The Lord is the resurrection (John 11:25). Resurrection is that which overcomes death and that which cannot be defeated by death. Through death, the Lord destroyed the devil who has the might of death and released men from the slavery of death (Heb. 2:14-15). The Lord is the resurrection. Hence, death could not lay hold of Him, and Hades could not keep Him. The one who had the power of death lost his authority over Him. Colossians 2:15 says, “Stripping off the rulers and the authorities, He made a display of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” The words “stripping off” mean that Satan could not lay hold of anything or keep anything. Originally, Satan’s food was dust (which was man). But now that the Lord has died and resurrected, His life is the resurrection life, and the resurrection life has nothing to do with dust. Therefore, through the death of Christ, dust (that is, man) is buried, and the rulers and authorities are also buried. This is the reason that Satan hates baptism. Baptism signifies burial, and everything in Adam has been stripped off through the water of burial and is buried in the grave. Satan has no more food to eat. Those who have risen from the water of baptism are men in resurrection. They are no longer dust, and Satan no longer has any authority over them.
Through death the Lord Jesus destroyed the one who held the power of death. He stood in the position of a man and overcame Satan on behalf of man. He is the victorious One, and we whom He represents are also victorious. He has gained the victory, and we are enjoying His victory. In the Bible there are victories, and there are those who boast in victories. There is a difference between victory and boasting in victory. Victory is overcoming in the battlefield, while boasting in victory is singing the victory celebration after the battle has been won. Christ has won the victory, and we who are on His side only need to boast in His victory. This is like a school whose sports team has won the victory. All the students in the school rejoice and boast in the victory. The minute we boast in victory, we rejoice. This is what Psalm 23:5 means when it says, “You spread a table before me / In the presence of my adversaries.” Christ has won the victory, and in Him we boast in His victory.
Both John 16:11 and Revelation 12:11 speak of the cross dealing with Satan. The Lord on the cross was a representation. In its representation, the world was also on the cross (Gal. 6:14), and the prince of the world was also on the cross. In God’s eyes the whole world is one entity. Satan is the head of the world. When the Lord was lifted up on the cross, Satan was cast out (John 12:31-33). John 3:14 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” The bronze serpent which Moses lifted up (bronze being a type of judgment) shows God’s judgment. Not only did He judge men, He also judged Satan. After man sinned and fell, he became God’s enemy. In John 8:44, the Lord says, “You are of your father the devil.” When man followed the devil, he became the descendant of the serpent. Hence, when the Lord was crucified, the descendants of the serpent were included in His crucifixion. As the bronze serpent the Lord does not have the poison of the serpent. He suffered God’s judgment as a representative of us, the descendants of the serpent. He bore man’s sin, yet He Himself did not know sin (2 Cor. 5:21). The blood of the Lamb enables us to overcome Satan (Rev. 12:11), because the Lord as the bronze serpent has become a representative of the descendants of the serpent. When He was crucified on the cross, Satan was dealt with as well. Hence, the Lord has won the victory.
Ephesians 1:20-22 says, “Which He caused to operate in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church.” These three verses mention the Lord’s resurrection and ascension. Resurrection and ascension are equally important. God’s will is in heaven, man’s will is on earth, and Satan the enemy is in the air. When the Lord ascended, He transcended over all His enemies. Today the Lord occupies such an exalted position that the enemy cannot even touch Him. Ascension signifies a victorious stand, and ascension brings in a new position. Heaven is not part of the enemy’s territory, and Satan cannot touch this realm at all. We who are now in Christ and in heaven are also beyond Satan’s touch. Ephesians 1:20-22 tells us that the Lord is in heaven, while Ephesians 2:6 tells us that we are seated in the heavenlies with the Lord. The Lord ascended to heaven as a man. This means that now a man has ascended to God. He is a glorified man. He is the first Overcomer. He is the first Man before God. As a man He has transcended over everything.
Christ defeated the enemy through His birth, temptation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. He dealt with the enemy as a man and in the position of a man. Because of His victory, God’s will in man is fulfilled. By becoming a man, Christ overcame the enemy and accomplished God’s eternal purpose.