Kill the wicked man, burn him, burn him!

http://bible.com/116/isa.48.22.nlt
“But there is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord .

I know the life of a wicked person. I have lived it.

There is no peace in that life, running from one moment of pleasure to the next, never being filled,  just remaining hungry for more,  never satisfied. Always worried about what lies ahead because I had no trust, no peace,  no self control.

And even now that I am seeking His will in my life, I see the reminders of that old wicked life and it’s chains when I occasionally stumble into a trap because I have let myself become distracted by the lures of this world.

Yes, I am reminded daily of my life’s evidence stacked against me. The enemy has for a long time used that evidence as a weapon against me.

But now, I find peace in knowing and trusting the power of God to wash me clean. And I say to that mountain with my mustard seed grain of faith,  “Be gone from me. I am a Child of the Most High. Christ Jesus lives in me!” And the mountain is cast into the sea of the blood of the Lamb, and is washed away completely and carried away into the pit,  forever removed from the presence and memory of God Almighty.

So, you see, when that adversary comes to accuse me – when He stands and points his accusing finger at me – I can say,  the one that you accuse is dead,  He has been cast into the refining fires and His life’s work has been cast into the sea by way of His faith. I stand before you, tried and tested. I cannot claim perfection of my own,  but I do claim the righteousness of God, because He is my heavenly Father. Because He lives in me and abides with me, and teaches me and guides me.

Lord, I ask you to rebuke Him, to cast evil from our presence in your name,  to strengthen us to live a life of repentance and obedience and love and mercy today for your honor and glory. We call on your name, Lord. Do not let us be stumbling blocks for others,  let us be the salt and light of this world – so that others might recognize you,  and draw near to your presence, and find peace.

Help us, kill that wicked man that we used to be. We surrender that life to you,  Lord. Burn it away with your refining fires, and prove us to be the precious vessels meant for your Holy use.

Prove us no longer wicked.

Prove us yours.

And in doing so, give evidence and testament that you save even sinners like me – that your power is great indeed, and that the evidence of this change that is building up, further proves the weakness of me, overcome by the power of you.

To God be all glory and praise and honor! He is truly worthy of our praise!

http://bible.com/116/zec.3.1-10.nlt
Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord . The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 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.”
Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 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.” 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.
Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “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. “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. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. 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.
“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.”