JESUS - HIS LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION

The Lord Jesus Christ in conquering Satan and all his hosts has made complete victory available for every believer.
He is Lord over all principalities and powers.
He is the "Strong Man" who has overcome.
Satan has been stripped of his authority and now Christ is dividing His spoil with the Church.

Luke 11:20-22
"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, no doubt the kingdom of God has come on you.
When the strong man, fully armed, guards his dwelling, his goods are in peace.
But when one stronger than he comes, he overcomes him. He takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and he distributes his arms."

The Victory Of Christ Is Seen In Three Parts: In His Life, Death And Resurrection.

A. In His Perfect Life

One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian faith is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ overcame and conquered
Satan and his evil hosts in two major realms.

He conquered Satan personally, in the three major temptations in the wilderness, and representatively, for us, at Calvary in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in the three areas of man's being: spirit, soul and body (Luke 4:1-13) and in the three areas of sin (1 John 2:15,16):

As the last Adam and the second man, He was submitted to the attack and temptations of Satan and proved His complete mastery over the adversary.
Satan had tempted the First Adam in these same areas (Genesis 3:1-6).
The First Adam fell, thus bringing all of his unborn race under Satanic control and into the kingdom of sin, sickness and death.
Thus, He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin."

Though the First Adam was defeated, the Last Adam was victorious.
He overcame by the Word of God.
It was necessary for Christ to win His personal victory over Satan before He could gain a representative victory on behalf of all believers.
Christ's power during His earthly ministry over sin, sickness, death and demons was founded upon this threefold victory over temptation.
Being the Head of the new creation race, Christ in his life personally conquered Satan.
Having conquered the devil for Himself, He could conquer him for His people. No demon spirit could resist His perfect life and power.

B. In His Substitutionary Death

Christ's victory in the wilderness temptation was in His own behalf.
The victory of Calvary's cross was in our behalf.
This victory was actually begun in Gethsemane and consummated on the Cross.
In the cross He spoiled the principalities and powers, and made a show of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:14-15
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it."

Thus Christ utterly conquered all Satan's hosts and exposed them as defeated foes, captives over whom He had gloriously triumphed in His death on Calvary.

When Jesus died and rose again, He defeated Satan in five realms.

1. He conquered him as the author of sin.
1 John 3:8
"He who practices sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that He might undo the works of the Devil."

2. He conquered him as the author of sickness.
Isaiah 53:4
"Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."

3. He conquered him as the author of death.
Hebrews 2:13-14
"And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again, "Behold Me and the children whom God has given Me."
Since then the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death (that is, the Devil)."

4. He conquered him as the ruler of the kingdoms of this world.
Matthew 4:8-10
"Again, the Devil took Him up into a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
And he said to Him, All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.
Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.""

5. He conquered him in the realm of the heavenlies, over principalities and powers in heaven and earth. Ephesians 4:8-10
"Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men."
(Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)"

The victory of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross has made Jesus Lord over all (I Peter 3:22).
All things are now under His feet (Ephesians 1:22-23).
He is indeed the "Strong Man" and has overcome Satan's palace and stripped him of his amour and now divides the spoils of His conquest with the Church, His Body.

C. In His Resurrection and Ascension

Not only did Christ's victory over Satan in the wilderness involve His personal victory, and Calvary His representative victory, it also ultimately includes that victory which is to be manifest in the heavenly realms.

Sin brought discord, not only on earth, but also in heaven.
Here in the heavenly places, Satan hurls his accusations against the saints, but with the resurrection, ascension and exaltation of the Lord Jesus to the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 8:1-2), we have a perfect man, the conqueror of Satan and his demonic hosts, representing us in heaven.

The Scriptures declare that all principalities, powers and authorities are subject to His control.

1 Peter 3:22
"Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, where the angels and authorities and powers are being subjected to Him."

He now has all power both in heaven and earth.
The believer can rejoice in Christ's full and complete victory over Satan's entire kingdom of darkness.

God has given Christ to be Head over all things to the Church.
He must reign until all enemies are put under His feet.

Psalm 110:1-2
"Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as Your footstool.
Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion; rule in the midst of Your enemies."

What Christ did on Calvary was for God, and for His Church.


  Dale Boehs

15.05.2009