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“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15 (NIV)

I always marvel at the transformation that is present when someone makes a commitment to follow Christ. In the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul speaks of his own transformation, even if indirectly, when he speaks of the doings of the Pharisees. For those who don’t recall, let me remind you, before Paul became a Jesus-follower, he was a Pharisee, a member of an ancient Jewish sect that strictly enforced the law as a means to prove they possessed a higher level of sanctity.

Pharisees were notorious for ostracizing others in their communities for the sake of their own pride and social hierarchy. In the second chapter of Colossians, Paul – already a transformed man – writes to his followers about the importance of having Christ at the center of their lives and following Him rather than laws that were set by men.

Salvation through Christ is like the cancelation of a debt, like paying off a student or car loan, or even a mortgage. The sacrifice that Jesus made at the cross canceled our sins so that we could have the assurance of eternity in heaven with the Father.

The powers of darkness have no way of surviving in the light that comes from Jesus Christ. When Jesus chose to pay the debt that we owed by accepting to die on the cross for us, He defeated the powers of darkness, i.e., fallen angels, spirits and demons that belong to Satan.

Unlike the Pharisees, who – more often than not – did everything for show, Jesus always kept His word and followed through with His promises. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He proved that He was who He said He was and that no power on this earth would ever prevail against Him. One name: Jesus. One promise: eternity with the Father. One form of payment: the cross.

“Dear Lord: All power on earth and in heaven belong to You. You are Sovereign. ”
 

For His Glory
Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life