Joel Osteen’s protégé says the devil is trying to ‘mute’ him after his mistress releases suggestive voicemails

Taking to Instagram after a woman with whom he reportedly had an "emotional affair" released embarrassing audio tapes of the two of them speaking, a former associate of Houston megachurch pastor Joel Osteen defended himself and blamed the devil for his predicament.

According to Ebony, Pastor John Gray of the Relentless Church in South Carolina urged his followers to believe him and not their ears, writing, "The last three months have been the hardest of my life. So many things said about me. Some of it true. Most of it not.”

According to the pastor, who was sent off into the world by Osteen to build his own flock, “I didn’t sleep with anyone. Period. God is my witness. And anyone who I’m accountable to will tell you that when I’m wrong-and I’ve been wrong many times-I’ve admitted, repented and moved forward.”

Gray then complained that he is a target and those coming after him are after "blood."

"People wanted blood. And on the spiritual side the devil wanted to mute me. That will never happen," he professed. "If I never knew the power of The Blood, I do now. And I’ll always preach Jesus Christ as the power of God to eradicate the penalty of sin for those who choose to fall at the foot of the Cross.”

In one of the audio tapes the woman, whose name was kept anonymous, is told by a man identified as Gray, "“When you get this message, delete it. My wife saw our text messages from Friday. She knows you were in the same hotel as me and she does not know that I went to your room. She doesn’t remember me leaving. She’s got your number."

You can listen to the audiotape below: