Does The Devil Know Your Name? Acts 19:11-16
In our Sunday night Bible study about dealing with doubt, called “WHY DOESN’T GOD ANSWER ME!?” we are going through the section titled “Through the Deep Waters.” We are looking at a man named Asaph and his time of doubt.
[Psa 77:13-20 NLT] “13 O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? 14 You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. 15 By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 16 When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. 17 The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed.
18 Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. 19 Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters--a pathway no one knew was there! 20 You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.”
Asaph looked back and remembered the mighty things God had done, how he opened the Red Sea and made a path for the Israelites to walk across. We talked about how Christians, today, can look back to the mighty works of Jesus and we got into an awesome discussion on why we don’t see the Hand of God working today like we do in the Scriptures. I made a statement to the effect that maybe we’ve stopped believing… maybe we’ve stopped believing in the power that is in the Name of Jesus.
As we move deeper into the book of Acts I want to ask you something. Does the devil know your name? Should he know your name? Let’s find out.
Turn your Bible to Acts 19: 11-16. READ. According to our text we see the devil knew exactly who the true believers were that he had to watch out for and today he still knows who he needs to watch out for.
There are two qualities that will put you in the devil’s crosshairs. 1) You truly believe in the Name of Jesus. 2) You are living in the Name of Jesus.
Believing in Jesus is what happens on the inside when we understand the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge.
Living in Jesus is revealed on the outside. Believing in Jesus, having a personal relationship with Jesus is what transforms the person into a public lifestyle or living in Jesus. We cannot live FOR Jesus until we truly believe IN Jesus...
Let me ask a question. Does the devil know your name? Most might say, “I sure hope not!” He Should know your name.
Let’s examine this a little deeper. The devil will know your name if. . .
1. You believe in the Name of Jesus. Verses 11-12
Paul was doing some extraordinary miracles. These miracles were not a result of any power that Paul had but by the power he found by truly believing in the Name of Jesus.
People with cancer were cured. Those suffering from mental disorders were restored. The blind were made to see, the crippled made new. The deaf were given new ears. The mute received a voice. The lame were made to walk.
Paul believed in Jesus but his belief was more than simple belief in facts about Jesus.
[Jas 2:19 NLT] “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.”
Jesus’ name meant something to Paul because Paul had a life changing experience with Jesus Christ.
Sometimes people watch the pastor as he greets the congregation, after the service and they hear comments like; “That was an awesome message!” Or they listen to people talking about the Sunday school teacher and what amazing things they learn. Maybe they hear the praises the choir receives and they say, “I want some of that.” Some are not happy serving behind the scenes and just want to be in the lime-light, looking good for all to see.
The Seven Sons of Sceva were like this and even tried doing some of those extraordinary miracles by the power of Jesus Name. These seven brothers are a prime example of what not to do. IF God’s NOT IN IT, STAY OUT OF IT. If God didn’t call you, don’t you answer!
Notice what happened when they tried something they had no business dealing with. Look at verses 13-16. WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?
Here’s the problem with what they were doing. They did not say: "In the name of Jesus, whom WE preach, whom WE believe. . ." This Jesus whom Paul preaches… He’s not our Jesus but if it works for Paul we’ll give it a try.
They saw the things Paul was doing, in the Name of Jesus and they figured it all had something to do with the mere mention of that Name. Now if the Name of Jesus meant as much to these seven guys as it did Paul, they would have been performing miracles like Paul did.
How many times have we prayed "In Jesus Name" like this is some magical phrase that is supposed to make things happen? I always end my prayers, “In the Name of Jesus” but I wonder if sometimes if it’s nothing more than a tag at the end of our prayers because that’s how we were taught to close a prayer. Is it nothing more than the “sincerely yours” at the close of a letter? Do we really mean it or is it simply the way we’ve been taught to close a letter?
People will claim things in Jesus Name but they don’t get any better. There is no healing. Families still fall apart, financial struggles still consume us and Christians are still miserable BUT we asked “In Jesus Name. Isn’t that what Jesus said to do!?”
I think we have a tremendous misunderstanding of what "In Jesus Name" means!
I want you to know:
There is Supernatural power in Jesus name. [Luk 9:1 NLT] “One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases.”
He could not give that which was not His to give!
There is healing in the Name of Jesus. Peter and John are proof of this, in [Acts 3:6 NIV] “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.’”
There is NO name above the Name of Jesus. [Eph 1:21 NIV] “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
And His Name is the ONLY name by which we are saved!! [Act 4:12 NKJV] "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Buddha’s name can’t do it! The name of Allah doesn’t have the power to save you! Your own works, as good as they may be will NEVER be enough to save you! Church Membership won’t do you a bit of good, come judgement day. Religion never has and never will have the power to save. It’s in and only through a personal relationship with Jesus!
The Name of Jesus means something to those who truly believe and have placed their complete trust in Him.
BUT the Name of Jesus means nothing more than “sincerely yours” to those who’ve not truly believed or placed their complete trust in Him.
A Basketball in my hands is worth $6 [what they cost at Walmart] but in the hands of Kobe Bryant $30.5 Million
The Name of Jesus from the lips of a person who doesn’t believe is nothing more than a bunch of empty and useless words BUT the Name of Jesus from the lips of a believer who has sold out to Jesus is supernaturally powerful!
The enemy will tremble, marriages will be restored, the sick will be healed, comfort will be given to the hurting, strength to the weak, churches will be built, people WILL BE saved, our nation will experience spiritual awakening like never before and revival WILL come!!! And I haven’t seen “The War Room” yet.
The devil knows those by name who truly believe in the Name of Jesus. The second way the devil will know your name is if. . .
2. You live in the Name of Jesus.
The devil did not always know Paul because he didn’t live “In Jesus Name.” See, at first, Paul was all about killing Christians and closing churches for a living, so he was no threat to the devil. BUT something happened!
Acts 9:3-5 tells us that as he was nearing Damascus he had a life changing encounter with the risen Jesus and Paul was NEVER the same again after he met Jesus face to face.
Have you met Him face to face or just heard about him from others? I’m talking about a real life changing experience, one that makes you say, “I’m all in or not in at all.”
Paul went from being an enemy of God to a friend and servant of God.
Paul was all in. [Gal 2:20 NKJV] “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Paul was living for Jesus. He was in it for the glory of God, while These Seven brothers were in it for $, Power, Prestige and Titles. That’s why the demon possessed man said, "Jesus I know, and I know all about Paul, but who in the world are you?"
The moment you have a life changing encounter with Jesus the devil is aware of it.
Those living for Jesus are no longer living for...Pleasure or power, for greed or money and pride/popularity will no longer be an issue.
Let me ask you something. Does the devil know your name? This probably the most serious question I could ever ask you.
Listen; [MT 7:21-23] “‘Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ (Customer who died) [23] Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Satan is not the only one who gets mad with people who have no business using the Name of Jesus. God also gets mad when someone uses that Name without permission and there is coming a day when God will tell those folks, "I don’t know you and you need to get away from me." But don’t worry because Satan will say to those folks, "I don’t know you either but you can come stay with me."
The harsh reality is that if you are not all in you’re not in at all.
Do you need to have a life changing encounter with Jesus today? You may need to come face to face with the risen Savior and truly believe in the Name of Jesus. Maybe you need to begin living in the Name of Jesus.
Sometimes I believe many who claim the Name of Jesus don’t have permission to use that Name and that’s why they are so miserable and defeated. That’s why God never answers their prayers and why the devil seems to be beat the tar out of them all the time.
Why not give your heart, your sin and your Life to Jesus today!
Why not receive the power that comes from the Name of Jesus, right now.
