Colossians 2:15 Jesus' Victory

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. [Colossians 2:15 NASB]

Satan was defeated at the cross.

When Paul writes about rulers and authorities, he is referring to spiritual powers. We find his usage of these terms throughout his writings. For example;

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. [Ephesians 6:12 NASB]

In the act of crucifixion, Jesus was made a public spectacle, to be displayed and ridiculed. The Roman and Jewish authorities had triumphed over Him. Or so it seemed to the natural world. But in the spiritual realms, Jesus' blood was paying the price for our sins.

Jesus was never defeated because He gave Himself up. His death meant victory over Satan. While Jesus hung on the cross, Satan and all the powers of darkness were made a public spectacle, and Jesus triumphed over them and disarmed them. Therefore, as the prophet said,

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. [Isaiah 54:17 NASB]

There is a popular line of reasoning that says, "A Christian can't be possessed, but he can be oppressed." The thing is, after searching through the New Testament, I haven't been able to find a single example of a Christian being oppressed by the devil. Tempted? Yes. But not oppressed. And even his temptations have limitations;

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. [1 Corinthians 10:13 NASB]

In fact, I would say that we have more to fear from our own sinful nature than we do from Satan. James says;

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. [James 1:13-15 NASB]

Satan may be the ruler of this world, but we are no longer of the world. He may have power and authority over those who are lost, but those who are in Christ have a different Master. John says, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." [1 John 4:4 NASB]

Whenever we are tempted by our flesh, but say, "Satan is tempting me," we are giving him credit that he doesn't deserve. Whenever things don't go the way we want them to, and we say, "Satan is working against me," we are giving him credit. Whenever we struggle with an addiction, or a weakness in our body or mind, and say, "Satan is oppressing me," we give him credit he doesn't deserve.

Don't glorify the devil. He doesn't deserve it.

Instead, overcome the flesh by walking in the Spirit; "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

Accept that things don't always go your way. That doesn't make it evil;

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. [Hebrews 12:7-11 NASB]

Be thankful; "always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father." [Ephesians 5:20 NASB]

Lord God, I praise You that You have defeated the enemy once and for all. Thank You that I am free from his power. Thank you that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.