Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him
a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and
things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians
2:9-11, KJV).
I want to encourage you to use the name of Jesus. The name of
Jesus is not a religious by-word or phraseology, it is a powerful
tool when spoken in faith by a believer.
When we say "in the name of Jesus," we are actually
saying "by the authority of Jesus Christ, the son of God."
As believers, God has given us the right to use this name as the
power of attorney in the spirit realm. Like a police officer who
says, "Stop, in the name of the law," we have the right
to stop the devil in his tracks and to foil his plans.
God hath highly exalted Jesus, "far above all principality
and power" (Eph. 1:21) and given him a name above "every"
name. It's the name above cancer; it's the name above sin; it's
the name above family problems, depression, poverty and hopelessness.
I want to encourage you to rise up in the name of Jesus.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved. (Acts 4:12, KJV).
The name of Jesus is, first of all, mighty in salvation.
There is no other name like the name of Jesus. As the angel spoke
to Joseph: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
(Matthew 1:21, KJV). The name of Jesus is greater than sin, death,
hell and condemnation. As Jesus told his disciples, "I am
the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me." (John 14:6, KJV). Jesus is not a way to
be saved, He is the way to be saved.
You can't be saved by the name of your church, or your pastor,
or your denomination. You can't be saved by the name of Mary,
or Peter, or Moses. Buddha, Confucius or Muhammad cannot save.
But there is a name that is above every name, and at the name
of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my
name shall they cast out devils; (Mark 16:17a, KJV).
Jesus said that a sign of the believer is power to cast out devils.
This is authority in the spiritual realm over Satan and his cohorts,
the demonic powers. This authority is given not to preachers only,
or to special people, but to all believers.
You don't have to be a patsy for the devil. You don't need to
accept all the disease, depression, relationship problems, and
deception of that he brings to you. You can send him on his way
by using the mighty name of Jesus. You can break the devil's power
over people that are possessed or oppressed of the devil.
There is a difference between being oppressed and possessed of
the devil. To be possessed of the devil means that the devil controls
you. You are ruled by an evil spirit. No Christian can be possessed
by a devil. However, if you don't use your authority, you can
be oppressed of the devil through evil thoughts, obsessions
and anxiety.
When there is oppression, the devil is feeding you a negative,
defeating influence from the outside in. Tell him to GO in the
name of Jesus. Take your rightful place as a child of God. Jesus
said: "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." (Luke 10:19, KJV).
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such
as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted
him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into
the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the
people saw him walking and praising God: (Acts 3:6-9, KJV).
Peter and John were going to the temple to pray when they saw
a man lame from his mother's womb. He was asking for a donation,
but Peter said that he had something better than money. "Such
as I have give I thee." When the lame man looked at
him, he uttered those powerful words, "In the name of Jesus.
. ."
There's power in that name.
There's authority in that name.
Heaven responds to that name.
Hell cowers at that name.
When the people saw that mighty power of God, they thought that
Peter must be a "super saint," but he explained that
it was not his power or holiness which made the man whole, but
the mighty name of Jesus.
And his name through faith in his name hath made this man
strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath
given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts
3:16, KJV).
Have faith for healing in the mighty name of Jesus!
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any
thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14, KJV).
Our prayers are to be directed to God the Father, "in Jesus
name." By that name we can approach heaven. Heaven listens
to that wonderful name as it is spoken by a believer.
Jesus said: "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask,
and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24,
KJV). Begin to use the name of Jesus in prayer. Believe in that
wonderful name, and you will see tremendous results in prayer.
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon
them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the
Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the
priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said,
Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in
whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked
and wounded. (Acts 19:13-16, KJV).
The authority to use the name of Jesus comes from being
in right relationship with the Lord. The sons of Sceva thought
they had found a secret formula for casting out devils. "We
adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." The demon spirits
replied through the possessed: "Jesus I know, and Paul I
know; but who are ye?"
The name of Jesus is not a magic password to all spiritual blessings.
It is, however a mighty weapon in the hand of the true believer.
When we make Jesus Lord of our lives, he puts this weapon in our
hand. It is then our responsibility to use the name of Jesus.
Until we learn to use the weapons, we will be defeated. We can
cry and moan and groan to God for help, but He has given us the
name of Jesus to defeat the enemy.
The Bible says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved. . ." (Romans 10:13) By making Jesus
Lord of our lives, by bowing our knee to the King of Kings, then
He make us His representative on the earth and gives us the right
to use the name of Jesus.
If you've never received Christ, pray this simple prayer today
from your heart and with your mouth.
Dear God. I've been a sinner. I know without Christ I'm
lost. But today I make a choice. I turn away from sin and unto
you. I declare with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord. I believe
in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. He is alive and
He is the King of Kings. Thank you Father, for making me a child
of God and giving me the right to use the mighty name of Jesus.
Amen.