God Will Have the Victory

Why did Jesus come? How would you answer that question?

Most people might say “to save us” or “to show God’s love” or a similar response. That is true. But the apostle John gives a rather unexpected and clear answer as to why Jesus came. He said, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).

Immediately after the Fall, God made a promise. He told the serpent (the devil) that from the offspring of Eve would eventually come someone who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Known as the proto-evangelium, this is the first reference to the good news that the Savior would come to destroy the devil’s work and redeem us. The apostle Paul would later write that Jesus “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15 NLT).

While we still wrestle with dark spiritual forces in this world (Ephesians 6:12), we fight as forgiven, empowered, free sons and daughters of the risen King—and we know how the story ends. The enemy’s defeat is sure, and Jesus’ victory is certain.