Moments of Accusation
“Pilate then went out to them and said, ’What accusation do you bring against this man?’” — John 18:29 (NKJV)
Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? How did you respond? Did you respond with anger, dismissal, or silence? Did you know that accusation is one of the devil’s most common schemes? Whether the accusation is completely false or partially true, how do you handle it in a way that most glorifies God?
If you have never been falsely accused then you have not lived long enough or been in business long enough. Many Christians are so fragile or sensitive to confrontation that the minute they are accused of anything true or false, fear and/or guilt begins to grips them. The Bible calls the devil the ‘accuser of the brethren’ because he is forever before the Father bringing accusations to condemn us. The devil also goes through people to use accusations to intimidate us (Job 1:6-12, Rev 12:10).
An accusation is when you are charged with doing something wrong or illegal. Most accusations used by the devil may have some seed of truth or are positioned in a way that makes us look guilty even though we are innocent. That is why the devil’s schemes often work because when there is no element of truth, it is easy for us to dismiss the accusation. When it has some truth, then it causes us to worry, be fearful or feel intimidated.
Many leaders in the Bible were falsely accused. In Genesis 3:4, the devil accuses God Himself of wanting to keep Adam and Eve from becoming like God when they were already created in the image and likeness of God. In Genesis 37:10, Joseph is accused of wanting to rule over his parents and brothers. He is accused again in Genesis 39:14-18 by Potiphar’s wife of trying to sleep with her. In Exodus 5:21, the children of Israel accuse Moses of intentionally angering Pharaoh to bring more hardship on them. Then, in Exodus 14:11, after God sets them free from Pharaoh, they accused Moses again of bringing them to the wilderness just to kill them. In Nehemiah 6:6-7, Nehemiah is accused of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem to rebel against the king and wanting to become the new king. In 2 Corinthians 10:10, the Apostle Paul is accused of not being an effective communicator. In the Gospels, Jesus is accused of eating with sinners, blasphemy, being a false prophet, desiring to become the King of the Jews and many other things.
Notice that on some of these accusations the devil used some seed of truth as his foundation. Whether the accusation is completely false or partially true, how do you handle it in a way that most glorifies God? When you are faced with an accusation, first consider whether it is true or false. If it is true then repent, apologize and do not try to justify yourself. If it is false, then keep the following in mind:
- Do not be intimidated
- Do not overreact
- Respond only if absolutely necessary
- Remember you are not fighting against flesh and blood but you are fighting a spiritual battle
- Pray for your accuser
- Let God be your avenger
- Focus on truth and facts, not feelings
Accusations are great defining moments for entrepreneurs and leaders. How you handle them truly determines your character. Will you allow an accusation against you to cause you to sin? Or, will you allow the experience to glorify God and create opportunities for Him to shape you into His image and permit personal growth? Remember, the devil brings accusations in your life for three simple reasons:
- To distract you from your purpose
- To intimidate you
- To discredit you
However, no matter what the accusation is, greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. If God is for you then no one can be against you.
My prayer for you today is that God will give you the wisdom to handle accusations against you and give you the grace to persevere through them.
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