Jesus’ Victory Over the Powers is the triumph of the cross over every ruler, authority, and spiritual force that stood against God and His people.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.
Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
The church still wrestles. She wrestles a defeated host. He must reign until every enemy is under His feet.
The powers are real. They were created through the Son and for the Son. Some rebelled. They blinded minds, held the fear of death, worked in the sons of disobedience, and gathered at the hour of darkness when they took the Lord of glory and crucified Him. They did not understand the wisdom they were killing. By that death He destroyed the one who has the power of death. He canceled the record of debt that stood against us, with its legal demands. He nailed it to the cross. In doing that He stripped the rulers. A public spectacle. A triumph. The old picture is a conquered army dragged behind a victor’s chariot. Colossians says that of Christ. John says the ruler is cast out and judged. Ephesians says the same Christ is seated far above all rule and dominion in this age and in the age to come, and the church is seated with Him. Victory is therefore past at the cross, present in the session, and future when every rule and every authority and power is destroyed. Faith does not pretend the war is quiet. Faith refuses to treat the powers as if the chariot had not already passed.
- The cross looked like their hour. It was His triumph.
- Disarming is tied to forgiveness. The record they accused with was nailed there.
- The powers did not invent themselves. They are creatures under a Name higher than theirs.
- Seated far above is the present tense of the victory.
- Wrestling remains because this age remains. Defeat is not the same as disappearance.
- The last enemy is death. It too will be destroyed.
- The church announces the wisdom of God to the rulers. That is part of the triumph.
- Disarmed – Weapons of accusation and fear taken.
- Open Shame – A public triumph, not a private rumor.
- Cast Out – The ruler of this world judged and expelled from his claim.
- Destroyed Death’s Lord – Through death He broke the fear of death.
- Seated Far Above – Every name named, this age and the next.
- Church Seated – Raised with Him; the war is fought from union.
- Until Under His Feet – Reign now; abolition at the end.
- Colossians 2:13-15 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
- John 12:31-32 – “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
- John 16:11, 33 – “Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged… In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
- Hebrews 2:14-15 – “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
- Ephesians 1:20-22 – God “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named… And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.”
- Ephesians 2:6 – He “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
- Ephesians 3:10 – Through the church the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
- 1 Corinthians 2:8 – “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 – “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
- Colossians 1:13, 16 – Delivered from the domain of darkness; all things created through Him and for Him, thrones and dominions included.
- Genesis 3:15 – He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
- Luke 10:18 – “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
- Luke 11:21-22 – When a stronger man attacks and overcomes the strong man, he takes his armor and divides the spoil.
- Matthew 12:28-29 – If by the Spirit of God He casts out demons, the kingdom has come; the strong man is bound.
- Romans 8:37-39 – More than conquerors; neither angels nor rulers nor powers can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
- Revelation 12:9-11 – The dragon thrown down; they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
- Revelation 20:10 – The devil thrown into the lake of fire.
- Psalm 110:1 – “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”
- 1 John 3:8 – “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in the cross.
He canceled the record. He nailed it there. That is how the weapons fell.
Now is the judgment of this world. The ruler of this world is cast out and judged.
Through death He destroyed the one who has the power of death.
He is seated far above every name. You are seated with Him.
He must reign until every power is destroyed. The last enemy is death.
Take heart. He has overcome the world. Do not wrestle as if the triumph were still in doubt.
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