“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col 2:15; KJV). This verse is good news as it tells us that Jesus defeated the power of satan in his victory at the cross. This is confirmed in Hebrews 2:14 where we read that Jesus destroyed the devil and rendered him ineffective. The meaning of the Greek word for destroyed is to make something totally ineffective or powerless.

How can we establish this victory in our lives? It's one thing to know what Jesus did for us but how can we benefit from this? God has given us authority over satan in order to enforce this victory as it says in Luke 9:1, when Jesus gave his disciples: “power and authority over all demons”. Also, when Jesus gave the last commission to his disciples (and to us) in Mark 16:17, he said they (we) would cast out demons: "in his name". James, the brother of Jesus, told us we should: “submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”. The Greek word for resist means to take a bold stand and oppose.

“Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt 18:18). We have the authority to loose all the works of the devil from our lives and those of other people and we can bind them far from us.  We need to use our authority, prayer, and God’s promises in his word to: "fight the good fight of faith"(1 Tim 6:7), against the devil and his attacks. Always remember that we are resisting from a point of victory.

Have things come against you? People? Problems? Pressures? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a furnace so hot that the guards who threw them in were killed by the heat (Dan 3). The 3 were thrown in the fire because they refused to worship the image of King Nebuchadnezzar. When in the 3 were in the furnace, the King noticed a fourth person: "like the Son of God" (Dan 3:25). Jesus was in the fire and delivered them.

Paul described the tribulations, persecution and afflictions that came against him as he obeyed God in ministry (1 Cor 11:24-28; 2 Tim 3:11-12). He was beaten stoned, hungry, tired and threatened by angry crowds and robbers. However, Paul said triumphantly that God delivered him every time.  

Jesus said we would have challenges in this life but he also said not to worry because he is victorious over everything that can come against us. (John 16:33). Jesus was in a boat with his disciples when a fierce storm arose. The disciples woke him up in a panic: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).  Isn't it wonderful to know that when the storms of life come against us, we have Jesus in our boat (Mark 4:35-40)?

Been in the fire lately?

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The bible says that as Christians, Christ lives in us (Gal 2:20) and we are in him. He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). We have been grafted in to the vine. Spiritually this means that we are in Christ. As the life of the vine flows out to its branches, so the life of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, lives in us and flows from us.

In the book of Colossians, we are told that we have been removed from the power of darkness and placed in to the kingdom of light (Col 1:13). This is God’s spiritual kingdom of light; we are connected to Jesus and live in his sphere of influence.

Satan has been defeated through Christ’s victory at the cross and he (satan) was stripped of all power and authority in our lives as Christians (Col 2:15).

In Christ, God sees us as righteous (1Cor 1:30), his sons and daughters (Gal 3:26) and more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13; KJV).

This is who we are but we need to walk in it. This requires that we study the word and find out who we are in Christ; build up our faith so we can stand up to satan when he comes to question our new life in Christ. Satan is defeated but he will try to question your relationship with God through people and by sending you negative thoughts. You must be convinced of who you are so you can stand firm in your victory in Jesus.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King coming unto the: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zech 9:9; KJV). At the culmination of his ministry on the earth, our King of Kings, Jesus, rode triumphant into Jerusalem, holding the keys to our salvation, death on a cross and resurrection to life. What power, what victory, what contrasts.

 His triumphant entry was not in a chariot of gold surrounded by warriors but he came sitting on a lowly donkey with his bewildered disciples around him. He did not come as an earthly conquering king to destroy the Roman oppression as many expected (John 6:15). He came humbly, to do his Father's will (John 5:19), and to win back dominion from satan and all the spiritual forces of darkness (Col 2:15).

This was a victory in the spirit realm that won forgiveness for us (Col 1:14), restored authority over satan and all his minions (Luke 10:19), and gave us eternal life with him (1 John 2:25). Zechariah foresaw it (Zech 9:9), Matthew reported it as fact (Matt 21:3) and the people rejoiced: "Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matt 21:9).

Christ, humbled to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:8), won more than any mighty army of men ever achieved. Let's walk in that victory and authority and impact our world for good.

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.