Last Days Steve Jones

"Stripping off the rulers and the authorities, He made a display of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:15) The cross is not only an erasing of all that condemns us but it is also a stripping away the power of all opposing rulers and authorities once and for all. Any future dealings with powers that oppose God have already been defeated on the cross. This is why Paul was able make such statements in Romans chapter 8: “What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any charges against Gods elect? Who, or what can separate us from the love of God?”
Nothing!
These rulers and powers, however, are able to manifest themselves through a speaking. They seek to delude us with persuasive speech (vs4) spoil us through philosophical reasoning (8) judge us by telling what we should do (16), defraud us by telling what we shouldn’t do (18-21). It is all a “reasonable” speaking that seeks to nullify the fullness we have in Christ. This is why in Colossians.2:10 he says we are “complete in Christ, who is head over all rule and authority”
This means Christ is head over all of the speaking. The “speakers” can be Satan (the accuser of the brethren), religion, teaching, culture, government, worldly wisdom etc. It is a false speaking that seeks to usurp the Headship of Christ. It appeals as a reasonable speaking but seeks to deny that Christ is our life and that he is enough.
We need to recognize that this speaking, manifests itself as a reasoning in our mind. It is a speaking over us, about us, a speaking that seems true about ourselves, or about our environment, or about the situations that we are dealing with, about the times we live in, about things that occur in our daily and in our worldly life. However “reasonable “ it is not according to Christ (8) nor does it hold him up as the Head. (19)
What we need to realize is that the power of the cross includes the removing of this speaking, this authority that seeks to rule over us. God took this authority out of the way when Jesus died on the cross. Through Christ, he triumphed over them once and for all.
Why does he still allow them to have breathing room? I can’t answer that perfectly but I do know in His wisdom all of it is used to wake me up and drive me to Christ, to his fullness!

Know that “in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us.”
And be persuaded that nothing,
“no principalities, nothing present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

What happened on the cross has solidified our relationship with the father, and has terminated the “wanna be” power of any kind of ruler or authority that would seek to infiltrate our reasoning and dissuade us from the fullness we have in Christ.

"Wiping out (or erasing) the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14)

The operation of God eternally puts us In Christ, thus we are said to be complete in Him (2:10).This is an unbelievable yet true operation (11-13), but there’s more!While Jesus was on the cross bleeding for our offenses God was nailing something else to the cross: The handwriting of ordinances.

What is that? When a criminal was crucified, it was customary to identify their guilt. A placard often followed with them on their journey to the cross, and then was nailed on the cross with them. On that placard was their guilty charges and reasons why they were being crucified.
I do not know about you, but I am guilty. Like Paul said in Romans 7 there is something good in me that wants to keep the law, but oh wretched man, that I am, who can deliver me ?! The handwriting of the law exposed Paul’s, guilt and condemnation. This is the purpose of the law. Let the law expose your wretchedness. Say God, “I am wretched! The law reveals it.
I am condemned, and I am guilty. The placard is not big enough to display my guilt.”
But look what God did, he nailed that placard on the cross with Jesus.
It says here in verse 14 in effect that our failure to keep those ordinances were contrary to us or against us. In the context of Colossians 2 this means our guilty verdict was opposing our opportunity to enjoy the fullness described in verses 9 and 10. That means whatever was happening on the cross could not be ours because of what was written on that placard. But then read…”He took it out of the way. It was hanging around our neck, condemning us, but He removes it out of the way and nails it to the cross of His Son.
Now look at it! Erased, Wiped clean!
The charges aren’t just dropped, but the debt is fully paid for, satisfied, and all God sees is a pure white placard. There’s nothing there!
No wonder Paul continued to say in Romans 7, “thanks be to God, who has delivered me through Jesus Christ his Son. Therefore, there is no condemnation, ever, to those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom.8:1)
The blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness.The Father then erased the hand writing of ordinances that would otherwise indicate us as guilty, and He nailed THAT to the cross!
Oh praise the Lord!

