Colossians 2:15 - And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them

in it.

We can count on the fact that there are unseen evil forces that have been assigned to kill, steal, and destroy everything
good in our lives. The Bible clearly teaches that these devilish forces band together to commit acts of aggression
against the saints — and that includes you and me!

Have you ever wondered what kind of celebration took place in Heaven after Jesus’ defeat of the devil? Well, it is
possible for us to know exactly how Heaven celebrated because Paul gives us a glimpse into that heavenly gala event
in Colossians 2:15. It says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.”

This is an extremely graphic verse! It is a picture painted for us by the Holy Spirit — a glorious, vivid illustration of
what happened the day Jesus defeated death, hell, and the grave!

The word “spoiled” is the Greek word apekduomai, which means to strip off or to put off as one would put off his
garments. This word could depict the disarming of an enemy — literally stripping his weaponry and artillery from
him and leaving him without any weapons with which to respond.

One scholar has noted that it refers to stripping one to the point of complete nakedness. By using this word, the Holy
Spirit tells us that when Jesus arose from the dead, He thoroughly plundered the enemy!

Furthermore, when Jesus’ sacking and plundering of hell’s powers was complete and His mission was accomplished,
Paul tells us that He rubbed this defeat in the devil’s face by throwing the biggest party the universe had ever seen!
Colossians 2:15 says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over
them in it.”

The word “shew” is taken from the word deigmatidzo, and it literally means to display or to expose something. It was
used in classical Greek writing to denote the display of captives, weaponry, and trophies that were seized during war
on foreign soil.

Once the war was finished and the battle was won, the reigning emperor would return home and victoriously display
and expose the treasures, trophies, weaponry, and captives that he had seized during his military conquest. This was a
grand moment of celebration for the victor — but it was a humiliating experience for the defunct foe.

Because of Jesus’ death on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead, the forces of hell are already defeated.
However, even though they have been legally stripped of their authority and power, they continue to roam around this
earth, carrying out evil deeds like criminals, bandits, hooligans, and thugs. And just like criminals who refuse to
submit to the law, these evil spirits will continue to operate in this world until some believer uses his God-given
authority to enforce their defeat!

We need to get ahold of this truth: These demonic forces are legally stripped of their authority and are defeated! We
are not puny, struggling believers who are somehow trying to learn how to cope with the devil’s attacks against us.
We’re not merely trying to learn how to scrape by or survive. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave us the legal authority
to keep Satan under our feet, so we must always make sure we approach spiritual warfare as victors and not victims.

Let’s look at Colossians 2:15 to gain a greater revelation of the victory Jesus has already accomplished for you and me
through His death, burial, and resurrection. Paul tells us that Jesus “…made a shew of them openly….” The word
“openly” is taken from the word parresia, a word that is used throughout the books of the New Testament to denote
boldness or confidence.

By using the word parresia, Paul declares that when Jesus was finishing His dealings with Satan, His victory over the
devil was no “quiet affair.” Quite the contrary! Jesus boldly, confidently, and loudly exposed and displayed this
now-defunct foe to Heaven’s hosts. Make no mistake! When Jesus “made a shew of them openly,” it was quite a
spectacular show!

The verse continues, “…He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” The word “triumph” is taken
from the Greek word triambeuo, which is a technical word used to describe a general or an emperor returning

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home from a grand victory in the enemy’s territory. Specifically, the word “triumph” was used to describe the
emperor’s triumphal parade when he returned home.

When a returning emperor or general came striding through the gates on his big, powerful, and beautiful horse, he was
accompanied by his fellow victorious warriors, who also appeared glorious after their triumphant battle. As the parade
followed, the weaponry and treasures seized from the enemy’s territory were grandly displayed for all to see.

The grand finale to this triumphal procession was the foreign ruler himself. This ruler had been beaten and bound in
chains and was now being forced to walk in disgrace, shame, dishonor, embarrassment, and humiliation as crowds of
people came to celebrate his defeat and to get a “peek” at a once-powerful but now totally defeated opponent.

So when Colossians 2:15 declares that Jesus triumphed over evil powers, it is explicitly declaring that Jesus took the
enemy apart piece by piece as He thoroughly “spoiled principalities and powers.”

When Jesus was finished with those demonic forces, they were utterly plundered —“stripped to bare nakedness”
and left with nothing in hand to retaliate!

When news reached the city that the enemy had been defeated, plans for a triumphal parade went into action. By the
time the gates of the city were opened wide to receive this emperor who was now returning home in triumph, his
people were ready to celebrate his victory! As the gates swung open and this mighty warrior rode through, the
celebration began!

