Claim The Name Series

It seems as though in this modern world that we live in, that there are more undecided Christians than ever. They are hesitant about the true Gospel and godly living. They have a difficult time deciding what they are following. I submit to each one of us today…it is Jesus and Him alone that is God. Mohammed may have been a prophet, I don’t know…but I am sure that he is not God! Stand tall in the name of God.

When you “claim the name” you're basically saying, “I am intentionally affirming that I own the cause of God. I'm unashamed of Jesus Christ. I stand on all the doctrines of the Word of God.” Claiming the name therefore, is essentially appropriating God’s power and energy because we have His backing and support. Abraham Lincoln stated, “"My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side.” And when we do that, we’re not confused. We’re no longer straddling the fence, we’ve made our decision…and we’ve got Him on our side.

When that moment happens God sends an amazing reward, “…I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” Psalm 91:14 God promises to “set us on high” when you really have known the name of God. We know the name of God when we know His attributes and character. That gives you a power over confusion in your life. God wants us to make a stand in our lives. He promises that if we’ll make that stand, He will bless us with strength and energy in life’s ups and downs. What an amazing thing to know that if I have a problem in my life there is a scripture that applies. Every problem has an answer…it may not be the answer I want, but it has an answer!

Paul didn’t say, “I am a perfect person therefore I can be an ambassador.” He said very honestly, “I am what I am…” (1 Cor. 15:10) I'm just who I am, but I represent God…God is who it's all about. David didn’t say, “I come to you in my name.” He said, “I come to you in the name of God, the Lord of hosts.” A righteous person runs to the name of God. They don’t claim their own name, but the name of God.

Those that enlist in the military have to pass different physical and mental tests. And then the day finally the time comes officially join the ranks. What happens then? Is there a handshake, a pat on the back and a hurrah? No! Before they can be inducted they have to stand up and solemnly swear to defend the constitution and follow the orders of the commander in chief of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Before they can wear the uniform they have to claim it, they have to affirm it. I think a lot of us Christians are not quite sure whose team we’re on. That’s one reason why you get baptized…you get baptized to say I'm on the team of Jesus Christ. You can get baptized in this generation and people may not know about it. But 500 years ago being baptized by immersion might mean you would lose your life! In a nutshell that’s how “Baptist” churches got that name. It wasn’t the name they picked…it was a name that the state church gave them because they just insisted on baptizing believers only. Everybody else was baptizing babies, but the Bible-following people said, “No, you don’t baptize someone that doesn’t know what they're doing.” That’s one reason why I wear my wedding ring openly, because I'm unashamed of the fact of my marriage. I'm unashamed of that and I'm grateful…it is a privilege for me.