Power in the Name of Jesus
Language and the words that populate them label and categorize everything we see, smell, hear, taste, touch, and do. Words define who we are as people. American, Irish, French, German, Australian, Canadian, you name it, and it labels someone or something and lumps it into a category. Words describe and give meaning to articulate feelings and emotions we would not have the words to describe otherwise. Words are powerful.
Now think of the names for Jesus. Emmanuel, Savior, Messiah, Lord, Christ; They are describe Jesus and what He has done and what He continues to do in this universe. Jesus is a Latin form of a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Joshua, which means ‘God is Salvation’. The common accompaniment to the name of Jesus is the word ‘Christ’. Christ (Christos) is a Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah, which means ‘anointed’. So, taking just the words of the name of Jesus Christ, we find the meaning behind what Jesus was on the Earth to do. He was the ‘anointed one’ that would ’save us’. Now, what about the power of this name? Does the name Jesus Christ really save?
Acts 3:2-8
2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.
3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.
4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, Look at us.
5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!
7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
8 And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
In this passage from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter heals a lame man by the name of Jesus Christ! Here is another example of the power of Jesus’ name in the same book.
Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In this passage, the name of Jesus Christ has the power to erase sins, and give believers the gift of the Holy Spirit.
John 20:31
…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.Acts 15:11
But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.
In these verses, the name of Jesus Christ has the power to give grace, that believers might be saved from sin and death, and given eternal life in Heaven.
Acts 16:18
And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.
This passage demonstrates the power of Jesus’ name over demons that might torment people. This shows that even the servants and followers of the Lord can cast out demons and have the victory over Satan and his minions.
You can see how the name of Jesus has power, it really does save! Now, we must wonder how would we gain this power? It looks easy for the Apostles, those close to Jesus when He was alive, but what about us? Can we have the power to heal, save from sin, give the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and cast out demons? Certainly we can, but only through the almighty power of Jesus Christ!
Acts 3:16
And his name—by faith in his [Jesus'] name—has made this man strong…
Faith is the answer! Faith in Jesus Christ will give us the grace and power in His name to do extraordinary things!
Through the grace gifted to the Apostles by Jesus, they were able to heal, to save from sin and death, to call on the Holy Spirit, and to cast out demons. Grace from Jesus can give us these same powers. All you have to do, is have faith in His name! I cannot begin to tell the stories I’ve heard and the wonderful miracles I have experienced through the power of Jesus Christ. Always remember that this power is not from anything you have done, but through all the grace and power of Jesus Christ. Call on His name, in faith, and His grace will give you the power to overcome anything!
Buzz
July 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Act 19:13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
Act 19:14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
Act 19:15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
Act 19:16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
I have heard that “power” in words is a false teaching. In cultural and translational context can you find anything that translates into “power” from spoken word?
Just what is meant by “power”?
There is a lot of talk about “power”. Empowerment?
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:40 am
It’s not the speaking of the word that saves/heals/casts out demons. I don’t mean that saying ‘Jesus’ in English with all the proper accents and letter pronunciations will automatically grant you power over any demon, spirit, or illness. Nothing inside the letters/sounds made by J, E, S, or U followed by an S makes power automatically come to the person uttering them.
It is the belief/faith in the person the word represents, and the fact that Jesus, as God, has all of the powers in the universe. He can grant the power as He wishes. But it is important to remember that grace from Jesus (because we believe in Him and live our lives emulating Him) gives us the power to do as He did. I am confident that any true believing Christian in any language can gain wonderful powers by saying His name. But it is only through the grace of Jesus that it happens. Not all people are given that kind of gift. Some are, however, and through faith we believe that Jesus can do anything. We become the instruments of His work today when he grants us that gift.
Just to be clear, I’m not teaching ‘power in words’. I’m teaching power in Jesus Christ. It is not in the word, but in the man (in GOD!), that the power is gained.
As for power from spoken word, I haven’t found anything which translates power just from using a word, at least not in the way that Jesus affects our world.
Although, if you think about spoken language, words or phrases definitely have an effect on the environment around them, and those who hear them. Words can inspire, ridicule, encourage, and love. But it not the words that do that. Words are just describing the feelings. It is the human speaking that has all of those feelings. Words are just the way the feeling is conveyed.
When I say ‘power in the name of Jesus’ I mean ‘ability through belief in Jesus and through the gift of grace from Jesus’. Jesus gives us the ability to do, to act, and to heal. Jesus gives us the ability to do anything, basically…We just need the faith, and the grace coming to us from Him.
“Empowerment” is definitely right on the money. Jesus is enabling us and permitting us to do great things through our faith in Him. He is also giving us authority over evil spirits, which was evident in the example of Paul in Acts 16:18. Using the name of Jesus is just the description(like what I said about all words) of what we are feeling and doing, and giving vocalization to that. We are believing that Jesus has the power over what is ailing us or others, and that we have been gifted the power(via faith and grace) to cure that ailment.
Wow, praise Jesus for that response. I didn’t think I had it in me to explain all that! Thanks for the comment!
P.S. - Brendan, I love the picture you got for this message!