The New Testament answers this carefully.
1️⃣ Before the Cross: Jesus Exercised Authority in the Presence of an Active Devil
During His earthly ministry, Jesus clearly exercised authority:
- demons obeyed Him
- sickness fled
- nature responded
- the kingdom advanced
This authority was real, effective, and undeniable.
Jesus Himself acknowledged the presence of an active enemy:
“The ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on Me.”
— John 14:30
Notice the precision:
- the devil is still active
- still opposing
- still present
- but has no hold on Jesus
Jesus is exercising authority as a sinless human, empowered by the Holy Spirit, standing where Adam failed.
However, something crucial is still true at this stage: Humanity at large is still enslaved to sin and death.
2️⃣ Why Authority Before the Cross Was Not Yet Shared
Even though Jesus had authority:
- people were still under the fear of death
- sin had not yet been judged
- humanity had not yet been redeemed
Hebrews explains this later:
“Those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”— Hebrews 2:15
So before the cross:
- Jesus stands free
- humanity remains bound
This is why Jesus could act for people, but they could not yet act from His victory.
3️⃣ The Cross: Where the Devil’s Power Is Broken
The cross is not merely forgiveness. It is disarmament.
Scripture uses legal and military language:
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame.”— Colossians 2:15
And again:
“Through death He destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.— Hebrews 2:14
Important clarification:
- “destroyed” does not mean annihilated
- it means rendered powerless
- stripped of legal authority
The devil’s strength was never raw power — it was sin and death. The cross removes both. The devil has no jurisdiction over us. Read Sin Has No Jurisdiction Over You: Rom 6:14 and The Myth of “Open Doors”: The Devil Has No Access to a Child of God
4️⃣ The Resurrection: Authority Becomes Human, Redeemed, and Shareable
Resurrection is where everything shifts.
Jesus does not rise merely as: God victorious but as the risen human representative
This is why He can now say:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
— Matthew 28:18
This authority is now:
- exercised as a human
- grounded in redemption
- secured forever
- capable of being shared
Authority has moved from demonstration to distribution.
5️⃣ After the Resurrection: Two Massive Changes
🔹 1. We Are Victorious in Him
Believers are not merely helped by Jesus.
They are placed in Him.
Scripture says:
- we are raised with Him
- seated with Him
- united to Him
This means:
His victory becomes our position.
We don’t fight for victory.
We stand from victory.
🔹 2. The Devil Is Disarmed, Not Just Resisted
Before the cross:
- the devil opposed Jesus and lost
- but still held humanity in bondage
After the cross:
- sin is judged
- death is defeated
- accusation is silenced
The devil still operates —
but without legal authority.
He is:
- active, but not sovereign
- present, but not powerful in the same way
- resisting, but already defeated
6️⃣ Why This Matters for Christian Living
This protects us from two errors.
❌ Error 1: The devil is still active and armed
All the devil can do is to deceive, and that is why the battle is in the mind and not external and active like before. Read Living Free from the Illusion of the Devil’s Power
❌ Error 2: We are to just get by
As believers, we are called to rule and have dominion in Christ. We are not called to just get by and cruise and “wait for heaven” for perfection. But we are called to extend the justice of God on this earth (Rom 2) , and to prove the will of God on this earth (Rom 12).
Final Summary
Before the cross, Jesus exercised real authority as a Spirit-led human while facing an active devil.
After the cross and resurrection, everything changed: humanity is placed in Christ’s victory, and the devil is disarmed of the power that once enslaved us.
Jesus did not merely defeat the devil for Himself. He defeated the devil for us, and then brought us into that victory.
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