It is one thing to realize that in Christ, all the fullness of God dwelt. (2:9).It is quite another thing to see that we are complete in Christ. (2:10). We have received the fullness. But, it is still another huge thing to allow this fullness to operate in our lives. In other words, are we living by the Christ who is in us? Is he the "Head of all (other) rule and authority” in our daily living?

Verse 12 says there is a requirement of faith on our part in this operation of God. God has done something in our being through Christ that this fullness might be ours. Do you believe it?

At first glance, we might categorize verse 11 through 13+ as verses describing our ability to identify with what Christ done. He died. We died, he was buried. We were buried, and he arose, so we arose, however, this is more than simply doctrinally or historically, identifying with Christ.
These verses describe the operation of God. This operation of God are not things that only happened in the past through Christ, but they are the fullness that is in us. He is the means whereby we enjoy him as our fullness.
Verse 11 says he circumcised us. Our flesh has been cut away entirely through the work of Christ on the cross. This circumcising Christ lives in us, as the one who’s freed us from our flesh, our self. We no longer need to reference our self at all. Christ is our source. He is our fullness through what he has done upon the Cross. This is why Paul says I am crucified with Christ, and I, my flesh, no longer lives.
Then he says we are buried together with him (12). The operation of God has taken us to the grave. What else are you going to do with something that has died? The operation of God discards the dead flesh once and for all. Christ took our sinful flesh to the grave. According to the operation of God, Christ, who knew no sin, officiated over the burial of all of it. That which has died, has life no more.

And then most wonderfully we go with him into resurrection. This resurrection is a living. It is His life now constantly supplied as our life. This operation of God after cutting us open, so to speak, dealing with our sinful flesh, officially burying our offensive flesh, then brought us together with Christ into the newness of his life. This life of Christ has been installed in us. This is the fullness that we have received! This is the operation of God! Do you believe it?
This is why Paul could say, "As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him," (Colossians 2:6). How? Through faith in the operation of God! You received this life now walk in this life. Walking in the life, the fullness, is the evidence of our faith in the Christian life.
We live the Christian life through faith in the operation of God!

Colossians 2:9-10 are certainly verses for the believer to know and recall. More than that they are a reality that we live by. They actually summarize what we’ve learned in Colossians. They are the riches we are to enjoy, the treasure we need to find, and the prize we need to run after.

Verse 9 declares that all the fullness was seen in Jesus when he was on the Earth. This means all the riches, the treasure, and the prize are in this fullness. This Fullness was on display when Jesus was on the Earth, and then verse 10 says that this Fullness is now in you. You are complete in him. And in the context of chapter 2, you are not to add anything to that Fullness! How could we and why would we?!

Read John chapter 1 the first 16 verses. Get into the excitement of John. We saw Jesus! He was the very speaking of God in the flesh, the word! And in him was life, and his life is the light to all mankind. Verse 16 we have received his Fullness. What does that mean? The Fullness IS the word, the life and the light all compacted in this Fullness that we have received. What we saw is now in us as the Fullness!

And then John adds we are receiving this Fullness grace upon grace, upon grace, meaning that Grace is a Supply of the Fullness. Saints, just wake up and breathe and I guarantee you you’re going to need the the grace of God, which is the Fullness that we have received through the Christ that now lives in our spirit. This is how we live! Grace upon grace upon grace. The supply of the Fullness becomes a never ending fountain of life.
He tells the Colossian Saints don’t live by anything else. In this episode, I have asked you to politely examine the preaching and teaching that you’re hearing today. At the end of most messages, we are being urged to do something, to be something, to get something more, to be more relevant in this day and age or even to have a new experience. I understand this. There is an urgency on the part of any good minister to challenge the people of God in these last days, however, I don’t hear much that directs saints to get to the fullness in you. They may even direct you to depend on the power of God, but do we know that this power comes from the Fullness that’s deposited in our spirit?

