THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

MARCH 5, 2022

TOPIC: THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS

BY T. O. BANSO

“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’” (Acts 3:6 New King James Version).

There is power in the name of Jesus. It is not an ordinary name. Satan hates the name of Jesus because it reminds Him of how Jesus defeated him. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15 New King James Version).

The name of Jesus will do what Jesus would do if He were on earth physically. The name of Jesus and His person are one. When we mention His name in faith His presence is invoked and His name will do what He would have done if  He were on earth. “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those 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 New King James Version).

While Jesus was on earth, He gave His disciples the right to use His name so that they would not miss His physical presence but they would, by His name, be able to do what He would have done if He were with them in person. Apparently, He was preparing them for when He would no more be with them on earth.

In Luke 10:17, the disciples testified to the power in the name of Jesus. The seventy disciples that He had sent out to preach returned with this report: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name” (Luke 10:17 New King James Version). What a great name!

However, Jesus was not surprised by the report. He responded thus: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:18-20 New King James Version).

In other words, Jesus told them that their salvation was more important than the demons submitting to them. The same is true for you. Demons are cast out in the name of Jesus and many wonders are performed in His name but salvation, the joy of having their names in the book of life, is more important than this.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (New King James Version).

That is not to say that it is wrong to ask for miracles in the name of Jesus. It doesn’t mean that we should not exercise faith in His name for wonders. The gospel given to us is a full gospel. Healing, miracles, or signs and wonders are part of it.

1 Corinthians 4:20 says the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. There is power in the name of Jesus. The name will save you as much as the name would make demons bow. It is not an ordinary name. But you must have faith in the name.

One of the disciples of Jesus, John,  told Jesus that they saw someone who did not follow them but was casting out demons in the name of Jesus and they forbade him because he did not follow them (Mark 9:38). One could say that the man was doing His own ministry in the name of Jesus while Jesus was alive! He didn’t join Jesus’ ministry! If the disciples of Jesus thought Jesus would commend them, they were wrong.     

Jesus replied to them, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward’” (Mark 9:39-41 New King James Version). This man must have believed in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. Believe in it.

However, when the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, tried to use the name to cast out evil spirits, it backfired. The New King James Version says they were among some of these itinerant Jewish exorcists who took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits (Acts 19:13a). They said to the evil spirits, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches” (verse 13b New King James Version). But the evil spirit answered the seven sons of Sceva, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Verse 15 New King James Version). The man with the evil spirit leaped on them. He attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and badly injured (verse 16).

There is the power to heal in the name of Jesus. Peter explained to the people in the temple that faith in the name of Jesus healed the man who was lame from his mother’s womb (Acts 3:16). He told the Jewish Council the same thing (Acts 4:9-12).  Before the man was healed, Peter had told him, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6 New King James Version). Faith in the name of Jesus healed the man.

There is power in the name of Jesus for answers to prayers. Jesus taught His disciples to pray in His name to the Father, promising that God will answer. Our requests should be made to the Father in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26). 

Maybe you are not yet saved. There is power in the name of Jesus to save you. Acts 4:12 says, “And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved” (American Standard Version). Earlier in Acts 2:38, Peter had said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (New King James Version). There is power in the name of Jesus to save.

Romans  10:9 says if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Believe in His name and you will be saved. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of, man, but of God” (John 1:11-13 New King James Version).

There is power in the name of Jesus. That was why the Jewish Council warned Peter and John not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus after he had answered their question as regards the power or name by which they had healed the lame at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 4:8). Peter had told them he was made whole by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom they crucified and God raised from the dead (verse 10).

Replying to the command of the Council members not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus, Peter and John said that they should judge whether it was right in the sight of God to listen to them more than to God. They told the Council that they could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard (verse 20). There is power in the name of Jesus.

Believe in the name of Jesus. Honour His name. Exercise faith in the name of Jesus.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, I believe in the name of Jesus; let Your will be done in my life. I pray that as many people as are yet to receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour will believe in His name and be saved. I decree that the power that is in the name of Jesus will save the lost, heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, set the captives free, and meet the needs of those looking up to God.

(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org