THE ENEMIES OF FAITH (8a) FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHT TO USE THE NAME OF JESUS!

Today, we are going to look at another enemy to faith - FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHT TO USE THE NAME OF JESUS!

The only fight every Christian is called to fight is “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). To win in this battle of faith, you MUST understand your right to use the name of Jesus! 

Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”  (KJV).

Failure to understand your right to use the Name of Jesus Christ is a major enemy to faith.

Look at some facts about this name, Jesus:

1. The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation are contained in this single word, Jesus. All the Names of God are summed up in that Name, Jesus! What an all-encompassing Name! All the power, and all the authority Jesus had are invested in His Name! The measure of the ability of Christ is the measure of the value of that Name, Jesus. Jesus Christ is unlimited (Lk. 1:37; Jer. 32:27; Eph. 3:20).

2. The Name of Jesus does not belong to everybody. It belongs to New Creations only. The sons of Sceva tried to use that Name and they received the shock and beating of their lives (Acts 19:13-16). 

3. There is power in that name, Jesus. That Name is just as powerful as Jesus the Person. When you realize the power that is invested in that name, your faith in God will take a new dimension. 

The whole authority of the Godhead, the whole authority of heaven is contained in that Name, Jesus. 

The whole power that makes God to be God, the whole power on which Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” is contained in that Name, Jesus. 

This power is a possession of the church. Peter and John realized the presence of this power within them as New Creation and they quickly used it to enforce their authority over the spirit of infirmity in a man cripple from birth (Acts 3). 

Peter knew what belonged to him when he fastened his eyes on that life-long cripple at the Gate Beautiful and said, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I to thee: IN THE NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 

What did he have? He had the Name that is above every other name. We have that Name too. The Name today is just the same. It never changes or loses its power (Heb. 13:8).

This is the power that raised Jesus from the dead and rolled away the stone from the entrance of Jesus’ tomb. 

This is the power that raised Lazarus from the dead. This is the power that released Paul and Silas from the prison (Acts 16:16-34). 

This is the power that delivered the three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace (Dan. 3; Isa. 43:2; Ps. 23:4). 

This is the power that stilled the mouth of the very hungry lions in the den of lions and delivered Daniel (Dan. 6). 

This is the power that parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel to pass through on dry ground (Ex.14). 

This is the power that pulled down the walls of Jericho (Josh 6). 

This is the power that unlocked and lifted the gates of hell and set the government of hell in confusion when Jesus got there (1 Pet. 3:18-20; Ps. 24:7). 

Finally this same power is the power that is at work in you as a New Creation (Eph. 3:20; 1 Jn. 4:4). 

There is, therefore, no limit to what you can do in Christ because “Of His fullness have we all received…” (Jn. 1:18), and “you can do all things through Christ that gives you the strength” (Phil. 4:13).

4. Do all things in the Name of Jesus. In Colossians 3:17 the Bible says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” 

If you dust your shoes, do so in the Name of Jesus. If you teach a Sunday school, do so in the Name of Jesus. If you are writing an exam, do so in the Name of Jesus. If you are cooking your soup, do so in the Name of Jesus. Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do so in the Name of Jesus. In other words, dwell in that Name! Live in that Name! Walk in that Name! Have your whole being in that Name! 

No wonder the people outside the Church feared that Name more than anything else. The authorities who took Peter and John into custody after the healing of the man at the Gate Beautiful threatened them, “that they speak henceforth to no man IN THIS NAME” (Acts 4:17-21). 

Look at what the name Jesus can do for us: The Bible teaches that the church has the legal authority to use the name, Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20).

a) We can reach God the Father in prayer only through that Name, Jesus. Any prayer prayed IN THE NAME OF JESUS receives a special attention from the Father. His Name guarantees answer to our prayer! (Jn. 14:6; Jn. 14:13-14; Jn. 16:23-24). 

In other words, till this time that Jesus was speaking to His disciples, they had asked nothing in His name. While Jesus was on the earth, His disciples did not use His Name in prayer. Hence He said, “Hitherto or up till now have ye asked nothing in My Name….” 

It was after He rose from the dead, conquered the hosts of hell, and was seated at the Father’s right hand, far above all principality and power, might, and dominion, that the church could pray in the more excellent Name He obtained. 

“Whatsoever you ask the Father in My Name…” That is to say that “whatsoever you’ll ask the Father in His name, He will endorse it (approve it formally); He will make sure that the Father gives it to you.” 

As we pray in the Name of Jesus, the prayer passes out of our hands into the hands of Jesus. He then assumes the responsibility of that prayer to insure that the request is granted. We know that the Father always hears Jesus (Jn. 11:41-42). So when we pray in Jesus’ Name, it is as though Jesus Himself were the one doing the praying – He takes our place. 

In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said, “If any two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father which is in heaven.” 

Why is it so, you may ask? Because where there are two or three gathered IN HIS NAME, there He is in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20). 

Here Jesus is not talking about a church service. He is talking about those two or even more on earth that agree. Jesus is right there to see that what those two or more people agreed upon comes to pass! He is with us in the power and authority of His Name!

