And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

We have a story to tell. A story of a struggle against the powers and the principalities, against sin and death and the devil. A story in which our Lord Jesus Christ is victorious over all these things (Colossians 2:15) and shares that victory with ordinary people like you and me. What makes this story so compelling is the fact that this victory was a costly one that required sacrifice and suffering. On the cross Jesus took hold of all that would rob us of life, and He allowed Himself to be overcome by the power of sin, death, the devil and all the despairing havoc they wreak on our lives. But in His resurrection, He not only defeats these powers, but is ultimately exalted to the right hand of the Father “with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (1 Peter 3:22b). All authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Him, and He shares His victory and all its spoils with you and me. It really is quite a story!