Seek Things Above (Col 3:1-2)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:1-2

Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ forever defeated sin, death, and hell. Satan was conquered by the blood of the Lamb.

But if the enemy has already been defeated, then what is with all the talk of "spiritual warfare"? If we have already won the war, why does it feel like every day we are engaged in a battle?

The reason is that while satan has been defeated eternally, in this realm of time and space he still has a certain level of power. When this world passes away at the end of time, so too will all of satan's power.

Thus the only tactic of the enemy is to deceive us into forgetting the truth that he has already been eternally defeated. And how does he do this? In the modern western world it is primarily through distraction.

Paul calls satan "the god of this age." Jesus calls him the "ruler of this world."

When we set our attention on the transitory things of this age we enter into the arena and jurisdiction of the enemy.

When we set our attention on the eternal things of heaven we transcend the domain of satan and enter into God's Kingdom. We win the battle without firing a single shot because we enter into the realm where satan is already eternally conquered.

However there are two extremes we must avoid. We must not make ourselves at home in this fallen world, but we also must avoid merely wishing to escape this world.

Until the return of Christ we remain sojourners and exiles on this earth. Our job is not to escape the world, but rather to usher in its redemption and transfiguration through the advancement of God's Kingdom upon it.

For the time being, we must remain in this world. But we must always remember that we belong to another realm. This heavenly realm should dominate the focus and attention of our minds.

But our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Phil 3:20