In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding and engaging in spiritual warfare against the devil and his dark forces. He mentions the charismatic movement and the need for believers to be equipped to combat the enemy. The preacher also discusses the significance of Jesus disarming and defeating these powers on the cross. He concludes by expressing gratitude for the victory won through Christ's sacrifice and encourages the congregation to worship and thank God for the battle fought and won.

Stand thy counsel to count before to be done. They knew that God and his eternal counsel had outlined the battle and had appointed the hour. So we're beginning to see the forces, are we? Christ was taken on a lot, you know. Oh, but there's more to come. You see, let's go over to Colossians, and we're at the second chapter, that great letter to the Colossians, and we're at the second chapter. And it's talking about Christ at Calvary. It's talking about him blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. Verse 14, we're at 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. Which did us good then, and having spoiled principalities and powers. These are words that we've been dealing with. These are personalities that we have been dealing with. Demon principalities and demon powers. Having spoiled them, and we'll look at that very closely. He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. Oh, they were all in the arena, you know. I want you to get the hold of that. But we want to do it properly. You know, we know the devil used Peter, and we certainly know that he used Herod, and Pontius Pilate, and the Gentiles, and the priests, and the scribes, and the officers of the temple, and the people of the Jews, as it says. But you know, all this is small fry in this battle. Principalities came to Calvary. These demon princes who had followed Satan, and whom Satan had delegated to deceive the nations, they were heir to Calvary. Oh, we'll never get this properly, you know. When I survey the wonders, I feel stark naked on the tree. I cannot properly get in these countless thousands of demon princes, but I know they were there. And I not only know that these demon princes were there, I know that these demon powers were there. Principalities and powers. Of course, I know that these are those that we haven't looked at yet, but we're going to look at the rulers of the darkness of this world. Because, you see, Satan is warring like this. He's coming against the political, and he's coming against the physical, and he's coming against the mental, and he comes against every spiritual man and woman. He's coming against the eternal now. But, you know, he does come against the evangelical that we haven't touched yet. When he blinds the minds of them that believe not, he's got a squad, and they're called the rulers of the darkness of this world. There were at Calvary. My, there were men that shouted out, Save yourself! If you've built a temple in three days, save yourself! They were so blind, they didn't know what they were talking about. You'll find that the thieves were blind. They railed at him. You'll find that even scribes and priests went by, said he saved others. Himself he can't save, they worship. Oh, yes, principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world were all there. Let me say this to you, that wicked... Let me go back to Matthew 27, I think it is. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 27. Yes, it says in verse 29, And when they had plaited a crown of thorns... Now, this is talking about the soldiers. The soldiers plaited this crown of thorns. Now, I don't know how many of them were occupied in plaiting this crown of thorns. But if you could just see the long eastern thorn, it's almost as strong as steel, and it's as long as my first finger there. And these men plaited this crown of thorns. Now, this was not usually done at crucifixion. This was just two or three wicked characters. And I think they were energized by wicked spirits. You see, for a man to stand in a corner, or two or three of them to stand in a corner, and diabolically weave these together, knowing that they are going to crush them into this man's head, there is wickedness afoot here. Now, we have an open meeting here every Sunday morning after the ministry meeting. And we just sit down round the table, and we're just saints remembering the Lord. And we don't expect every man to preach, of course. We don't believe in all-man ministry, because we don't believe that the sheep should feed the shepherds. That would be a silly confusion, wouldn't it? You don't think that God gave some of us gifts to listen to trot, do you, or trite? We have no notion of doing that. But I am not the only gift in this place. Thank God. We've got about a couple of dozen here who can take this platform at any time, and we're so proud of them. And the other morning, one of our young folks sitting at the back now, he just got up to preach, and he said this. He said, you know, I have noticed for the very first time that these men plaited this crown of thorns and then put it on his head, and I'll read in his right hand. And, of course, the reason, you know, is a bamboo cane grows in Palestine about twenty feet high, one of these thick bamboos. And they were sort of making fun and mockery. And the young fellow said this, that they put this crown of thorns upon his head, and verse thirty, and they spit upon him, and they took the reed then and smote him on the head when the crown of thorns was on his head. And he looked down that meeting. I was sitting watching him just then. And there were tears in his eyes. He said, I never saw that before. I never saw that the crown of thorns was there when they struck him on the head with a cane. Did you know? Because it's very wicked, isn't it? It's wicked to plait this crown of thorns. It's wicked to crush it on his head. It's wicked to harm him after you have it on. Because I can tell you that Christ was meeting wicked spirits and he never even groaned. He was absolutely dumb. He just took it, stood there, never see a fellow getting thumped and taking it. There's not too many of us able for that. What a wonderful Saviour he was. I can tell you that when the hour would come and he's stark naked and he's on the cross and all these my, then came these principalities, these wicked princes. Then came these powers. Then came these rulers of the darkness. Then came these wicked spirits. And all the wickedness, even when he was dead on