To not urge saints to live by the Fullness means death. That simply means there’s a lack of life in those challenges. We need life!We need to live by the Fullness. Do you realize Jesus,bodily, as a man , completely lived by the Fullness of the father. In other words, the father was enough. If he lived by the Fullness, why should we not live by the Fullness that is in us?
All the things that we are asked to do, all the changes we are asked to make, and all the challenges presented to us through preaching are in the Fullness. Find the Fullness, live by the Fullness grace by grace by grace, and all of these things preached to us will be added unto us out of His Fullness.

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him.”

This dilemma was put to DL Moody to which he added, “By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” This has been the noble response of many believers.
Let’s clarify. Firstly, the world HAS seen such a man fully consecrated to God and secondly He is the only man who has ever pleased God fully. His name is Jesus.

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” (Colossians 2:9)

“Fullness” means completeness, abundance, perfection , nothing lacking
This was Christ in the flesh. A man fully consecrated to the Father. The world has indeed seen such a man!
Moreover we are wretched men and women who need deliverance.
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?”(Rom. 7:24).
Who?! Oh “Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25)
Through Christ, the wholly consecrated One, we find deliverance.
“And you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority." (Colossians 2:10)
Read that! You’ve been made full out of His fullness!. As a spiritual runner in this race, that Paul is referring to , you are equipped, you’re in good shape, and extremely qualified to run this race. You’re made full!. If you are saved, you have Christ in you and he has successfully completed the work that God gave Him to do for mankind. And He now is in you. You were made to run in this race. Get to the Supply, Jesus, who fully and completely and perfectly lived this Christian life. Wake up, don’t be according to anything else, and lay hold of Christ in all things because you have been made complete in Him, and the one who is in you is head and authority over all of those things that seek to usurp Him as having first place. Amen.

Verses on thankfulness in Colossians:
"Having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being established in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:7)

"And let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts, …; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

"And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)

"Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving," (Colossians 4:2)

The biggest danger for believers is to find ourselves “not after Christ” (2:8). If we live after anything else but Christ, we open ourselves up to discontentment, disillusionment, and frustration.
After salvation, we need to discover that we were meant for one thing, and that is to find Christ in us and then live supplied by his life. In short “Christ our Life” (2:4). This is God’s eternal purpose: the life of His son expressed through the Saints in the church and throughout eternity.
A person who lives with such a Supply it’s not discontent or frustrated in this world, but rather thankful. Paul says here “abounding with thanksgiving”. Where? In prison, in chains, restricted and limited. Why? Because we are “rooted and being built up in Him. How?Because if we live “in Christ” no matter the circumstances we can be content. (Philippians 4:11). This means that living literally “in Him” has the consequence of abundant thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is not simply a holiday or an obligation at prayer time or affered when we receive good food or gifts. It is rather a spontaneous response to our environment from a saint who is living in Christ.
Unlike the world, we can thank God for everything! Remember, Paul said, I rejoice in my suffering’s. That is not the flesh speaking. This is a man who was captivated by the life of Christ within him, and realized Him as All and in all things .
Certainly difficult things happen. The world, at best, can only come up with logical reasons why such and such happened and hopefully feel better about the situation.
The believer has the realization that there is another Life in them. This Life is also touched by our earthly circumstances and can supply us with His life as we pass through all things. This Life has a purpose through every circumstance.
Thanksgiving then is a practical way that enables us to receive the Supply of His Life in us. It requires faith and typically an open mouth as we call upon His name. It is possible, therefore, to abound with thanksgiving, no matter what we face.
Let us not utter frustration, discontentment and dissatisfaction over this earthly life, but whatever we do in word or deed do it with thanksgiving; whatever erupts in our life, family and relationships may the peace of Christ arbitrate over us with all thanksgiving; and may we continually persevere in prayer, opening our mouths, abounding with thanksgiving. Amen.