Remembering That Christ Has Already Won - Your Nightly Prayer - October 28

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Remembering That Christ Has Already Won

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15

SOMETHING TO PONDER

“How ‘finished’ is it when God says it is?”

My mentor asked this question once, and I’ve meditated on it for decades.

In John 19:30, Jesus says on the cross: “It is finished.” The word for finished here is tetelestai, from the root verb teleo, meaning to bring to an end, to complete, to accomplish, to fulfill, or to carry out. Tetelestai is the perfect passive indicative tense of the verb. If you’re not a grammar nerd, that means it describes an action completed in the past whose results will continue; “It has been finished and will remain finished.” Here, Jesus expresses a complete accomplishment.

What was finished? The work the Father sent him to accomplish, the sacrificial payment for sin, the Old Testament promises for atonement, and the renewal of all things. In such a statement, nothing more needed to be done or added to this work.

If we want to get weird, because it happened to Jesus, who is fully God and human, the cross and resurrection happened both in a historical moment and eternity. Jesus is the Lamb slain “from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)

Paul further articulates this finished work in Colossians 2. There exist evil spiritual powers, the realm of the Devil, out to kill and devour. On the cross, Jesus disarmed them, triumphed over them, and even made a spectacle of them, as he mocked them.

For you and me, for those who repent unto Jesus and follow him, we have entered this finished work. The victory was won, both in history and the eternal realms, for our redemption. For our salvation.

Our trust, therefore, entails renewing our minds to this reality. We face trials, temptations, betrayals, and crises. The world around us appears dark. Our hope remains as an anchor for our souls. His work of salvation and victory over every power of darkness is complete. We simply must believe, follow, and stand in his great love for us, waiting for the redemption already accomplished in Christ.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that when Jesus declared, “It is finished,” your work of redemption was fully accomplished. Strengthen our faith to stand in Christ’s complete victory over sin, death, and every power of darkness. Renew our minds when trials and fears surround us. Anchor our hope in your absolutely complete work, not our own ability or striving. Help us to walk in obedience, trusting your Word, living with confidence, our future is finished in your glory.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. What elements can you list of God’s finished work on the cross? Take time and list as many as you can think of.

2. What situations in your life distract and discourage you? Be honest.

3. How can you look at those situations with hope in light of Christ’s finished work?

Go Deeper: Finding Your Identity in Christ in Every Season

Have you ever felt a little lost when something that once defined your days suddenly changed?

Children grow up. Careers shift. Ministries evolve. Dreams unfold differently than we imagined. Sometimes a season ends long before we are ready—and when our identity has become tangled up in what we do, that change can leave us wondering who we are.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I’m talking with my friend Elizabeth Laing Thompson about her new 90-day devotional, In Season. Although the book was written for young female athletes, our conversation is for every woman who has felt pressure to perform, walked through disappointment, or questioned her worth when life did not go according to plan. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Britt Mooney Britt Mooney lives and tells great stories. As an author of fiction and non-fiction, he is passionate about teaching ministries and nonprofits the power of storytelling to inspire and spread truth. Mooney has a podcast called Kingdom Over Coffee and is a published author of We Were Reborn for This: The Jesus Model for Living Heaven on Earth as well as Say Yes: How God-Sized Dreams Take Flight.