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

DAILY READING –      2 Thessalonians 2; Isaiah 27-28; Psalm 118

The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate the success of a military commander in battle. The Roman Senate would officially grant ‘triumphs’ for outstanding military merit especially to officers who had successfully completed a foreign war. Those who qualified to be granted the ‘triumph’ were often victorious generals who had slain at least 5,000 of the enemy in a single battle. The essence of the ceremony was to celebrate this victorious general and treat him as ‘king for a day.’

On the day of the ceremony, the general wore a crown of laurel and gold-embroidered regalia and went in a procession through the city. He was drawn in a four-horse chariot, under the gaze of his peers and an applauding crowd. The procession entered the city at a specific point, called ‘the Porta Triumphalis’ which was a gate used only for that purpose. The procession then went through the streets and squares of Rome parading the general. The spoils of his war, and captives of his victory led the way while his armies followed behind. His prisoners from the war were paraded naked and chained through the streets. If an enemy king had been captured in the battle, he would be theatrically chained and made fun of as he is paraded before the people, to show how powerless he had become. All the ornaments, crown and jewels of the captured king would be stripped from him. All his treasures would be taken away and he would be left with nothing, being paraded naked and barefoot in the streets of Rome. This ceremony made it very clear that the enemy king had been totally defeated and fully put to shame.

This ceremony was what Apostle Paul used in describing how Christ defeated the devil and put him to public shame.

Colossians 2:15 (KJV) says ‘And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it’

The old Roman tradition, conducted to show complete dominance over their enemies is exactly what Christ did to the devil; He totally shamed and disgraced the enemy! The Messenger version of Col. 2: 15 (MSG) puts it this way “He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross, and marched them naked through the streets.”

Indeed Christ has totally defeated and disgraced the devil and his cohorts. They  are “spiritual tyrants”, having “sham authority’.  And at the cross, Jesus triumphed over them. This is our joy, this is our confidence, and this is our triumph.

On the cross Christ utterly destroyed every thing that gave the enemy a legal hold over you.  And by the reason of the blood, any case the enemy brings against you has been declared null and void. It has no more legal standing. When Christ said ‘it is finished’, it means every case against you has been closed and victory has been awarded to you. You have been discharged and acquitted. And there is nothing the enemy can do about it. And in God’s case there is no appeal.

Indeed God has done everything to give us the victory. And now the ball is in our court. If we want success, prosperity and sound health we  are going to have to enforce the prize Christ won at Calvary. We must boldly declare words of faith and victory over our lives.  Christ stripped the enemy  and triumphed totally. And  we must take the stand and enforce Christ’s triumph . In all areas of our lives; in our health, career, marriage, family, spiritual life, we must constantly declare the victory at the cross. The cross of Christ is the eternal basis for our victory.

Therefore today, hold on to the benefits Christ has won for you and start expecting things to change in your favor. Dare to boldly declare that you are more than a conqueror in the face of any challenge. Stand your ground against the enemy in whatever shape or form he comes against you, and declare that victory belongs to you by The Blood of Jesus. Truly by the power in the blood, what may have seemed impossible to men, becomes your testimony today in Jesus Name!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You today, that I have victory by the blood of Jesus. Indeed by the power in the Blood I declare my freedom from every force of darkness. Indeed I am more than a conqueror in every battle of life in  Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained a victorious end for you. WORDBITE 222.