As believers, we understand that the death of Jesus was the price He paid so that we can live victoriously. This statement is not just an abstract idea that we think about once a year. This truth; that through His death and resurrection we ALREADY have been given victory over every trial and crisis in life...over sin and death, means that how we approach every day should always be from the offensive position instead of a defensive position.
I wrote about this in my book Constructing Paradise in the chapters on spiritual warfare. For most people, the idea of spiritual warfare looks a bloody battle against the devil. The truth is that spiritual warfare is not about fighting a battle or striving to win a war. Jesus already did that for us.
We are already more than conquerors through the finished work of Jesus Christ. The grace that Jesus Christ gave us is the victory over a war that we did not and never will have to fight. So stop squaring up with the Devil as if he isn't already defeated. Take your place of DOMINION and call those evil forces back into alignment. When we choose to position ourselves in “warfare” with the Devil we reveal our ignorance and we undermine what Jesus Christ has already done for us. When we operate defensively, we are stating that the work of Jesus Christ was not enough. Believe now the truth that, Satan has been defeated. With this truth in mind, the question arises as to what type of warfare should we engage in.
Well, the victory that Jesus afforded to us, gives us the confidence to step into territory that was once ruled by the enemy, to enforce the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are in the army of God but serve more so as occupational troops. This is a term that I use to describe prayer as our means of pushing back the enemy in our lives. This is a victorious position. We are not fighting to win, we are fighting to occupy. We wear the victory of Jesus as our armor and we push onward to possess what God has given to us already. The earth is ours to rule, this is evident in the book of Genesis. However, sin was a barrier that kept us from accessing our true potential and in being able to live in the realm of Dominion. Jesus solved the problem of sin!
Ephesians 6 teaches us about the Armor of God. The interesting thing is that the armor is given to us so we can stand against an enemy who is already defeated. This is shown throughout ancient history, as one kingdom would confront and defeat the armed forces of another Kingdom in order to possess new land. Thereafter, that king or ruler would send in troops, not to continued fighting, but to fully occupy that land and introduce those citizens of a new culture. This is exactly our position in Christ. The challenges we face every day are in occupying and bringing the culture of heaven into a world that has been ruled by the forces of darkness. I talk more in-depth about this in my book but one part of the armor that I want to highlight here is the armored shoes on our feet:
Our feet are covered with the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15.) The Greek word here for peace is eirēnē, which can be defined as “the exemption from the rage and havoc of war”. The Gospel of the Kingdom is considered good news because it is a proclamation of victory. Jesus guaranteed victory in every confrontation. Warfare is something that every believer engages in, in their mind. Overcoming lies, negativity, fear, and misunderstanding about our identity is the first step in living in the victory that Christ has given us. From there, our lifestyles and our position in society gives us the ability to rule over the culture of this world and introduce the ways of God to a world, ignorant of God’s power and wisdom.
Remember today, that you have guaranteed victory in Christ Jesus!
Check out more on this in my book Constructing Paradise: Click Here