There are many facets to being a Christian. Some aspects of our identity in Christ we won’t fully understand until we study God’s Word about what it means to be His children. We have privileges others don’t have; when situations rise up against us, we don’t have to tolerate them helplessly. We defeat trouble not with our own power, but by standing on the authority our heavenly Father gave us.

The word “facet” is significant, because until we realize who we really are, we’re still diamonds in the rough. After we get saved, studying the Word teaches us that the adversity we encounter in life can be compared to the polishing and shaping process raw diamonds go through to make them beautiful. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:3-5, NLT). When we’re going through something, the Holy Spirit continues to teach us and point out to us the specifics of what we’ve been empowered to do.

Power is the ability to get results, and Jesus gave this power to His disciples. “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (Matthew 10:1). We have that same power; therefore, we must learn how to wield it. As believers, we have the right to command and to use what God gave us to defeat the enemy.

We have what the world doesn’t have. What has been given to us allows us to be victorious in our spiritual fight against the devil, no matter what happens. We’re not powerless victims of circumstance. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19, 20). We rejoice, not simply because we have this power, but because our close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ gives us the same authority that He has.

We shouldn’t be talking to God about the problem; we should instead be talking to the problem about God. Religion would have us ask Him to do something He’s already done, but this is useless. The authority He gave us to deal with the issue is irrevocable; He won’t go back on his word. “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips” (Psalm 89:34, NKJV). We’re more powerful than we realize, and we’ve been authorized to “flip the switch” ourselves.

Total trust in God, and submission to Him, puts us in touch with this awesome power. The spiritual authority on which we stand is stronger than granite because it comes from Him; we grasp it by faith. “So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, AMPC). Neither the devil nor anything that comes from him can ever withstand the Word of God. Fully believing this is what sets us apart from others.