A number of years ago I was in a worship time and I heard a voice speak to me to do something with was not bad in any way but I just wasn’t sure it was God. Initially, because I heard this voice in the worship time, I thought it must be God. However it didn't sound like Him and I'd never heard a voice like that before, so I wasn’t sure. If it hadn’t of been a good thing it was suggesting, I would have dismissed it straight away. I was confused and then condemned as I struggle to reconcile who had spoken. If it was the devil, I would never do it but if it was God and I don’t do it, I could lose His blessing because of disobedience.

I decided it was the devil and still fought condemnation for some time. Part of the problem was I didn’t think that the devil could just turn up in the presence of God like that, when I was worshipping God. I guess I should have twigged but have since then I’ve discovered that he often turns up in God’s presence to condemn.

In the book of Zachariah 3, Joshua the High Priest is standing before the Lord and Satan was standing at his right hand to oppose him. There is Satan right in the presence of God. Right when God is speaking to you and wanting to bless you and speak to you the devil is accusing you. We might come into the presence of God to hear and to receive life but many times there is a battle that first must be won. The battle to hear the Lords voice, over the enemy's voice. “You’re not worthy of blessing; God has nothing to say to you; you’ll have to much better that that, if you expect God to really love you.”

But v4 God speaks above the accusation, “See I have removed your iniquity from you and I will clothe on with rich robes of my righteousness”

And friend, our Fathers word, is the final word.