I’ve Got the Power of Christ

In Colossians 1:13 I read, “He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son.” (GNT)

On the cross, Jesus destroyed Satan’s power to control my mind, life, and destiny. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30 NIV), Satan should have said, “I’m finished.” His days are numbered!

Jesus has won the victory over death and Satan. But if I don’t have the power of Christ in my life, then I am defenseless against the Devil. Satan can manipulate my emotions. He can mess with my mind. He can get me addicted to all kinds of stuff. And I am powerless without Christ!

Satan has two favorite tools to whip me around: temptation and condemnation.

He uses temptation by minimizing sin: It’s no big deal! Everybody does it! You know what will make you happy more than God does! Satan doesn’t have to speak out loud. He just puts these ideas in my mind. When God gives me an idea, it’s called inspiration. When Satan puts an idea in my mind, it’s called temptation.

Then, the moment I do that particular sin, Satan reverses strategy and, instead of minimizing the sin, he maximizes it: You did that! Are you kidding me? God will never love you again. It’s over. God can never use you. That is so big that you could never, ever be forgiven for it.

First, Satan tempts me. Then, he condemns me. See his strategy? Minimize the sin before I do it and maximize it afterwards.

On the cross, when Jesus Christ said, “It is finished,” he defeated temptation and condemnation.

Jesus destroyed the irresistible power of temptation. He now gives me the power to resist it: “He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13 GNT).

Jesus’ death and Resurrection were a fatal blow to Satan.

If I have Jesus Christ in my life, then Satan has zero power over me except the areas that I choose to give him. When I choose to give in to Satan’s temptation through resentment, guilt, worry, or fear, then I give him a foothold in my life. But, if I choose to say no, he can’t touch me.

With God’s power in your life, Satan can’t harm me. I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), and I am protected. I don’t have to listen to Satan. I have the power to say, “No.” I don’t have to be afraid!

In summary, God rescued me from the power of darkness and brought me safely into the kingdom of his Son. On the cross, Jesus destroyed Satan’s power to control my mind, life, and destiny. Jesus has won the victory over death and Satan. But if I don’t have the power of Christ in my life, then I am defenseless against the Enemy. Satan can manipulate my emotions. He can mess with my mind. He can get me addicted to all kinds of stuff. I am powerless without Christ! Satan has two favorite tools to whip me around: temptation and condemnation. He uses temptation by minimizing sin. He puts ideas in my mind. When God gives me an idea, it’s called inspiration. When Satan puts an idea in my mind, it’s called temptation. The moment I do that particular sin, Satan reverses strategy  and, instead of minimizing the sin, he maximizes it. His strategy is to minimize the sin before I do it and maximize it afterwards. On the cross, when Jesus Christ said, “It is finished,” he defeated temptation and condemnation. Jesus destroyed the irresistible power of temptation. Christ now gives me the power to resist it. If I have Jesus Christ in my life, then Satan has zero power over me except the areas that I choose to give him. When I choose to give in to Satan’s temptation through resentment, guilt, worry, or fear, then I give him a foothold in my life. But, if I choose to say no, he can’t touch me. With God’s power in my life, Satan can’t harm me. I am hidden with Christ in God, and I am protected. I don’t have to listen to Satan. I have the power to say, “No.” 

Unfortunately Satan uses our current culture to minimize sin. Slowly he plants the idea of sin into life by minimizing it. Then he uses it to show that we are not worthy of being used by God. God provides me with his Word, promises and Christ’s work to help me fight it. 

Father, thank you for this reminder and I ask that with the help of the Holy Spirit in my life that I can continue to put your Word and your promise to defeat the enemy. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my training for a future job role and learning a small group. I ask these things through you Son Jesus’ name, amen.