Don Stewart :: In What Ways Did Jesus Achieve Victory over the Devil?

God pronounced sentence on the Devil in the Garden of Eden.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel (Genesis 3:15).

The offspring of the woman would someday crush the serpent's head. This was a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah - Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to earth, He came as the last Adam - the last perfect man.

Thus it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45).

The first Adam miserably failed and brought sin into the world, but the last Adam succeeded in defeating sin and Satan in the following ways.

1. His Silent Years

Jesus defeated Satan in His silent years. Though He gave no sermons, performed no miracles, and was unknown to the public, He lived all these years without sin, doing everything that was pleasing to God the Father. At His baptism, the Father said of Jesus.

and behold, a voice out of the heavens, said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17).

The Father was well-pleased with His Son.

2. The Temptation

Jesus did not succumb to the temptation of the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11). Though Satan tested Jesus in various ways, there was no giving in to these temptations. Scripture says of Jesus:

For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that has been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

And you know that He was manifested to take away sins; and in Him is no sin (1 John 3:5).

3. Throughout His Public Ministry

Jesus was tempted during His public ministry - by those who believed in Him, such as Simon Peter (Matthew 16:22,23), and by those who did not believe in Him, such as His brothers and the religious rulers.

Tempted By His Half-Brothers

His half-brothers tempted Jesus to reveal Himself as the Messiah before the appointed time.

So His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go to Judea so that Your disciples also may see the works You are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." (For not even His brothers believed in Him.) (John 7:3-5).

The religious leaders tempted Jesus, for the purpose of bringing charges against Him.

They said this to test Him, so that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground (John 8:6).

All of these attempts failed. At the end of His public ministry, Jesus was still without sin. He asked His disciples.

Which of you convicts Me of sin? If I say truth, why do you not believe Me? (John 8:46).

4. At The Cross

Satan was also defeated by Jesus at the cross. Shortly before His death, Jesus said:

the ruler of this world has been judged (John 16:11).

5. Resurrection

Not only did Jesus give His life for the sins of the world, He rose from the dead-breaking Satan's power over fallen humanity.

Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil (Hebrews 2:14).

6. Lives Of Believers

Finally, Jesus has defeated Satan through the lives of those who have believed in Him.

Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13).

The Bible says that believers look forward to the time when Satan's defeat will be for all to see.

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (Romans 16:20).

7. Second Coming

When Christ comes again, He will have Satan bound and placed into the pit.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1,2).

8. The Lake Of Fire - The Ultimate Judgment

Eventually, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, marking the final end to his inglorious career.

And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulfur, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Revelation 20:10).

Summary

The defeat of Satan, by the Lord Jesus Christ, is complete. Jesus has defeated Satan through His silent years, His temptation, public ministry, death, and resurrection. He continues to defeat Satan today through the lives of believers who have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transformed into the kingdom of light. When Christ returns, He will have Satan bound in the pit and then eventually thrown into the lake of fire. Jesus, therefore, will thoroughly defeat Satan.