SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 50
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. [Isaiah 50:6-7]
This passage describes the coming messiah who stands up for God’s people, and endures abuse for their sake.
We see in Jesus the fulfillment of these words: They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. [Matthew 27:28-31]

To understand this, we need to remember how much it costs God to endure humanities collective sin and guilt.
Our selfishness and unfaithfulness – individually and collectively – causes mayhem and misery everywhere!
God is committed to helping us, but it means enduring the ugliness of our sin – it would be so much easier to wipe us all out and start over… but He chooses to help us, not abandon us.
Jesus is God entering into the misery and mayhem of a sin-cursed world, to rescue us.
Jesus’ suffering is but one part of how much it costs God to help us; He bears the full brunt of the curses’ judgment so that we can be forgiven and set free.
Because of Jesus, none of Satan’s accusations can stick – they’ve already been punished.

He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. [Isaiah 50:8-9]
If He is my Saviour, who is my accuser?
Because Jesus took on the full brunt of eternal judgment against sin, we are vindicated.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. [Romans 8:31-34]

I can think of many sins that I have committed in my lifetime, things that I am ashamed of, things that I regret, things that have hurt others and God.
I am sorry for these things, I hate them, I desperately long for God to help me overcome or correct them.
Satan taunts me with the memory of these failures, he smears me with accusations and judgments – he makes me feel that I could never be forgiven, that God could never love me.
But Jesus is the proof that God does love me, that He is prepared to endure the horrors of my sin and shame so that I can be forgiven and set free.
If I simply accept this as true, then Satan can no longer accuse or condemn me – its been taken care of!

Daily I admit my unworthiness, and my continued selfishness – I admit it, I hate it, and I look to God for help.
And daily He reminds me of His love, of how much He has endured for me, how He has absorbed my shame and punishment into Himself that I may be forgiven and set free.
So I am now forgiven, and I am free… so Satan has nothing on me (it’s all on Jesus!)
Who is my accuser? Who is he that will condemn me?
If God is for me, who can be against me!

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to listen to Your truth, and not Satan’s lies. I am forgiven, I am free, nothing (not even the worst of my sin and shame ) can separate me from You and Your love!