Sitting astride a large, beautiful, white stallion; draped in his kingly, regal garments; and wearing his bright, shining
crown upon his head, the returning emperor would lead the entire city in a procession of celebration and victory. It
was called his “triumphal parade.” As he rode down the main avenue of the city with his head held high and a look of
elation on his face, the city would begin rejoicing. “He’s back! He’s back! Our king has won a massive victory!” the
people would cry as they broke into jubilant dancing and singing, joyously twirling around in circles. This was indeed
a time to rejoice!

In order to flaunt his great victory, the returning victor would parade behind him the foreign king — the defeated foe,
taken in captivity and bound in heavy chains of bondage. Behind this nowdefunct enemy would walk the defeated
ruling men and leaders, bound and chained along with their ruined king. Further back in the procession were oxcarts
loaded to overflowing with booty taken by force from the enemy’s homeland. Once these goods had belonged to the
enemy, but now they belonged to the conquering king!

As the returning, victorious emperor rode down the avenue, he’d strut with pride, flaunting his defeated foes. In other
words, he’d “make a shew of them openly.” He wanted everyone to see the fabulous goods he had stolen from his
enemy’s hand — proof that the conquered foe had been completely “spoiled.”

But the most exciting moment of the entire celebration occurred when the emperor sang a song of victory. As he rode
that horse through the gate, leading his triumphal parade, he would open his mouth and begin to sing as loudly as he
could sing! With all his might, he would sing something like this: “The enemy is defeated; the foe is conquered; let it
be known that I am still the king!” This song would throw the crowd into a frenzy. This was the voice and the song
they had been waiting for! The king had returned, and he was still king !

Then, after riding down the main avenue, revealing his booty, and singing his song of victory, the victor would stop in
front of a large set of stairs that led upward to a huge, ornate throne. His military conquest had proven that he was still
the holder of authority. Therefore, he proudly walked up those steps, turned toward the great crowd who was
watching, and lowered himself down to sit in his rightful place — the throne.

Because of the words parresia and triumbeuo, Colossians 2:15 conveys this idea:
“He completely stripped principalities and powers and left them utterly naked; nothing was left at their disposal
with which to retaliate. He boldly, confidently, loudly, blatantly, and publicly exposed and displayed this now-
defunct foe, leading a gallant triumphal parade in celebration of the enemy’s defeat and His victory!”
“...He gallantly strode into Heaven to celebrate His victory and the defeat of Satan and his forces. As part of His
triumphal process, He flaunted the spoils seized from the hand of the enemy. Yet the greatest spectacle of all
occurred when the enemy himself was openly put on display as bound, disgraced, disabled, defeated, humiliated,
and stripped bare.…”

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Does all this mean that this actual type of celebration took place in Heaven after Jesus’ defeat of the devil? There is no
explicit biblical account that records the type of celebration that occurred the day Jesus was raised from the dead, but
Paul’s words in Colossians 2:15 certainly indicate that Heaven threw quite a party that day. Jesus’ victory over the
devil was the greatest victory ever known!

It would be entirely expected that Heaven would celebrate that victory with the Son of God.
So if you feel like shouting when you think about what Jesus did to the devil, go ahead and shout! If thinking of Jesus’
victory makes you want to jump up and down, dance, or twirl around in circles, then go for it! There’s nothing strange
about this behavior at all — you have something to rejoice about!

When you start rejoicing about Jesus’ victory over the devil, you join the throngs of Heaven who also wildly
celebrate Jesus’ victory and Satan’s defeat!

Jesus’ victory over Satan was a momentous affair! When Jesus returned, He was totally triumphant!
The party Heaven threw that day was enormous! All of Heaven’s hosts came to celebrate Jesus’ victory and
Satan’s downfall and demise! Right there in front of everyone, Jesus displayed the devil and his cohorts, so all
could know that this enemy no longer had the legitimate right or the necessary arms to prolong his rule of
terrorism.

Once again, Satan is not a force we are trying to defeat; he is already defeated. But because very few believers
know how to effectively use their God-given authority to resist Satan, he tries to continue illegally operating and
doing damage to the souls of men and even to the creation itself.

No matter what demonic strategy may come against you this day or how many demons are assembled together for
your destruction, you never have to go down defeated. Jesus plundered the enemy when He rose from the dead. So
when you look into the mirror, you need to learn to see yourself as one who already has the victory. You already
possess the authority necessary to keep Satan under your feet where he belongs.

Remember, you are no longer a victim — you are a victor!