Power In the Name of Jesus



In this study, we explore what he phrase "in the name of Jesus" really means.  What does it mean to "pray in the name of Jesus"?

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Scriptures:

• Acts 4:7-12
• Philippians 2:9-11
• 1 John 2:12
• John 16:23-24
• John 14:6
• Mark 16:15-18
• Acts 9:32-34
• Acts 3:1-8,16
• Acts 16:16 - 18
• Luke 10:17-20
• Acts 19:13-17
• Mark 9:38-41
• 1 John 5:13-15
• 1 Corinthians 14:12
• Acts 3:16
• Mark 6: 1-6
• Ephesians 1:19-20

What year is this?    2015 years since what?

His coming has change the calendars

Jesus changed everything…

In comparing life in the Old Testament with our lives after Jesus came to earth we see that

1. some things ended at the cross (e.g. animal sacrifice for atonement of sin, unclean foods)
2. some things changed (e.g. Jesus sent the Comforter to give us direct access to God)

Jesus also gave us a whole new power…

In the Old Testament, if you touched a leper you became unclean

In the New Testament, if you touch a leper the leper becomes clean

look at the power we have “in the name of Jesus”

What Does “In the Name of Jesus Mean”?

What does “in the name of Jesus mean”?

Acts 4:7-12

• this is after Peter and John healed the lame beggar at the temple gate and then spoke to the crowd, and were then beat and thrown in jail

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,

   which has become the cornerstone.’

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

• What did it mean when they asked “by what power or what name do you do this?”
• who gave you the right to come into the temple and speak and perform miracles
• By who’s authority were they acting?
• In the name of Jesus
• How did Peter say salvation is attained?
• through the name of Jesus

“In the name of” means to act by proxy, on the authority of something or someone greater than yourself.

• they used to read scroll and say “in the name of King Suchandsuch I proclaim…”
• police would yell: “stop in the name of the law”
• I’m not just speaking as myself an individual, but with the authority of a higher power

The person reading the scroll was stating that they whatever they said had the full authority of the king because they were speaking as his representative.

The police officer is saying that he's not just commanding you to stop as a man in a suit but with the full authority of the legal system behind him.

“In the name of” Jesus means:

• as a representative of Jesus
• with the approval of Jesus
• with full authority from Jesus
• with the power of Jesus
• according to the commands of Jesus
• consistent with the desires of Jesus

It’s not merely saying the phrase “in the name of Jesus”

The policeman is saying that because he is standing in the place of the law and speaking on behalf of it. To the degree that he speaks for the law, then he can enforce the law and he has authority. When he steps outside of the law, he has lost his authority even though he still says, "Stop in the name of the law."

Philippians 2:9-11

9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

• Are there any names with more authority than Jesus?
• no
• What does it mean that Jesus name is the highest authority in heaven and on earth and under the earth
• angels, kings and pastors, and Satan must all bow to the name of Jesus

The name of Jesus is the highest authority that exists.   Every knee shall bow to him means that pastors, kings, celebrities, and even Satan must bow before the name of Jesus.   Jesus’ authority is above any other authority in heaven and on earth.

Salvation Is Through the Name of Jesus

1 John 2:12

12 I am writing to you, dear children,

   because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

We are saved through the actions of Jesus, and not because of our own righteousness.  We are saved by the saving grace of Jesus not by our own power.  

There is no other name by which we can obtain salvation:

• not Buddha
• not Mohammad
• not Mary the mother of Jesus
• not Stephen Curry or Lebron

Praying In the Name

John 16:23-24

23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

• What will you get if you ask in Jesus name?
• everything
• So why don’t we get everything we ask for?
• one of the reasons is that we said that “in the name of Jesus” also means consistent with the desires of Jesus
• we need to be praying that God’s will be done

there are many factors involved with unanswered prayer but if you aren’t hearing from God…

… try talking to Him about stuff He wants to talk about

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If we truly want to get into the presence of God we need to approach Him as a representative of His son Jesus.   

Miracles in the Name of Jesus

When the apostles performed miracles, it was in the name of Jesus.

Mark 16:15-18

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

• Do we want test this out with snakes and demons?
• maybe not just yet
• Who will those signs accompany?
• those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah

Healing

Acts 9:32-34

32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

• Did Peter pray to God for Aeneas to be healed?
• no
• Why not?
• Because he was given the power to heal with by the authority of Jesus

Sometimes pray to God for things that He has already given us the ability to do ourselves

　

Acts 3:1-8,16

3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

...

