Satan has had his authority revoked by Jesus.
"The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law."
When Adam sinned he became subject to sin and death.
But God had given man so much life it took 800 odd years for that death that now reigned in him to manifest itself .
If Adam had not sinned he would still be walking this earth .
Jesus the last Adam coud not have died as he had not sinned and if he had not laid down his life for our sakes he would still be walking this earth after the flesh .
But because he was amde subject to the law that we who were under the law might be set free from the law he who knew no sin became sin " died .
and death could not then close her gates against him . What sayeth the scriptures ? "Open up ye gates for the king of glory shall come in"
The devil has the power of death and through fear of death brinds all men into bondage .
That power was given to him by God fro all power belongs or comes from God . Why and the wherefores is for another post whcih we cannot hope even if we could explain here . The fact is that he has it .
But the power of sin is the law . He therefore could not as it were refuse the Lord and close the gates against him.
But as the Lord had not sinned death could not hold him either and the gates keep him in .
Thus God raised him from the dead and with him he took the keys of death and hell .
Not actual keys but the authority and power of/over the city as it were .
The devil then has no place he can call his own . Nor is there anybody he can keep bound if God so wills it .There is no pit a man may have fallen into or finds himself or dug that he cannot be delivered from .Potentially .
All the devil has is dust and ashes. Which was the curse that God gave the serpent .
Thus THAT victory though not yet fully manifested will in due time be manifested to all . "and men will look on hin ;Satan ,with narrow eyes and wonder how ..........."
So as the death that was wrought in Adam on the very day that he partook of that whoch was evil to do. Took 800 years to manifest itself .
So too it has taken a long time for the fullness of the victory over "the prince of this world " to manifest itself . But which can be manifested in the life of a believer .
So too then when Christ comes into the heart of a BORNagain believer .That life takes a while to manifest itself .
For the body is still subject to sin and death .Albeit it is redeeemed it is "yet to be revealed"
The devil has ALWAYS been defeated by God and bene under his feet .
In heaven whereLucifer rebelled against God and sought to take the throne . and a 1/3 of the angels with him.
He was "cast down to the earth " and his power "is in the air"
When the Lord comes to the air for His Bride . Then he is cast down upon the earth .
When the Lord comes to the earth .he is cast down to the pit .
When the Lord said as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness . So shall the son of man be lifeted up ........"
We are to understand that even as the serpent was judged in the garden of eden . Sin has already been judged .
and God" condemned sin in the flesh " and Jesus for our sakes bore the sin of the world and he was ground between the millstones of Gods wrath and bore the judgment of sin in his own body.
To all then that believe on Him they are saved . and have passed from Judgment to life .
To all that do not believe the wrath of God abides on them still.
Perfect love casteth out all fear . and the fear of death who si "the last enemy " is also the often the last fear .
But the scriptures say that even "death will die" and death and hell "will be cast in to the lake of fire"
Truly then is it written and recorded that "I will build my church and the GATES of hell shall not prevail against it "
The moment we are BORNagain the devil has no mor eauthority over us and we have over all the powers of darkness .
But to be able to excersise that authority we must be under or subject to authority so we needs must be filled with the Spirit of God and be under His authority.
Not even the angels reviled against the devil. But said "The Lord rebuke thee"
"They overcame the devil by the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb "
That potentially is not only in our own lives but also in the lives of others .
For in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth . and he made the greater light to rule the day and the elsser light to rule the night ."
The light shines in the darkness and comprehended or overcame it not.
The church is to be as the moon in the darkest night not only to bare witness that the sun still shines and there is coming a perfect day . But to be a light to them that are in darkness .
To "break the bonds of wickedness " Destroy the yoke " cloth the naked and .......... Isiah 58
in Christ
gerald