Victory In Jesus

Introduction

“Signed, Sealed, and Delivered” In 1830, George Wilson was convicted of robbing a U.S. mail carrier and sentenced to hang. Then came the unthinkable—President Andrew Jackson issued him a full pardon. But Wilson refused it. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice John Marshall made this stunning statement: “A pardon is only valid if it is accepted. If it is rejected, it has no power.” It’s hard to imagine—freedom offered, but left unopened. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he tells us that through Christ, God has issued the ultimate pardon. The record of our guilt—every sin, every failure—has been dealt with. Paul says it has been “nailed to the cross.” In those days, when a debt was paid in full, the creditor would take the final stamp and mark the ledger with one Greek word: which meant—“Paid in full.” No balance. No further payment required. That’s what Christ has done—signed our pardon with His blood, sealed it with His resurrection, and delivered it to us freely. And in these verses, Paul shows us what that pardon really means: complete forgiveness, cancelled debt, and conquered powers.

Complete Forgiveness

Colossians 2:11–13 “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”

We were sinners—lost, undone, spiritually dead. But God, rich in mercy, sent His Son to save us from the penalty and power of sin. John 3:16–17 tells us why: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son… John 12:47 I came not to judge the world; but to save the world.” His birth, life, death, and resurrection were all part of God’s plan to bring complete forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him.

Illustration — The Prisoner’s Pardon In history, a royal pardon could free a prisoner from both sentence and shame. When the king signed the pardon, the prison doors opened, and the record of the offense was sealed away. That prisoner could never be tried for that crime again. In Christ, our pardon is even greater—not only are we freed from the sentence, but the offense itself is erased from the record.

Satan loves to remind us of our past—our failures, our shame, our unworthiness. But because of Christ, we can look the Accuser in the eye and say: “Get thee behind me, Satan—I have been forgiven, made new, and set free in Jesus Christ.”

Illustration — The Chalkboard Wipe A teacher walks into class to find the board covered in scribbles, doodles, and cruel words from the day before. She picks up the eraser, and in a few strokes, it’s all gone—completely clean. That’s what Christ does with our sins. He doesn’t just smudge them or cross them out—He wipes them away entirely.

Paul’s Two Pictures

Circumcision — In the Old Testament, circumcision was the sign that Israel was set apart for God. Now, Paul says, the true circumcision is “made without hands.” Christ Himself sets us apart—not by outward ritual but by cutting away sin’s guilt and power from our hearts. He fulfilled the law, and in Him we are made complete, forgiven, and set apart for His service.

Baptism — Some claim baptism earns salvation, but Paul is clear: baptism is a reflection, not the source, of salvation. At the cross, He took our place, and by faith we are united with Him—crucified with Him, buried with Him, and raised with Him. His death becomes our death to sin, and His resurrection becomes our new life in God. Baptism is the outward understanding of that truth.

Through Christ’s death, we died to sin. Through His resurrection, we live to God. He is our circumcision, our baptism, our full and final payment.

Colossians 2:13 says it plainly: “And you… hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

Tie-in The enemy may whisper, “You’re still guilty.” But the moment you belong to Christ, the charges vanish from the record. Your forgiveness isn’t a temporary reprieve—it’s a complete, irreversible act sealed by the blood of Jesus. When we trust in Christ, the slate is wiped clean. Every record of sin—past, present, and future—is gone.

And if the sins are gone… so is the debt they created.

Cancelled Debt

Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

Illustration — The Ancient Debt Record In the ancient world, debts were recorded on papyrus or parchment, and the ink had no acid—it didn’t sink in. That meant if a debt was paid, the creditor could literally take a sponge and wipe the ink off the document. The writing would vanish, and the same parchment could be reused. Paul says Christ has done that with our “record of debt.” It’s not that the bill was ignored—it was paid in full and then erased so it can never be brought back against us.

Tie-in: Our sins aren’t just marked “paid”—the record itself is gone. That’s why Satan has no legal ground to accuse the believer.

Paul speaks here of two factors as it pertained to our sin:

The Law

The “handwriting of ordinances” was a reference to the law of God. Sin is defined by the law

Romans 5:13 — “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Romans 3:20 — “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

When we read the law of God, we realize there are rules and standards by which He will judge us. If there is no law, there is no condemnation, because there is no offense. But when there is a law and we break it, a debt is created that must be paid for justice to be satisfied.

The Offences

Paul says these ordinances were “against us.” The law was not a comfort—it was a witness against us, a record of our guilt. In modern terms, the law was our indictment, and each of our sins was listed as evidence.

This is where Luke 16:1–8 helps us picture the reality. In that parable, a steward is accused of mismanaging his master’s goods. When he realizes he’s about to lose his position, he calls in his master’s debtors. One owes a hundred measures of oil—he tells him to quickly write fifty. Another owes a hundred measures of wheat—he tells him to write eighty. The debt was written down, a tangible record of what was owed. Everyone in the ancient world understood this process: a debt was real, documented, and binding until it was paid or removed.

In the same way, our offences against God’s law were a written record in the courtroom of Heaven. Our guilt was not a rumor—it was documented, undeniable, and enforceable.

