“Note, the devil, though he is an enemy to all saints, is a conquered enemy. The Captain of our salvation has defeated and disarmed him; we have nothing to do but to pursue the victory.” — Matthew Henry
Few principles of war are more easily overlooked than that of pursuit. Once the tide turns and the enemy turns tail, it is easy to take that moment to rest and reassure yourself that the worst of it is now over. But that rest and reassurance can quickly become a kind of retreat if it does not capitalize on all your previous combat. If you celebrate your victory at that point, you surrender the victory further down the field. Just when the advantage is gained, it is forfeited. At the moment decisive leverage is acquired, it is cast aside.
"Failure to pursue frequently reveals that the objective in the campaign was not victory, but rather some version of the 'upper hand.' Once we have fought to the point where we might be left alone for a while, we stop. This often happens because Christians are peace-loving people, and this sometimes gets them into trouble. Too often we drag a problem out and make the whole thing last ten times longer than it has to last. But when the principle of pursuit is employed, it is clear that victory is the objective." -- Douglas Wilson, Rules for Reformers
Jesus did not disarm the devil just to keep him from hurting others. He didn't win that round just to lay down in the next. No, He disarmed the devil in order to destroy him. He isn't fighting for a win by decision, but by knock out.
Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.
Jesus didn't become flesh, suffer the rigor of living righteously, endure the pain of dying sacrificially, rise triumphantly, and ascend gloriously in order to slap the devil on the wrist. He didn't even do it all to break his wrist. No, the Scriptures teach that Jesus did all of that in order to utterly destroy the devil and all his works entirely.
1 John 3:8
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
"We are not to fight to the point of predominance, we are to fight to the point of complete victory... Pursuit is the principle neglected by the currently strong. Many wars have been prolonged because the victorious army did not press its advantage in the immediate aftermath of a critical battle." -- Douglas Wilson, Rules for Reformers
God wants to do to the world what He is doing to us. He has saved us. He established a beachhead from which He is endeavoring to push His influence into every nook and cranny of our person. He is set on occupying every square inch of us.
"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, 'Mine!'" — Abraham Kuyper
There is no enclave of heart, soul, mind, or strength of which He does not intend to make conquest. He wants to use every square inch of us to occupy every square inch of His earth. His design for the world is His design for us: to conform it all, without exception, to Christ.
Ephesians 1:20-22
God set Christ at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things.
Christians are called to pursue this end, not merely nope or long for it. We have been drafted to chase it down. So, let's get to steppin'.
Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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