the cross and hanging lifeless on the nails. He was dead, I tell you. And he was dead a long time. And this agent of a creature comes along just on to steal wickedness. Christ was speaking. He took them all on, you know. And you know, this is a tremendous word in Colossians. He spoiled principalities and powers. Oh, how I rejoice in this, you know. He spoiled principalities and powers and he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. You know, I brought this whole book of translations along. You know, I get thrilled sometimes when I see these great scholars translating these. This word, spoiled, is a tremendous word. Connie Bear, who is one of the great, great scholars, there's a translation by Connie Bear in Holston. Well, this is what Connie Bear says. Having spoiled principalities and powers means he disarmed the principalities and powers which fought against him. Did you ever see men in battle being taken captive? Did you ever see the power that took them disarming them? Taking their soul and their dead and their gone. They're disarmed. I'll tell you this, he disarmed them. Oh, but it's a much deeper word than that. Here's what, here's what Knox, and remember, Knox was a Roman Catholic. And remember, he was a Roman Catholic scholar. Just don't get your own blood up too much. Because it happens to be he was a scholar. And this is what he honestly said. He said, and the dominions and powers that came against him, he ran out. It's a good word, isn't it? Because spoiled and disarmed and robbed. Oh, the same thing anyway. You see, when you disarm a man and take his weapons away, you see sometimes in the old battles in the Far East, they took off their earrings and all the gold and the rings and all the bracelets and everything else. They robbed them. Leave them standing there like paupers. Oh, well, he spoiled them. He disarmed them. He robbed them. When do you see this one? It says, on the cross, he discarded these powers and authorities. You know, you need all these words in to get the truth of this. Why has he bared his breath when they came and are countless presents and this is a bit of a battle we never see. Then, old friend, he spoiled them. He disarmed them. He robbed them. Then he lifted them and disarmed them. You know, this interested me so much that I went on into it. If you go to the third chapter, are you in the third chapter of the same book, Colossians? See, verse nine, says in the middle of the verse, seeing that ye have put off the old man. Well, the word put off is the exact same word as spoiled. Discarded, you see. Robertson, whom I believe to be the greatest Greek scholar of all time, Robertson said, I can see it like this. I can see these hosts coming against him in the darkness of Calvary. I can see him disarming them. I can see him taking every thread of vestige from them. I can see him lifting them. I can see them pitching them and discarding them and throwing them off from them. Their victory. You know, there's still another one to be dealt with because it's not only Peter and Judas and Herod and Pontius Pilate and principalities and powers and the rules of the darkness and wicked spirit. The old Satan himself must be dealt with. And as he stretched out his hands and stepped into death, Satan must have shouted, I've got him. He's in my realm. He just trampled death beneath his feet and rose again. And through death, he destroyed him which had the power of death, which is the devil. And for heaven's sake, never forget Calvary. What a victory. He spoiled principalities and powers. You know, he needed to show them. He needed to show them openly. Oh, friends. They were like some wreath of oppression. He had spoiled them. He needed to show them openly. Let me get this word in. He triumphed. Oh, I think the word should be written in capitals the whole way through. Triumphed. Now, let's get the hold of this before we leave tonight. Remember, we're marching on the train of eternity. We're marching with this monster. Not to be afraid of the devil, you know. One of these nights, we're going to show you that you've only got to resist them in the authority of Christ the name. He'll free from you. Oh, yes. We've got to get this. What a battle this was. What an hour it was. What a victory it was. Now, next week's a very important week, you know. I talked about the charismatic movements the other night, and so many said, I don't know what night all this is about. Well, now, I just don't know. You see, I've got to go a bit at the time to take the battle properly. And I think the proper bit for next week is to show every believer how you can be more unconscious against the devil, principality, power, rulers of darkness, wicked spirit. See if it more than comes. It's a wonderful time. Then we've got to look at these rulers of the darkness coming against the evangelical. Then we've got to try to find out all that these wicked spirits have done in this world. And I assure you that tonight. And then we'll move into spiritism and voodooism and charismaticism too. We mean to do it properly. If all winter hasn't, if Jesus dies, it's only ten to ten tonight. Well, what about it? Or let me offer Christmas. Let's sing a hymn that I think is a great one. 691. I honestly think that this is one of the greatest hymns in the book. I think it's a mighty one. You know, watch it. I don't know who wrote it, but I know it's mighty. What role the executor of all the evils that I have done, I know them well and thousands more. Jehovah findeth none. His be the victor's name who fought our fight alone. Triumphant saints no honor claimed. Their conquest was his own. By weakness and defeat he won the meet and calm. Shroud all our faults beneath his feet by being shodden down. He held in hell made law, made sin. He sent all through. God to the grave destroyed its soul and death by dying fruit. Blessed, blessed the conqueror slain. Slain by divine decree. Who lived, who died, who lives again? For thee, we sing for thee. My, what a masterpiece in the words of our God. Now we're going to sing it all. Taking more time to sing it all. 691 please. God we bow to thank thy holy name. We adore thee for Calvary. We thank thee Lord for the battle fought. And the victory won. And the enemy routed. We bless thee thou art the last Adam. For there'll be no second fight. Because you left no second fall. Park us in thy fields. Take us to our homes and safety. Bless and preserve every head. Bowed in thy presence. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.