Disarmed
If you knew a once well-armed enemy that had threatened you was now completely disarmed, how would that affect you?
Would it remove the apprehension and fear you once knew?
Would it lend itself to stirring a boldness in you towards that enemy?
Would the opinion of the enemy have an effect on you any longer?
Would you pay any attention to any accusations or insults the enemy may speak against you?
Something amazing happens when you take away the thing that gave anyone power over another person in the first place. It levels the playing field, so to speak. I’ll even go further. It gives an advantage to the one who once was a victim.
Jesus did something amazing that is well worth taking the time to meditate on and give thanks for.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
Jesus took away the handwriting of requirements that the enemy used to condemn us and get us to always look at ourselves based on the flesh. Jesus already triumphed over the principalities and powers. He disarmed them! He made a public spectacle of them. You demonstrate this truth when you rest in Christ.
Sometimes, this language of flesh and spirit can get confusing. The Apostle Paul addresses the subject in his letter to the Galatians.
Galatians 2:18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
When the focus is on what you can do in the strength of your flesh to be righteous instead of the depth of surrender to the Holy Spirit, you can now partake in, that is, walking according to the flesh.
We are not partakers of His divine nature by digging in and trying harder according to the flesh. We are made partakers through the promises (2 Peter 1:4).
When we let our faith be activated by what He has spoken about us, we get to partake of His divine nature and see His power at work through us. In Christ is a wonderful heritage! It cannot get any better than what you have already in Him. Rejoice in Him and enjoy the New Heritage He has given you! Your enemy has been disarmed! Be thankful and learn to rest in Him.
