Colossians 2:15

Here Satan is represented as a conquered foe, and even as a degraded antagonist. He has been “disarmed.” One is reminded of the figure of a scarecrow on a farmer’s field where the dead birds are hung up as warnings against other depredators. He cannot harm us, although he may alarm us.

He is beaten before the battle begins. We enter the fray with the prestige of victors. Let us hold this high place as we meet our adversary. Let us treat him as a defeated enemy. Let us not honor him by our doubts and fears. It is not our valor or our victory. It is our confidence in Christ, the Victor, that wins.

Here Satan is represented as a conquered foe, and even as a degraded antagonist. He has been “disarmed.” One is reminded of the figure of a scarecrow on a farmer’s field where the dead birds are hung up as warnings against other depredators. He cannot harm us, although he may alarm us.

He is beaten before the battle begins. We enter the fray with the prestige of victors. Let us hold this high place as we meet our adversary. Let us treat him as a defeated enemy. Let us not honor him by our doubts and fears. It is not our valor or our victory. It is our confidence in Christ, the Victor, that wins.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.—Forasmuch . . . as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death. that is, the devil.—And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them.—I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thou shalt bruise his heel.—This is your hour, and the power of darkness.—As the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, that is, the devil.—Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith.—Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord , among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

Notice the little word “in”! We are to honor the Lord in the trial— in the very thing that afflicts us. And although there are examples where God did not allow His saints to even feel the fire, usually the fire causes pain.

It is precisely there, in the heat of the fire, we are to glorify Him. We do this by exercising perfect faith in His goodness and love that has permitted this trial to come upon us. Even more, we are to believe that out of the fire will arise something more worthy of praise to Him than had we never experienced it.