“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” — Jude 9
Michael wasn’t just an angel; he was an archangel. He had status and rank. At this time he was contending with the devil about the body of Moses. Maybe they were discussing the location of the body, but whatever it was, Michael stopped and said, “The Lord rebuke thee.” There was no need to fight a fight that belongs to God. No need to carry a load that God can carry. Turn it over to the Lord!
The accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), the devil, loves to remind us of why we are unworthy and unfit to serve God. A Christian can beat himself up with guilt and depression because of something they did, said, or saw. It might have been wrong, but our loving and forgiving Father casts our sin from the east to the west and remembers it no more. Confess and forsake sin (Proverbs 28:13), and then move on for the Lord. Don’t allow the devil to drown you in depression or guilt you into gloominess. Instead of trying to argue with the devil, just tell him, “The Lord rebuke thee.” God forgives and restores no matter how bad the devil makes you feel. God lifts and loves. Don’t try to justify or defend; turn it over to the Lord. As 1 John 3:20 says, “if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart.” It may feel like our conscience, mind and heart beat us down, and very likely the devil is the one feeding that fire, but God is greater than feelings and emotions. Trust God. Throw it to God. Tell the devil, “The Lord rebuke thee” and let the peace, joy and truth of God’s Word flood your heart. Don’t fight the devil, rebuke him. It’s not your fight, it belongs to the Lord.
