Here is a matter which is often overlooked at the Lord’s Supper. It is
\nthe Lord’s total destruction of the power of the enemy ({{Colossians
\n2:15}}). Satan’s power through the sin of his rebellion lay in the
\nsetting up of a kingdom here on earth to forestall the kingdom which
\nGod intended to establish through His beloved Son. This was a challenge
\non the part of Satan to the dominion and authority of God, whose throne
\nis in the heavens and whose “kingdom ruleth over all” ({{Ps. 103:19}}).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God is infinite in His authority, and He prepared the course of the
\nuniverse for the well-being of all His creatures. God alone had
\nabsolute right over all things within the circuit of heaven and earth.
\nIn his challenge to this authority, Satan and his cohorts “kept not
\ntheir first estate” (Jude 6), which meant a rebellious break from the
\nplace of God’s assignment and an invasion into an area God had reserved
\nfor man’s dominion.<\/p>\n
This rebellious spirit infected man when he listened to Satan’s
\nvoice in temptation and followed him. Man then came under the power of
\nSatan, becoming his slave to do his dark and devilish works. This
\nbrought man into very great misery. He could never, in this condition,
\nbe an essentially happy man, nor have any expectation of happiness in
\nthe eternal world to come. He had hewn out for himself broken cisterns
\nthat could hold no water. <\/p>\n
It was necessary, therefore, that the Lord Himself come into this
\narena of earth, first to destroy the power of the devil, and thereafter
\nto deliver men from under Satan’s power. Through satanically controlled
\nman, God’s purposes for man’s well-being had been disrupted. The Lord’s
\nadvent, then, into this sphere of things had a double purpose which He
\nHimself declared. The first would be the overthrow of Satan: “Now shall
\nthe prince of this world be cast out,” and secondly the salvation of
\nman: “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me”
\n(Jn. 12:31-32). These tremendous accomplishments could be worked out
\nonly by His entering into death. This is clear from John 12:33: “This
\nHe said, signifying what death He should die.”<\/p>\n
Our Lord’s Personal Triumph God had allowed Satan power over man, since man had followed that But Satan had no power at all over Christ as the Son of Man. Our Lord’s Triumph on Our Behalf First, God was able to forgive sins on the basis of righteous Secondly, there was the “blotting out [of] the handwriting of Thirdly, and importantly, “having spoiled principalities and powers Thus, being made partakers of our Lord’s life and victory, every Yet even in our moments of weakness, our Lord triumphs. If we call
\n <\/strong>The
\nLord had a personal score to settle with Satan. There would have been
\nlittle point in saving man if He had left the power of Satan over man
\nintact. That power first had to be broken if man was to be saved and
\nset free. As our Lord went to the cross, therefore, with respect to His
\ncontact with Satan, He went forward as a conqueror. In entering into
\ndeath, He was entering into the citadel, the stronghold of Satan. Death
\nwas his mighty fortress, and the Lord entered that fortress that
\n“through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that
\nis, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). And this He did. He utterly disarmed Satan
\nof his power, and “having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a
\nshow of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Satan was caught in a
\nclassic trap set by divine wisdom.<\/p>\n
\nprince of evil. It was part of the punishment of sin to be brought
\nunder Satan’s power. Because God sent forth His Son into our humanity,
\nSatan supposed he had that same power over the Son of God, now that He
\nhad become Son of Man. This thought must have been strengthened in
\nSatan’s mind when he saw the Lord reduced to physical weakness on the
\ncross.<\/p>\n
\nTherefore, in attacking our Lord, Satan fell into the trap and met the
\nalmighty power of the One who was the God-Man. Satan was therefore
\nspoiled so that he could never again rise to challenge the Lord Jesus.
\nThe victory of the cross was final and complete as far as our Lord was
\nconcerned. It was His personal triumph.<\/p>\n
\n <\/strong>“And
\ndeliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
\nto bondage” (Heb. 2:15). The devil had power over men. He derived that
\npower from man’s surrender to him when presented with temptation’s
\nsnare. Man became Satan’s vassal. The power of Satan over man lay in
\nsin, and the strength of sin was the law, which condemned sin and so
\ncondoned Satan’s power over sinful man. But in the cross three things
\nwere effected by our Lord.<\/p>\n
\njustice. It provided a way whereby God is “just, and the justifier of
\nhim which believeth in Jesus.” By that cross we are redeemed, ransomed,
\nbought with a price, reconciled to God, adopted through grace, because
\nour Lord made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, a satisfaction
\nfor the sins of the whole world. All the punishment which sin incurred
\nwas borne by the Lord, so that man could be “forgiven…all trespasses”
\n(Col. 2:13). The sin question was settled at the cross once and for
\nall. Coming to Him, a sinner receives the everlasting benefits of
\npardon and forgiveness and everlasting life.<\/p>\n
\nordinances that was against us…nailing it to His cross” (Col. 2:14).
\nThat means that all indictments of law were answered and fulfilled on
\nour behalf. The law was made honorable and, being satisfied with
\npayment made in full, blotted out the handwriting of ordinances which
\nwas against us.<\/p>\n
\n[on our behalf also], He made a show of them openly, triumphing over
\nthem in it” (Col. 2:15). The Lord Jesus, in His cross, deprived all the
\nhosts of hell of their power over believers, and has shown them off to
\nbelievers as defeated foes. This is to the shame of such evil powers
\nand to the honor of the Son of God. The cross provides certainty of
\ncomplete and permanent triumph on our behalf, and thus enables
\nbelievers to live in the good of that victory. The keys of death are
\nnow in our Lord’s hands and under His control. He is Lord even over the
\ndevils and the damned.<\/p>\n
\nbeliever should live free from Satan’s power, and go forth with freedom
\nto do the Father’s will in the strength of our Lord’s risen and
\ntriumphant life. There need be no defeat ever.<\/p>\n
\nupon Him in the moment of danger, we find that “The name of the Lord is
\na strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Prov.
\n18:10).<\/p>\n