Completely Victorious!
Having disarmed principalities and powers,
He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:15
Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, “in Christ.”
Watchman Nee
“VICTORY, VICTORY, that’s our cry V-I-C-T-O-R-Y”
– the rising cheer of a team as they score the winning touchdown! That, too, as believers in Christ is our cry because Jesus became man, to meet, conquer, and destroy the power of death and the devil so that we can live victoriously!
Death is terrifying for the unbeliever. Outwardly they may not appear to be living in fear, but when left alone to deal with their thoughts the reality of death is waiting. They are driven, consciously or unconsciously, to close their eyes, ears, and minds to every thought that they are going to die and give an account to God. This is bondage to death, living in denial to the reality of death, God, the devil and sin. This manifests itself in many ways as we see in the world today with alcohol, drugs, sex and other vices being used as ways of escape, fleeting moments of pleasure and numbness all designed to avoid the reality that one day death waits.
When Adam and Eve turned away from God, and fell to their flesh and Satan, they fell under the power of death and so did we. Left to ourselves and our sin nature, Satan had power over us. The only way for us to come from under the power of Satan was to overcome our sinful nature and die to it. We had no power to do this. Jesus entered into all the conditions of our fallen humanity but without sin and entered into our death, enduring it as the penalty for our sin and satisfying the law of God. In His resurrection, the power of death and the devil has been completely broken and now there is perfect deliverance from the fear of death for those who believe in the finished work of Christ on their behalf.
Are you living in the fullness of this awesome truth? Christ destroyed Satan and death so that you would be completely freed from his power. Are you enjoying this freedom? Jesus delivers from the fear of death and the bondage it brings, changing it into the joy of the hope of glory! Is this joy yours? Do you believe that Jesus who is now crowned with glory and honor is able to make that true of your life? He gave Himself to be fully like you and for you- will you not give yourself to be fully like Him and for Him?
…Death is swallowed up in victory!
Thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ!
(1 Corinthians 15:54, 57)
As we consider the cross and all that Christ accomplished for us, we must not forget His resurrection! The power to rise above all the circumstances and challenges we face lives within us. Not only has Jesus conquered death but He offers us a victorious life in Him! No longer slaves to sin, His life is our life. May we walk knowing and embracing our complete salvation, our complete forgiveness and in Christ our complete victory!