The Cross and The devil

John 12:31-33.

Jesus made an awesome statement in our text today.  He said that, "Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."  There are two amazing truths exposed here in this verse.  The first is that Christ Himself was going to be judged for the whole world's sin. And the second was that in the same act the devil was going to be deposed of His rule.  You see the Finished Work of the Cross is the satisfying of the demands of the law against sinners; and that is the only victory Satan had over the world. 
Jesus said now!  The Church has become future orientated in regard to our view of scriptures.  For over 150 years we have interpreted the Scriptures through Daniel and Revelation.  But the true way is not to look forward to the "second coming" but to look back through the Cross.  Jesus never suggested that our victory was future and that we had to struggle along till He returned a second time.  He showed here that the judgment of the world was in His own body on the Cross.  And that because the thorn in man's side was removed the Devil no longer had a foothold in the lives of men.  John in his first letter said that Christ was the propitiation of our sin and not only ours but the whole world's.
Jesus went on in our text to show how the judgment would take place, "and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  This He said, signifying what death he would die."  When Jesus said this He wasn't saying that this was how evangelism would work when a man preaches about Him.  He was telling us that on the cross He would draw all men unto His death.  The death that He died would gather the sin and death of all humanity and there be judged in His body.  Paul would later write, "if one died for all; then were all dead." (2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV)  Jesus tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9) so that everyone could "taste" His life.  On the Cross the full debt of your sin and the judgment for it was gathered into the body of Jesus and you were released.
The Devil therefore has no play in your life.  The King James Version says in Hebrews 2:14, that Jesus destroyed the devil; and in 1 John 3, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.  Lets see if the Cross destroyed Him then we have continual and eternal victory over everything he tries.  We should not fear him nor believe that he has any authority, power, or influence in our lives.  I am afraid that many Christians put more faith in his works than in the Finished Work of Christ.  Faith in the Finished Work of Christ is how we are saved and is our everlasting victory of the power of the devil.  So, looked to the cross where the serpent is CRUSHED!!!! (rememer what God said to Adam and Eve, he shall bruise His heel but HE shall CRUSH his head.)