In the Old Testament, God’s people had to fight and defeat a physical enemy. They were soldiers of the Lord. In the Grace Administration today, our competition is not against a physical enemy. As born-again believers, we are in a spiritual competition, and we have a spiritual opponent. This knowledge does not need to discourage us. On the contrary, we are emboldened with the truth that God has made each of us able to win in the spiritual competition. As we fix our minds on God’s Word and firmly hold on to the “I am able” mind-set, we can confidently move through each day and win in the spiritual competition! We are able to claim the victory because God has made us able.
As spiritual athletes we have a spiritual adversary, and our competition is in the arena of the mind. Ephesians 6 tells us about our opponent and how to compete against him.
Ephesians 6:10-12:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We are in a spiritual competition with a spiritual adversary. We “wrestle not against flesh and blood.” We are able to compete as we put on the whole armor, or all the resources, equipment, of God. The spiritual competition takes place in our minds. That is where we decide to be either sense-knowledge minded or spiritually minded, according to God’s Word. Romans 13:12 speaks of the armor, God’s equipment, as “armour of light.” We put it on. Where? In our minds.
Philippians 2:5:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
As we put on the mind of Christ, we are able to stand against the wiles of the Devil and claim the “I Can Do” attitude of Philippians 4:13 because it is “Christ which strengtheneth” us.
We continue in Ephesians 6 to see how God has made us able to win.
Ephesians 6:13-16:
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour [all the resources] of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith [believing], wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Three times in verses 11-16, God’s Word lets us know that as we put on the spiritual enablements, we are able! We are able to “stand against,” “withstand,” and “quench all.” We are able to be victorious over every challenge that comes our way! We can claim daily victories, large and small, in our lives as we put on the whole armor of God—all the resources He has given us—remembering that it is God Who made us able. II Corinthians 3:5 and 6 say, “…our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able….” God’s desire is for us to maximize His blessings to us by learning, knowing, and applying His Word in our lives. As we choose to engage in the spiritual competition and make our choices based on spiritual knowledge, we will see that we have an advantage in life—we are equipped to win!
As we hold fast to God’s Word and hold firm to the “I am able” mind-set, we can move through each day with confidence and win in the spiritual competition. We strengthen ourselves in this competition by putting on the whole armor, all the resources, of God. We are able to claim the victory because God made us able!
I Corinthians 15:57,58:
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.