16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

• What healed the man?
• faith in the name of Jesus
• Who’s faith?
• Peter’s faith

Casting Out Demons

Acts 16:16 - 18

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

• How was the woman able to predict the future?
• through the spirit in her
• How did Paul know she had a spirit in her?
• the gift of Discernment of spirits
• Was it the Holy Spirit in the woman?
• no
• What type of spirit was it then?
• an evil spirit (demon)

Luke 10:17-20

17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!" 18 "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! 19 And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don't rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven."

• Who were the 72?
• disciples
• Why did evil spirits obey them?
• because they obey Jesus and they were commanding the demons as a representative of Jesus

How to Access the Power of the Name of Jesus?

Non-Believers Using the Name

Acts 19:13-17

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. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified

• Why couldn’t they cast out the evil spirits?
• we’ll see soon

Mark 9:38-41

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.

• What does it mean he was not one of us?
• He was not a follower of Jesus
• How was the man healing people?
• using the authority of Jesus’ name
• Can people heal in the name of Jesus even if they aren’t a follower of Jesus?
• apparently yes
• possibly because he believed Jesus was the Messiah even though he didn’t follow Him

What else was different between the two accounts?

• God was glorified in the first case by the fact that they couldn’t cast out the spirits, so casting out the spirits would have gone contrary to the will of God.
• in the second case Jesus states that He could still be glorified even if the person wasn’t a follower of His

What is Needed?

1 John 5:13-15

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

• Does “if we ask anything according to God’s will” mean that we can ask for anything and God will grant it?

• no, only if it fulfills God’s plan/purpose

It means that God will do it  if it was something that was in God’s plan to do already or if it’s something He wasn’t planning, but in conflict with something He was planning to do

• so if you ask for a puppy but God plans to give you a new job that requires travel that may be in conflict

• if you ask for a new job, but God needs you become dependent on Him for the next season God has planned for you that may be in conflict

1 Corinthians 14:12

12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

• Why should we be using spiritual gifts?
• to edify the church

The gift of healing needs to be done for the purpose of improving and growing the church.  It could be to enhance the faith of the healed person or those who witnessed the healing.  It can be to convert non-believers.

Acts 3:16

16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

• It is by the power of Jesus and the faith that the healer has that the healing will occur

God chose who would be healed based on how it would help edify the church.

Mark 6: 1-6

1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,a Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

4Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6He was amazed at their lack of faith.

• Why couldn’t Jesus perform any miracles?
• Because the purpose of the miracles was to convert people to Christianity.  Their faith in Jesus was so low that no matter how many miracles Jesus performed, they still wouldn’t believe He was the Messiah.  Therefore it wasn’t God’s will that the people be healed because if would not have fulfilled any  purpose.

We see that Jesus couldn’t even heal in a scenario where it wouldn’t have drawn people closer to God

So the 3 necessities needed to act in the name of Jesus are:

1. you are acting in accordance to God’s will
2. it will edify the church
3. faith in the power and authority of Jesus (i.e. faith in the name of Jesus)

Greater Things

Ephesians 1:19-20
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

- you're not going to write the million dollar check if you don't know you have it in the bank

- you can have $1 million in the bank and starve

You can have a million dollars in the bank and starve

• you could have a million dollars in the bank and never write a check because you aren’t aware that your father left you an inheritance and put it into your account automatically
• your inheritance from Christ is huge
• your dad left you a million dollars in the bank, but you never talk to Him

Summary:

• The phrase “In the name of Jesus” means by the power and authority of Jesus.  
• Doing something “in the name of Jesus” gives us the highest authority that exists
• It also means in accordance to the will of Jesus.
• Our salvation is through the name of Jesus
• Praying “in the name of Jesus” gives us access to God
• Praying “in the name of Jesus” doesn’t mean saying “in the name of Jesus” at the end of our prayers, but praying with the approval and authority of Jesus
• We can perform miracle in the name of Jesus including healing and casting out demons
• In order to actin in the name of Jesus we must be within God’s will and have faith in the name of Jesus
• There is a great power within “the name of Jesus” that we aren’t tapping into

Presenter: Michael Leadon

References:

http://www.str.org/articles/in-the-name-of-jesus#.VYkPRMuh1jo