Christ Preeminence is Detailed to the Colossians Volume 21

Paul Declares any Authority of Satan and his Demons Destroyed by Christ

Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. KJV

Paul wants these believers in Colosse and we believers today to understand the authority they/we have in Christ over the enemy of our souls the devil and so he says, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:15) (KJV). Note: "In just a few verses (Colossians 2:18) Paul will warn these Colossian believers against the worship of angels i.e. such as one's Gaurdian Angel or any Angelic being, even saints who have died in years past, however, here I believe the Apostle Paul is strictly speaking of the 'fallen angels' or demons that are under the rule of Satan." When the devil and the angels who rebelled with him were cast down here to the earth they had no authority or rule or dominion upon the earth, but because of Adam's sin against God the devil took over the rule of the earth which was given to Adam by God and the regaining of this rule and authority had to be taken back from the devil by another man and that was done by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ by His death on the Cross for Man's sin and then His Triumphant return or resurrection from the dead three (3) days later and then His Ascenion back to Heaven as King of Kings and Lord of Lord's sitting now at God the Father's Right Hand.

Paul uses the English word 'spoiled' here in this verse which is translated by the Greek word apekduomai (used only twice in the New Testament) meaning to put off or away; it is the announcing of the cessation or stopping of something. In other words, our Lord Jesus Christ has won back man's rule and authority over the earth and upon the earth that was seized by the devil and his demons at Adam's fall, but the condition right now is as our Lord Jesus says with these words, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out." (John 12:31) (NKJV). This has all been done by God the Father giving to the world our Lord Jesus Christ who willingly went through sufferring and humiliation from the devil and his demons during His earthly ministry in order to be obedient to God the Father and win back Man's dominion over the devil and his cohorts. The word apekduomai can also be defined in military terms such as to disarm or disarming which is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ has done to the devil and his power over those who belong to Him. It is what conqering Kings do to their enemy after they have been defeated in war, they strip the enemy of their armor and weapontry and this is exactly what our Lord Jesus has done to the devil and his principalities and powers and now this is why the Apostle Paul can say to us these words knowing that in Christ we have victory, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11) (NKJV).

As we showed earlier that the Moral Law of God and the Ceremonial Law was against us before Christ (Galatians 3:10-13), so was the devil against us as a conqering foe, but now just as we have been released from the 'curse of the law' we have been equally released from the power of Satan over us as Paul has already declared to these Colossian believers and we believers today at the very beginning of his letter to them with these words he wrote, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:12-13) (NKJV), for the devil is at all times and always acusing us of sinning to our Heavenly Father as it is stated by the Apostle John with these words in the Book of Revelation, "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.'" (Revelation 12:9-11) (NKJV).

God the Father through God the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and the Resurrection Power of God the Holy Spirit exposed them for all the host of heaven and earth to see. Paul uses here the English phrase 'made a shew' which is translated by one Greek word deigmatizo (the one time only this word is used in the New Testament) meaning to exhibit as as a speciman or as an example. In other words, all the faithnful angels (in heaven) that fought with the Arch Angel Micheal to defeat the devil and the rebellious angels as well as all of the earths inhabitants who have come to Christ have witnessed the public shame and humiliation of the devil and his principalities and powers by God as they bow at the Name of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11). The English phrase 'triumphing over' is translated by one Greek word thriambeuo (this word is used only twice (2) in the New Testament) it means to make a loud enthusiastic procession, that is, (figuratively) to conquer or (by Hebraism) to give victory: - (cause) to triumph (over). In other words, the death of Christ on the Cross of Calvary and His subsequent conqering victory over death by virtue of His Physical Bodily Resurrection from the dead was shouted loudly and often and everywhere by the Apostles and other disciples of Christ all over the known world destroying the devils power over fallen men and women one by one as they heard the Gopsel of Christ and were born again of incorruptible seed by the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23). The two liitle words 'in it' is a reference to Christ Himself and to His Cross where He Bled and died for man's sin as Paul spoke of its mighty power with these words written to the Corinthian believers, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the Power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:17-18) (NKJV).

"As the curse of the law was against us, so the power of Satan was against us. He treated with God as the Judge, and redeemed us out of the hands of his justice by a price; but out of the hands of Satan the executioner He redeemed us by power and with a high hand. He led captivity captive. The devil and all the powers of hell were conquered and disarmed by the dying Redeemer." Matthew Henry

"Man's biggest fear since Adam's fall in the Garden of Eden has always been and is still now and always will be the fear of death. It was the devil who took over this power when Adam sinned against God, but now our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death for those who come to Him (physical death, spiritual death, and eternal death) by His death on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead and in so doing has destroyed this fear that the devil could hold over every sinner (Hebrews 2:14)." Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

"The Christian is a freeman. His great Captain has subdued all his enemies, and we should not allow them again to set up their dark empire over our souls. The argument of the Apostle in these verses Colossians 2:13-15 is derived from what Christ has done for us. He mentions four things: (1) He has given us spiritual life. (2) he has forgiven all our trespasses. (3) he has blotted out or abolished the 'ordinances' that were against us. (4) he has triumphed over all our foes. From all this he infers (Colossians 2:16) that we should not be made captive or subdued by any of the rites of superstition, or any of the influences of the kingdom of darkness." Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…