His blessings.
However what does God say to satan?
“the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.””
God see’s Jeshua differently, He see’s someone who has been living, been in the fire of life. Yes he is dirty, but that dirt comes from life. Just like us, he has done things wrong [sinned], he has fallen from Gods path, and fallen short of Gods desires for him. So what does God say about that?
“Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”
God forgives Jeshua and puts him in new clothes. This is a sign of what Jesus will do for each of us when we turn to Him. He cleans us by the blood of His sacrifice on the cross. Like Jeshua we can be made one with God again, have our relationship with God restored and be made holy and righteous in His sight. This in Jeshua’s case was done by a angel in our case it is done by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Each of us is dirty in Gods sight that is true, but He loves us so much that He has supplied the new clean clothes we need to be in His presence. Unlike a human ruler who would just send us away if we where not dressed properly, or without the right status, God see’s you and then sends the means of entry to you.
You need neither worry about not being good enough to be in His presence, the Father wants you to be in His presence and has given you the way in through Jesus.
So do you want to be in the Fathers presence?
Then Give yourself to Jesus, repent of your sins and accept the new clothes of the Holy Spirit into your life.
If you want to make a real go of this new relationship, find others who also love the Father and talk and grow with them.
A Christian Warrior 