The devil has been defeated through the finished work of the cross:
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, having purged our sins and having triumphed over the enemy. And in fact, we too are seated in heavenly places in Christ!
…even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and MADE US TO SIT together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus… (Ephesians 2:5-6)
However, while Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, having finished the work for our redemption, there is still activity at His throne:
“…from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. “(Hebrews 10:13)1
Here’s the reality for us as believers today: the devil has been disarmed and triumphed over. He is the loser! When demonic forces come against our minds to lie to us, we must believe that they are already conquered and are being drug in chains one by one and made to be a footstool for our Lord.
Why did the writer of Hebrews use the analogy of the footstool? It was the custom of ancient warriors to stand on the necks of vanquished kings to celebrate their triumph. After being defeated, these humiliated kings would have to get on all fours in shame before the people and in subjection to the victorious king.2 In the same way, Jesus has conquered the enemies of sin, depression, poverty, disease, premature death, and all of the other curses that came with falling short of the standards of the law. When were they conquered? At the cross.
No matter what happens in this life, we win. In fact, even when these bodies die, we never die!
“He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’” (1 Corinthians 15:25-27)
Here is our final victory:
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)
(from pages 315-316 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
2Hebrews 1:3, “Barnes Notes on the Bible”, website: http://biblehub.com/nasb/hebrews/1-13.htm, accessed 6-11-14
