Power in That Name
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Greetings, and welcome again to Meditation Moments. Welcome in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our precious Savior, and we always add the words “and God make you a blessing,” because the whole world needs your help so very much. There are people you’re rubbing shoulders with every day that truly need the message that you can give through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We’re going to talk for a little while about Acts 4:12: “Neither is there any other name in heaven that’s given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
There have been so many wonderful songs written about Jesus’ name. This wonderful old Gospel hymn that Paul Tibbets is playing right now,
The name of Jesus is so sweet,
I love its music to repeat,
Praise the name of Jesus.From “The Name of Jesus,” by William C. Martin, 1902
You wonder why we pray in Jesus’ name. We come to the Father in His precious name because that’s our only access to the throne of God. We must come in His name. We come through the price that He paid on Calvary. “Nothing in our hands we bring, only to the cross of Christ we cling.” (From “Rock of Ages,” by Augustus Toplady, 1776) We have no merit of our own to come to the Father; we come through Jesus Christ, our blessed intercessor.
The name of Jesus is so sweet,
I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete,
The precious name of Jesus.
I think I love that second verse best of all:
I love the name of Him whose heart
Knows all my griefs and bears a part;
Who bids all anxious fears depart,
I love the name of Jesus.From “The Name of Jesus,” by William C. Martin, 1902
In this tribute to Christ, Peter concludes speaking to the people who had seen the lame man healed at the gate of the temple. (See Acts 3:1–10.)
You know, the Sanhedrin had commanded the apostles not to preach in His name any more, hoping that way they could put down this religion. All through this passage there is continual reference to “this name” and “His name” and “that name.”
There is something very significant about this, and vitally important for you and me, for by the right use of Jesus’ name, oh, there is opened to us doors otherwise closed and possibilities of victory untold—just limitless resources.
There’s power and authority in this name! I’ve spoken along this line a couple of times before, because it’s a subject very close to my heart. I believe so definitely that it’s the only name that can give you entrance into the presence of God, and quickly move His hand in your behalf. Never was there such a power vested in a name, and when you use that name with authority, things begin to happen.
You say now, “The question is who has the right to use that name that unlocks these doors of heaven and moves the will of God? Do I have the authority? Do you have it?” I think one of the questions is, “Are we effectively using the authority?” I think that’s important too. Sometimes I wonder if the very defeat that we are suffering today and the spiritual weakness and the physical sickness aren’t because we don’t realize, or at least rightly use, the authority we have in Jesus’ name.
We do have authority! We have authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has given it to us. To come to the realization of that authority and to use that name is something that should be pressed down upon every heart, because of what it can do for you, and the change it can bring into your whole life.
God’s Word says, “His name shall be called ‘Jesus’” (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31), and in none other is there salvation, for “Neither is there any other name in heaven that’s given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His name is Jesus. Philippians 2:9–10 says, “Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of the beings in heaven, and beings on earth, and under the earth; that every tongue should confess Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
They believed that, and do you believe Hebrews 1:1–4: “God … hath at the end of these days spoken unto us by his Son … who hath become so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.”
As I say, you do believe all this, but that isn’t the question we’re asking tonight, I know that most people listening do believe that, but have you gone farther than that? So the vital question is, and I wish you could be stirred up with it, have you come into the full realization that you have a great deal of authority and power in the use of this name?
The early disciples realized that. They realized the omnipotence and faith that would just do wonderful things and that they were invested with that power through the name, and they used it with a daring and a faith that really puts us to shame today. They believed that they had a legal right to the use of that name, and it wasn’t a problem of faith for them, but of obedience, in using that authority that God had given them.
John 14:13 says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Oh, isn’t that a striking, thrilling, tremendous statement! I want to read it again, John 14:13: “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” That’s amazing, and it fell from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself.
And again in John 16:23 and 24: “Verily, verily I say unto you, if you shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.” Note the words there—you’ll note that the words “faith” and “believe” don’t occur in these scriptures. They simply set forth a fact, that you’ve got a legal right to the use of that name, a legal right to the use of it, and that this authority is given to the individual born-again members of the body of Christ. They now have this power of attorney and use of that name.
What is the power behind this name? What’s invested in this name? Jesus said to His disciples, “All authority has been given unto me in heaven and in earth.” I read that again: “All authority has been given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Just meditate on that a moment. Yet you come in that name to the Father God, and that name, that authority comes into your hands.
He became the master and ruler of the universe and He despoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly, in triumph over them, so He is the undisputed victor over sin and the Devil. He is the only begotten Son of God—God, manifest in the flesh.
Think of it then; all that is invested in that name belongs to us, and He gives us the unqualified use of that name. He said in this very passage, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and receive, that your joy may be made full” (John 16:24). Oh, beloved, as you come to the Father God, if your heart is right with Him and you’re walking in fellowship with Him, use this authority, as you praise and worship Him. Use it for your every need. Use it as you go out to a weary world to spread blessings and comfort.
That name has lost none of its power, and you have a legal right to all the grace, the might, the power, the blessing, the healing, and life wrapped in the Person of Jesus Christ, who bore that name. Ask now, in His name. Ask in Jesus’ name, that your joy may be full. Amen. God bless you.