satan's Master
THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp
Thursday November 13, 2008
Colossians 2:13-15 (NIV)
13. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us ALL OUR SINS, 14. having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
So how did God disarm the "powers and authorities"? (These are spiritual powers and authorities, not human.)
He canceled the law; that's how!! The law was the basis for the devil's rightful accusations against mankind, and the law was the reason satan still had access to God's throne in Old Testament times.
But when the law was cancelled, the devil no longer had any ammunition against mankind-- he was DISARMED, like Colossians 2:15 says! That's why he was cast out of Heaven when Jesus arose from the dead; because he had no means by which to rightly accuse mankind before God any more!
Jesus Himself declared that satan was about to lose his place in heaven when He was about to go to the cross:
John 12:31 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
John 16:11 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
We know that the "prince of this world" Jesus was referring to was satan:
John 14:30 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me...
Jesus said that before Judas Iscariot came for him.
So satan was cast out of Heaven and hurled down to the earth:
Revelation 12:9,10 (NIV)
9. The great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down."
Verse 10 confirms that this happened when Jesus arose from the dead.
The Bible tells us that:
1. God's Salvation came when God raised Jesus from the dead. (Romans 10:9)
2. God's Power came when Jesus arose from the dead. (Romans 1:16, Ephesians 1:18-22)
3. The Kingdom Of God came when God raised Jesus from the dead. (Colossians 1:13)
4. The Authority of Christ came when God raised Jesus from the dead. (Ephesians 1:18-22)
So according to the Bible, satan was cast out of Heaven and hurled to the earth when God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus Christ was then seated FAR ABOVE satan and his evil authorities in the Heavenly realm:
Ephesians 1:18-23 (NIV)
18. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19. and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20. which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21. FAR ABOVE all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23. which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
And EVERY CHRISTIAN was seated WITH CHRIST, above satan and his evil authorities:
Ephesians 2:6 (NIV)
And God raised US up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
NOW, EVERY BELIEVER IS satan's MASTER!!!
1 John 4:2-4 (NIV)
2. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3. but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
PRAYER
Thank You Father for seating me with Christ in the Heavenly realms. Thank you for your delivering me from satan's power. Help me to always remember that I am in a position of authority over satan, because I am now identified with Jesus Christ in the Heavenly realm.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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