There are numerous independent creation passages contained within scripture that parallel the Gen narrative.
A close examination of some of these creation ex-nihilo passages informs us that evil was inherently woven into creation, as if the creation of the physical Universe was intended as a battle ground for conquering the devil, evil, sin....of which, makes perfect sense with the passages that mention Satan being cast out of Heaven (spiritual) onto a physical earth.
Thus...the war that began in the spiritual, is going to be completed in the physical realm.
We are in battle, yes...but not directly with Satan at this time (thankfully). Satan's 'power' is in the free-ranging demons. There are absolutely no Post-Cross scriptures showing that Satan possessed anyone...but, there are several Pre-Cross ones.
Col 2.13 – 15 Satan Bound at The Cross
και υμας νεκρους οντας τοις παραπτωμασιν και τη ακροβυστια της σαρκος υμων συνεζωοποιησεν υμας συν αυτω χαρισαμενος ημιν παντα τα παραπτωματα εξαλειψας το καθ ημων χειρογραφον τοις δογμασιν ο ην υπεναντιον ημιν και αυτο ηρκεν εκ του μεσου προσηλωσας αυτο τω σταυρω απεκδυσαμενος τας αρχας και τας εξουσιας εδειγματισεν εν παρρησια θριαμβευσας αυτους εν αυτω
kai hymas nekrous ontas en tois paraptōmasin kai tē akrobystia tēs sarkos hymōn synezōopoiēsen hymas syn auto charisamenos hemin panta ta paraptōmata exaleipsas to kath' hēmōn cheirographon tois dogmasin ho ēn hypenantion hemin kai auto ērken ek tou mesou prosēlōsas auto tō staurō apekdysamenos tas archas kai tas exousias edeigmatisen en parrēsia thriambeusas autos en autō
And you, being dead in the transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven you all the transgressions, having blotted out the handwritten bond in the decrees against us, which was an adversary to us, and He has taken him out of the way, having nailed him to The Cross; having stripped of authority the rulers and the powers, He made a show of them in public, triumphing over them in Him.
Here is the rational for this passage pertaining to Satan:
•The closest preceding nominative (subject) word to ‘He has taken him out of the way’ is the word ‘hypenantion’, rendered as ‘adversary’.
•‘Adversary’ is singular.
•The only other inflection of this word, in the entire NT, is in the plural term ‘hypenantious’ and is used in Heb 10.27 in the context of a fiery judgment for the ‘adversaries’.
•Clearly, the singular ‘hypenantion’ is Satan; and the plural ‘adversaries’ are the demons.
•The singular neuter personal pronoun ‘auto’ which follows it, can, and does, apply to ‘him’.
•Juxtaposed to this is the conquering of evil in in the statements of disarming ‘the rulers and the powers’, which are evil spirits.
•This public display, at The Cross, is referred to using the term ‘thriambeusas’, triumphing, which carries the meaning, ‘I lead one as my prisoner in a triumphant procession’.
•Clearly, and unmistakably, the reader is informed that Satan was bound as a prisoner at The Cross.
Hope this helps...
Hi again,
Colossians 2
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Above I've highlighted this "in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ"
This circumcision is the circumcision of the heart, and once we are circumcised of the heart then we start to put off our sins of the flesh (start to turn away from them) and we start to die to self will, being ready to live by the will of God. We are denying sin, and baring our cross and in doing so we are following Jesus, just as he bore his cross that was set before him. This is the cross that Christ has nailed our sins to, as he works in our hearts through the Holy Spirit putting sin to death within us as we bare our cross and follow him. That's how Christ Jesus destroyed Satan, be denying him, he never let sin into his heart, he always lived by the will of God triumphing over Satan, overcoming him, and he never even sinned once, no matter what Satan put him through, even crucifixion. His heart was with God the whole time, overcoming evil with good making a show of the powers and principalities of darkness as he overcame them. Overcoming Satan as he bore his cross, overcoming with love.
And Christ Jesus helps those who belong to God those who are willing to lay down their lives to live by the will of the father. Christ helps us to overcome our flesh as he did, and takes away our sins, casting sin our of our hearts as we walk in the Spirit and walk in the light obeying God as we are taught the truth by the law that is written in our hearts and minds by Christ through the Spirit. Showing us our sins daily, and helping us to turn from them as we walk in the truth and light of God. The life of Christ being made manifest within us by the Spirit, helping us to overcome evil with good.
Jesus said the following, straight after Peter said "this shouldn't happen to you Lord" he said, get behind me Satan, Jesus could see Satan in Peter at that time tempting him, and he never let him in, and when he's in our hearts, he shows us when Satan is tempting us, and we are to deny him as he did and he strengthens us through the Spirit to overcome by giving us the light to see the truth. That is why he says the following
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
If we are willing to lose our lives for his sake then we are willing to die to self and live by the will of God so that Christ can live through us and save as many as will believe in him through his people. We can gain the whole world and lose our soul or we can lose our lives for Christs sake and be born anew and walk in the Spirit, being brought from death to life as we are raised with Christ by the power of the Spirit. Then we will be willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross and partake in the sufferings of Christ and truly follow him and live by the will of our father in heaven.
