The name of Jesus Christ is a special name given by God the Father from heaven for the purpose in the name. In order to achieve that purpose Jesus was given special authority and power. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Do we continue to doubt the authority in the name of Jesus?
Jesus also gave the same authority to his disciples to continue and expand the work which he came to do. He said in Luke 4:6 that to you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. Jesus is ready to give the authority in his name to us if we will be obedient and dedicated to his work. God truthfully gave gifts of miracles to his disciples to show his love. Jesus says what he will do and does what he has said he will do because he is unfailing.
Works of the disciples
In Acts 2:21 it is written that and it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. In the exalted name of Jesus, many miracles were performed by the disciples of Christ. By the disciples, in the name of Jesus Christ many repented, were saved, baptized and received the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38. The lame were healed, Acts 3:6. Unbelievers were saved, Acts 4:10, 8:16; 10:48. Evil spirits were cast out from the afflicted and those in spiritual bondage and captivity, Acts 16:18. In Acts 21:13 God gave boldness to preach even in the face of imminent death or danger. The dead were raised back to life.
Acts 8:9-13 say even Simon, a renowned magician seeing signs and great miracles performed, was amazed and believed. Acts 19:11 says God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. Hebrews 2:4 says God also bore witness by the signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. Jesus is still in the miracle business and ready to intervene in our lives with testimonies if we will live right before him to God’s glory and honour. Honesty and love was the order of the day, hence both Ananias and his wife Sapphira died for dishonesty, Acts 5:1-10. We would encourage all to read the book of the Acts of the Apostles for revival in our souls.
Justification before God
The name Jesus justifies us before the Father. 1 Corinthians 6:11 says but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. We sometimes doubt if our sins have been forgiven by only praying in the name of Jesus Christ. Some of us are convinced not by simple things but by funfair and complexities.
Jesus Christ is the simplest authority in heaven, on earth and beneath the earth yet the most powerful. His ways are simple for everyone to access for the rich or poor, young or old, without race or creed or gender. The wonders of Jesus’ name is inexplicably a spiritual phenomenon which is appreciated under the Holy Spirit. Jesus forgives and restores upon a confession with a contrite and broken heart or a genuine or clean heart, Psalms 51:16-17. Thereafter have faith and believe your sins are forgiven. A double mind habours doubt and it is not of God.
The worth of the name Jesus
We discount the name of Jesus because we do not appreciate or know its value. Hosea 4:6 says that my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Many of us have fallen by the roadside because we lack knowledge. James 5:15-16 says that the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect.
Do we pray in the name of Jesus Christ with righteousness? The prayers of unrighteous people do not move God. Titles and positions also do not move God. How often and to what extent do we allow the Holy Spirit to direct us on what to pray or how to pray in order to effectively receive God’s attention? We need the name of Jesus at all times because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, Ephesians 6:12. He says we should ask in his name and it will be given, John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:24.
Desecrating Jesus’ name
The name of Jesus is not available to bad spirits. It cannot be invoked for deception or for selfish gain. It is for community interest as the body of Christ Jesus. In Acts 19:13-16 some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying I adjure you by the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches. Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Do we train our children in the fear of God or leave them to their fate as the seven sons of Sceva did? We cannot also hide our evil or dark deeds not open to the public from our children. They may be influenced by our secret deeds. Let us be interested in our children rather than defend their shameful deeds particularly when we depend on them for our livelihood or money or wealth. Life does not consist of the abundance of wealth or possessions, Luke 12:15. Our souls matter and Jesus is rather interested in that, not public recognition. Jesus’ name is pure and holy and it must not be contaminated by any.
We must be guided by the experiences of Ananias and his wife and the encounter of the seven sons of Sceva anytime we invoke the name of Jesus. It is a powerful name and must be treated with reverence and honour to God’s glory. No authority is greater than Jesus Christ. We are minded to invoke the name of Jesus Christ in all things, what about you?
Our attitudes
We must not give in to strange or destructive doctrines contrary to God’s word. We must prayerfully read the bible with meditation as our daily spiritual feed. We should let the word of God dominate our minds and influence our thoughts in all we do or engage in, and we must simply trust in the name of Jesus Christ no matter the circumstances.
Ephesians 1:21 says that Christ sits at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. What a privilege we have to use the name of Christ Jesus? Let us call his name and we will never regret it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge your exalted name as above all other names. So, lead us in prayer and meditation in your name and for all who are truly devoted to your service. Grant us your grace to invoke your name in times of challenges that we may praise you in joy. Seal this prayer with your precious blood. In your mighty name we pray, Amen!!
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