But here’s the good news: Jesus Christ, in His mercy, paid our debt in full. At the cross, the certificate of our indebtedness was transferred from our account to His, and He nailed it to the cross. In doing so, He didn’t just settle the amount—He removed the record entirely.

The devil may wave the old debt in your face, but the blood of Jesus has stamped it “Paid in Full”—and in Heaven’s records, that page doesn’t even exist anymore.

Conquered Powers

Colossians 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Illustration — The Public Parade In ancient Rome, when a general returned victorious from war, the emperor would grant him a triumphal procession. The streets would be filled with cheering crowds as the general led his army through the city gates. Behind them came wagonloads of captured treasure, and finally, the defeated enemy kings and generals—bound in chains—paraded publicly as living proof of Rome’s victory. Paul says that’s exactly what Jesus did at the cross. He disarmed the powers of darkness, took their weapons away, and paraded them before all of creation as defeated. What looked like His greatest loss was actually His greatest victory.

Tie-in: The cross wasn’t Satan’s triumph—it was his humiliation.

We often miss the depth of the spiritual battle raging behind the scenes. This was not simply the story of a good man opposed by corrupt leaders—it was the culmination of a war that had been raging for 4,000 years. Satan had been cast out of heaven for trying to be like the Most High God (Isaiah 14). In Eden, he deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God, bringing sin into the world (Genesis 3). From that moment on, he prowled the earth like a roaring lion, seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

When Jesus entered the world, Satan knew He was the promised One who would crush his head (Genesis 3:15). From the manger in Bethlehem (Luke 2), to the temple as a boy (Luke 2:41–52), to His first miracle at Cana (John 2), Jesus’ every step toward the cross was opposed by Satan’s schemes. Through religious leaders, political power, and spiritual deception, Satan sought to have Him rejected, reviled, and ultimately removed from the earth.

But in his hatred and arrogance, Satan overplayed his hand. He stirred the religious leaders to crucify Jesus—thinking it would be the decisive blow. Yet this “victory” was the very means of his defeat. Jesus had come to give His life a ransom for many (1 Timothy 2:6). The cross wasn’t the ruin of His mission—it was the reason for His mission.

At Calvary, Satan’s accusations lost their power. At the empty tomb, his grip on death was broken. Jesus didn’t just win for Himself—He won for all who belong to Him.

That means His victory is our victory. Paul declares in Romans 8:37: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Through the great Conqueror—our Lord Jesus Christ—we too stand victorious over sin, death, and every power of darkness.

The battle you fear has already been won. The enemy you dread has already been defeated. Walk forward, child of God, in the peace of knowing that your Champion reigns forever.

Conclusion

Last week we said it—we are complete in Him. And today, Paul has reminded us what that means:

In Christ, we have complete forgiveness—our sins gone forever.

In Christ, our debt is cancelled—the record wiped clean.

In Christ, the powers of darkness are conquered—Satan is a defeated foe.

Friend, do you have this forgiveness? Has your debt been cancelled? Are you walking as a conqueror over spiritual powers? Without Christ, the answer to all of these is no. Without Him, there is no heaven, no pardon, no victory.

But if your answer is yes—if you are in Christ—then you have every reason to live in continual gratitude. When someone buys my lunch, the least I can do is say, “Thank you.” Christ has not just bought your lunch—He has bought your life, paid your eternal debt, and given you His victory every single day. Even when you sin, His forgiveness is fresh. And on the days you walk in obedience, it is only through His conquering power.

If you are saved but living in defeat—come and claim the victory Christ has already won for you. If you are saved and walking in victory—come and thank Him for His sacrifice and freedom.

Let me ask you—what would you do if every financial debt you owed was suddenly paid in full? Think of the freedom. Think of the relief. Think of the opportunities that would open up. Wouldn’t you be grateful? Wouldn’t you thank the one who paid it? Wouldn’t you bless others out of the abundance you’d been given?

Christian, your spiritual debt has been paid in full. Don’t live as though you’re still chained to it. You are free—not to serve yourself—but to serve Christ.

The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

So let’s live like forgiven people. Let’s walk like debt-free people. Let’s fight like victors—bringing honor and glory to the One who made us complete.

In Christ—your sins are forgiven, completely. Your debt is cancelled, forever. Your victory is secured, eternally. So why live in chains when the prison door stands wide open? This morning—step out. Step forward. Come claim the freedom Christ has purchased for you… and let His victory be your victory—starting now.

If you are saved then You are Forgiven—so leave the guilt behind. Debt-free—so stop living like you still owe. Victorious—so step forward and claim the life Christ has already purchased for you.

If you are not saved then come claim the victory that you have in Jesus today. You can have all your sin forgiven, your debt cancelled, and your victory won when you place your faith in Jesus Christ today.

FINAL PUNCH "Forgiveness is here—come take it. Freedom is here—come live it. Victory is here—come claim it. Come to Jesus now."

FINAL PRAYER

Social Media Teaser

"What if every debt you ever owed—spiritual or otherwise—was wiped away in a single moment? This Sunday we’ll see from Colossians 2 how Jesus gives complete forgiveness, cancels every debt, and defeats the powers of darkness. The victory is already won—are you living in it?"