When you agree with one another you come to the spiritual realm, the realm of the supernatural, the realm of the miraculous, the biblical realm. In this realm you have miracles because of constructive interference. When you are not in agreement with each other, you come to the natural realm, the mental realm, the human realm. In this realm you have no miracles because of destructive interference.

Notice that no place in the Scriptures are we told to pray to Jesus. But we are always told to pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus. Therefore, to be sure that your prayers get to the Father, you must come according to the rules laid down in the Word of God. 

The prayer of healing is also done IN THE NAME OF JESUS. In James 5:14-15 the Bible says, “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil IN THE NAME OF THE LORD: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”

b) We can receive from God only through that Name, Jesus. In 1 Timothy 2:5 the Bible says, “There is only one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” 

Another translation says, “There is only ONE GOD, and there is only ONE WAY to this God. THIS WAY IS THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.” 

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”

c) The Name in demanding our rights as children of God: In John 14:13-14 He said, “Whatever you ask IN MY NAME, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask [demand] anything in My name, I will do it.” 

Jesus is not talking about prayer here. He is talking about prayer in John 16, because He said, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you.” But in John 14, He said, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do…If ye shall ask anything in My Name, I will do it.” So you see, He’s not talking about praying to the Father to do something. He is rather talking about using the Name of Jesus against the enemy in our daily life. 

An example of this is the case of the cripple at the gate called Beautiful. Peter said to the crippled man, “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Here, he asked or demanded, that the man gets up and walks in the Name of Jesus. Under the New Covenant which God has established with the church, we have rights and privileges. We have the right, the privilege to use the Name of Jesus. 

You see, when Jesus was on earth, He healed the sick. Peter understood what Jesus meant when He said, “Whatsoever you demand in My Name, I will do.” 

So he said, “I have that Name of Jesus and it is my right to use it. So, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 

He demanded it in Jesus’ Name, and Jesus got the fellow up and put him to walk! 

In Acts 9:34 Peter also used the Name of Jesus in this way and the sick arose immediately.

d) The knowledge of that name, Jesus, will put you above others. When you know the name of Jesus, you are in for a miracle. 

In Psalm 9:10 the Bible says, “And they who KNOW Thy name shall put their trust in Thee” 

Psalm 20:27 says, “Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we shall trust IN THE NAME of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7). 

In Psalm 91:14 Jesus said, “God will set you on high, because YOU HAVE KNOWN HIS NAME." 

e) There is protection in that name, Jesus. The name of Jesus can protect you from every evil. It is the only place you can run into when Satan barks at you and you will find perfect safety. 

In Proverbs 18:10 the Bible says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” 

This Name is a strong tower the New Creation runs into and he is safe.

f) There is salvation only in that Name, Jesus. In Acts 4:12 the Bible says, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which we MUST be saved.” 

The name of Jesus delivers from sin, hell, sickness, poverty, fear, timidity, inferiority complex, depression etc. 

In Matthew 1:21 the Bible says, “…And He shall be called Jesus for He shall deliver [save] His people from their sins.” 

Anyone that calls on the Name shall be saved (delivered) from any contrary situation (Rom. 10:13). 

g) The Name of Jesus is indispensable in combat against all the unseen forces of darkness that surround us - principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). 

We have authority IN THE NAME OF JESUS to exercise authority over all the powers of darkness. We have authority in the Name of Jesus against all the unseen forces of darkness. 

In Mark 16:17 Jesus said, " And these signs will follow [accompany] those who believe: IN MY NAME (1) they will cast out demons…” 

These signs shall go right along with you, not behind you. As a New Creation you have an authority that no other power can challenge. 

In Luke 10:19 Jesus said, “Behold I give you power to trample upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” 

You have power over all the powers of the devil. 

In Acts 16:16-18 the Bible says, “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST to come out of her. And he came out that very hour.” 

Notice that this damsel was “possessed with a spirit of divination.” Paul did not speak to the girl. He spoke to the spirit. He demanded that the spirit [demon] come out of the girl IN THE NAME OF JESUS. 

He said to the spirit, “I command thee IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:18). 

That spirit had to bow to the Name of Jesus. It had no alternative. What a treasure we have in the Name of Jesus! 

The Name of Jesus is so powerful, so wonderful, and so excellent that the Bible used many other designations to qualify it.

No wonder that name, JESUS is so powerful, so excellent, so wonderful, so glorious, so divine, so eternal, so mighty, and exceeding great. 

In Philippians 2:10 the Bible says, “At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,…” 

“Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we MUST be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

If you have a low estimation and a low respect for the Name, you’ should not expect much, because you do not know the value of what belongs to you.  But when you fully realize the power of Jesus’ name; when you understand what that name can do, then you can effectively exercise your faith so as to enjoy victory in every area of your life. 

There is salvation [deliverance] in that Name, Jesus. There is healing in that Name. There is prosperity in that Name. There is protection in that Name. There is success in that Name. There is long life in that Name. As a New Creature, rise up in your inner man, and use your inheritance. Call on the name of Jesus today! Receive your miracle even right now by faith in that Name that is above every other name!

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

• Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor)               @ the HQs March 29^th, 2020!