Triumphant in Christ

Introduction: As a Christian, do you need encouragement? Try reading this passage while letting its truth sink in! Take a moment out of your busyness to build up your spiritual batteries. If these verses do not recharge your heart, something is wrong.

Writing to the Church of Colossae under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the deity of Jesus Christ was on the forefront. Why? Because of the misinformation—false teaching—which had infiltrated the Church. However, as a skilled soldier of the cross, the flaming missionary Paul, who was incarcerated at the time, totally debunks the false teaching.

Question: Are you able to defend the faith? Check out these three irreversible truths.
 
1. Once was dead in sin but made alive in Jesus! (Col 2:13) – “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
 

The Bible teaches that every human is born with a sin nature (Rom 5:12). Yet, at the same time, a sinner who is born “dead in trespasses and sin” (Eph. 2:1-4), he or she can be “quickened together” with Jesus. By the way, the word “quickened” is συζωοποιέω, which literally means to make alive. That is, once regenerated or quickened by the Holy Spirit, an exchange takes place. He comes inside of the believer to bring life to the one who was spiritually dead.

Have you been made alive? Please notice a sign of life in a person is their hunger for food. Are you hungry for spiritual food? Another reason for not being hungry is sickness. CHRISTians can get spiritually sick. So take in the Word and stay healthy.
 
2. Once was guilty but now released and set free in Christ! (Col 2:14) – “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
 

What does the word “blotting out” indicate? The word is ἐξαλείφω, and it means to wipe out or to blot out. It can mean to erase or even to obliterate.

Do you get the picture? Through the cross of Christ, including His cleansing blood, the believer’s sins are wiped away, removed, forgotten, forgiven, released, blotted out. Think about it. All the sins that you have ever committed are erased in the eyes of the God of the Bible.

If we could just do the same—by erasing the sins committed against us—there is no doubt that we would experience a freedom unparalleled to anything else. Will you thank God right now?
 

3. Once was dominated by satanic influences but now overcomers through Jesus Christ! (Col 2:15) – “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

The word “triumphing” is θριαμβεύω, which pictures One leading in triumphal procession. That One was Jesus Christ. Since He is victorious over the satanic influences, then we too can be overcomers in Him!

Are you conquering through Him or being conquered by our adversaries?
 

Conclusion: These threefold works of Jesus should both motivate us and cause us to evaluate the “gift” of knowing Him and letting Him be known. This is great news in a bad news world!

So pass out the Good News!
 
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese