Col 2- Christ is our Victory

The Mystery Revealed

What is God’s plan for mankind?

this is a question that has plagued mankind -

who am i? self discovery

Why am I here? Self purpose

There is a purpose to life and it goes beyond to just live for today and die tomorrow

Colossians 2:1–5 NLT

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

The amplified says in Col 2:3

Colossians 2:3 AMP

In Him all the treasures of [divine] wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God) and [all the riches of spiritual] knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden.

Christ is the access to all the “treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge”

Colossians 1:27 NLT

For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

Christ lives in me!

If Christ lives in me- Then that means something about my life-

Paul writes Col 2:4

Colossians 2:4 NLT

I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.

Paul doesn’t want us the believers to lives a life that doesn’t understand what the mystery of God is, or gets tricked and confused of what he truth is!

Christ is the Surpreme, and Christ lives in me!

Colossians 2:6–7 NLT

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

To be a Christian you must follow Christ

John 10:27–29 NLT

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

There is no fear of falling away or being snatched away as long as I am following Christ

Following Christ leads to growth in your life- To follow means to acts on the call -

what is the Call of God for your life?

John 15:16 NLT

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

You are called to produce fruit

1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

You are called to fellowship with Christ

2 Timothy 1:10 NLT

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

You are called to a Holy Life

Psalm 1 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

You are called to a blessed and prosperous life

Proverbs 10:22 NLT

The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Understanding the Work of Jesus Christ

Colossians 2:8–10 NLT

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Captive-

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words Spoil (Noun and Verb), Spoiling

3. sulagogeo (συλαγωγέω, 4812), “to carry off as spoil, lead captive”

You become the spoil- the slave to the enemy when you get taken captive with empty philosophies-

Worldly ways of thinking

Behind these are spiritual forces actively trying to take you captive

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NLT

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Christ is supreme- He is before- and He lives in you

Galatians 2:20 NLT

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is why Paul can write with such confidence

Colossians 2:10 NLT

So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

You participate in Divine Nature

2 Peter 1:4–5 NLT

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

Salvation in the beginning of a life that has been set free from the worldly principles and set on the course of blessing

Psalm 109:28 NLT

Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!

Christ is your Victory

Colossians 2:11–15 NLT

When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.