Summary: I want to thank Pastor Curtis Linton for this outline. It really spoke to my heart. Thank God that we have Someone to plead our case to the Father

1 JOHN 2:1-2 "WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER"

* It’s judgment time. * The angel has put one foot on land and one foot on the sea.

* He blows the trumpet of God and time as we know it will be no more!

* There may be different views about the millennium, but we will all agree that judgment is coming!

A) Everybody is gonna give account to God in judgment.

* God; the judge of the earth will be there. * The devil, the prosecuting attorney,

* The accuser of the brethren will be there. * Job 1:6-12 "Now there was a time ......."

* Rev.12:10 "... the accuser of the brethren ..." * Angels will be there; cherubim .......

B) All the assembled host of heaven will be there, for you see, it’s judgment time.

* One day, my name is called! * An indictment is read against me,

* The same indictment that will be read against you. * And I’m reminded that the Bible says in:

* Eze.18:4 "The soul that sinneth ..." * Rom.6:23 "For the wages of sin is ......."

(1) I’M COMMANDED TO TAKE THE STAND! * I’ve got to tell the truth, God knows my heart!

* And the devil begins his examination. * The devil says, "State your name ......."

A) My name is ... and I’m a F.W.B. preacher; I pastored the Faith F.W.B. Church.

* I’ve got 7 children and 14 grandchildren. * The devil approaches me with the stench of hell on his

breath and says, "Well, Mr. Preacher, holiness preacher, you do believe in holiness, don’t you?"

* "Yea, that’s me, I believe in holiness! * "Well. Mr Dunford, excuse me, Rev. Dunford,

* Let me ask you; has your eyes ever looked upon anything they shouldn’t have looked upon?"

B) "Well ..." * "Just answer the question!" * "Yes!" * Let the record state .......

* "Has your hands ever done anything they shouldn’t have done?" * "Well, I’ve tried ......."

* Answer the question Rev! * Has your feet ever trodden a wicked path? * Have you ever lied?

* Have you ever had lust? * Yes, yes I have!

C) "Well Mr. Rev. Dunford, what does the Bible say about these things?"

* I have to answer, Jms.1:15 "Then when lust ..." * Mt.5:28 "... whosoever looketh upon ......."

D) The questions continue: Have you ever been bitter? * Ever been angry without a cause?

* Has your ego ever got out of line? * Have you ever said anything you shouldn’t have said?

* Yes, I’m guilty! * I feel so dirty, so guilty, so embarrassed, so condemned, I’m afraid!

* The judge says "You may step down, call your next witness."

* I’m expecting a demon to come up & tell lies, but they don’t have to lie here.

(2) MY GUARDIAN ANGEL! * I almost shout! * He knows me, he’s been with me all these years!

* I was getting scared there for a minute! * "Whew"

A) The devil says, "Mr. Angel (George), just how well do you know Mr. Dunford?"

* "I know him well; I’ve been responsible for him for all these years. * I’ve protected him,

* I’ve put obstacles in his way sometimes to keep him from really messing up."

B) "He’d fall asleep while driving and I’d wake him up. (Martin Camp Road one day)"

* "One time he went to pay his car insurance and ended up in Chimney Rock."

* I was with him a lot in his lonely times, I brought him strength a lot.

* I know him very well, but sometimes I don’t understand him, but ..."

C) Well Mr. Angel, since you know Him so well, have you ever noticed,

* His eyes looking at anything he shouldn’t have? * I thought, "Oh no!"

* Has he ever listened to something he shouldn’t have listened to?

* Has his mouth ever spoken something it shouldn’t have? * yes. * Speak up, I can’t hear you!

D) Yes! * Has he ever had lust in his heart? * Has his feet ever ...? * Has his hands ever ...?

* Has he ever lied? * Has he ever been bitter? * Has his ego ever got out of line?

* Has he ever had pride? * Yes, he’s guilty!

E) He has to tell the truth, or he’ll lose his right to be an angel!

* Now I feel so hopeless, so helpless, so dirty! * I can’t look at him!

* The judge says, "You may step down Angel, call your next witness!"

(3) THE HOLY SPIRIT! * Praise God! * Everything will be all right now, the Comforter’s here!

* He’s been with me ever since I been saved! * The devil says, "Holy Spirit, how well do you

know Mr. Dunford?" * I know him well! * I’ve been with him since Feb.26,1978.

A) He, at one time pushed me aside, but on Mother’s Day, 1993, he surrendered,

* And we’ve been close ever since! * I was the One who convicted him & he got his heart right!

* I called him into the ministry & anointed him to preach the gospel.

B) I’ve comforted him when he hurt; when his mama died, I put my arms around him .......

* When he preached his mama’s funeral, I was the One who got him through it!

C) "Well, since you know him so well, have you ever noticed his eyes looking at things he

shouldn’t look at?" * I thought, "Oh my God, now the Holy Spirit is testifying against me!"

* "Has his ears ever listened ..." * Has his mouth ..." * "Yea, but he really didn’t mean to."

* Now, I didn’t ask you did he mean to, I asked did he do these things?" * Yes, he has.

D) Has his hands ever ...? * Has his feet ever ...? * Has his ego ever got out of line?

* Has his attitude ever been sorry? * Has he ever had pride? * Has he ever lusted?

* "Yes, he is guilty!" * What am I gonna do? * I’m in a mess!

* We all have sinned! * If you say you aint, you’re a liar, the Bible says! (1 Jn. 1:8)

* My witnesses have all lied against me! * I aint got a chance!

E) The devil says, "God, this man has to go to hell. * According to your own word,

* "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." * This man has broke every law in your word!

* Now according to your word, this man has to go to hell, ha ha ha ..." * I’m weeping!

* The judge says, "Is there a counsel for the defense?" * A holy hush comes over the courtroom.

* I cry out, "Wont somebody please stand up for me? * Please, please .......!"

(4) A MAN STANDS UP IN THE BACK OF THE COURTROOM! * "Your Honor!"

* I turn, and He starts walking to the front .......! * I notice blood on His brow.

* His hands and feet are scarred; His side, I can tell has been pierced with a spear.

A) He gets down front and says, "Your honor, look at my hands, feet, side, my head."

* "Your Honor, I went to Calvary for Bo Dunford; I died for him, I was his substitute."

* "Your Honor, I had no place to lay my head so he can live in heaven!

B) I wore a crown of thorns so he could wear a crown of life!

* I walked up Calvary’s road so he could walk on streets of gold.

* I was treated unjustly so he could be justified. * I suffered so he could be saved!

* My body was beaten and bruised so he could have a new body!

* I died so he could live, your Honor, I went to hell so he could go to heaven!

C) Your Honor, on the basis of the blood shed on Calvary, and on his acceptance of what I did

on Calvary, I demand that Bo Dunford go free!"

D) A hush settles over the whole courtroom. * Angels lower and sets their wings!

* Cherubim and Seraphim hushed their praises of "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty."

E) I look up and the Judge is wiping tears from His eyes and says with a loud voice;

* "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

* "Let him go free!" * That’s what it means to have an advocate with the Father!

F) I’m glad I got an advocate with the Father tonight!

* Come to Jesus! * He will be your advocate! * Rom.10:9-10 ; Rom. 10:13