Title: The Name of Jesus – 2
“Victory In The Name”
Text: Philippians 2:9-11
This morning we talked about when Jesus actually received the inheritance of the power and authority of the Name. We went through the Scripture and found that Jesus inherited the authority of the Name the day that He rose from the dead. We also talked about what Jesus went through to be given such a powerful Name. He had to experience spiritual death for each of us. That means that the Father literally forsook Jesus and turned His back on Him. He became sin for each of us. He paid the ultimate price for our salvation.
I. PAUL’S PRAYER
Jesus has been given a Name that is above every other Name. Paul was praying a prayer for the Church at Ephesus in the first chapter of Ephesians. He wanted them to see something, to understand something. So, he prayed that the eyes of their spirit would be enlightened to truths that they would never be able to figure out in their heads. I want to read that prayer to you because it is the same prayer that I have for us at Calvary concerning the Name and the power behind it.
Ephesians 1:17-23; “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
Notice that in connection with His being raised from the dead, the Name is mentioned. Paul’s prayer was not just for the Church at Ephesus. This is a Spirit-given prayer. It belongs to believers everywhere. It is a prayer that the eyes of our spirits might be enlightened to some things. Paul did not ask that the eyes of minds would be opened, he said the eyes of our spirits. We have to get the knowledge of God’s Word down in our spirits, our hearts, down on the inside. We cannot get it with our mentality. Our minds are not great enough to grasp it. God wants us to know some things in our hearts.
I want to read this Scripture from a different translation to help us understand it a little better. The Moffett’s Translation says:
Ephesians 1:17-23; “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, grant you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation for the knowledge of Himself, illuminating the eyes of your heart so that you can understand the hope to which He calls us, the wealth of His glorious heritage in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power over us believers – a power which operates with the strength of the might which He exerted in raising Christ from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly sphere, above all the angelic rulers, authorities, powers and lords, above every Name that is to be named not only in this age – but in the age to come. He has put everything under His feet and set Him as head over everything for the church, the church which is His Body, filled by Him who fills the universe entirely.”
Jesus has not only been given a Name at which every being in three worlds must bow and confess His Lordship, but God seated Him in the highest place in the universe and made Him to be head over all things.
For what purpose? The Bible tells us the purpose. It is for the Church! Jesus has been given this Name for the benefit and the use of the Church.
In Paul’s prayer we find that the Name of Jesus has literally been handed over to us. He has given it to us. It belongs to us! Do you really get that? We have been given the Name to use at our disposal. That means whatever need we have, we have been given a Name that everyone and everything has to listen and obey at the mention of that Name. We have the right to use that Name against our enemies. We have the right to use that Name in our petitions. We have the right to use that Name in our praise and worship. That Name has been given to us!
Heaven, earth and hell recognize what Jesus did. All that Jesus did, all the authority, all the power; all the achievements are in the Name of Jesus. And the Name on our lips will work the same things now as it did then.
I don’t think the Church world, as a whole knows anything at all about the Name of Jesus. We use the Name, but just as we do any other name. We do not realize the significance of it. We do not realize the authority of it. He gave us a right to use the Name that was given to Him, but as long as we never understand the power behind it, it will do no good. So my goal is to help us understand what is behind that Name.
II. THE VICTORY BEHIND THE NAME
In Paul’s prayer for the Church, he stated that God had raised Christ from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named. However, it is by His victory of these principalities, powers, might and dominion that Jesus obtained that Name!
Colossians 2:15; “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (KJV)
Let’s look at what some other translations of this same Scripture says to see if we can get a clear picture of what took place during that three day period.
The New International Version says; “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
The Conybeare translation says; “He disarmed the principalities and powers, which fought against Him.
The Phillips translation says that Jesus; “exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated in his own triumphant victory!”
The Rotherham translation says, Jesus “paralysed them.”
We know from reading these translations that Jesus ultimately defeated the devil. The way the Bible describes it is he made a public show of him. In other words, He paraded the devil, all defeated, up and down the streets of hell making a show of him. As if to say, “What do you think of your powerful Master now?” He didn’t just defeat him, he embarrassed him. He wanted everyone to know that this man was defeated now and forevermore. In front of everyone, Jesus stripped the devil of all his powers, of all his weapons and of all his authority. He is nothing now. He has been brought the lowest of anyone.
These are the same principalities and powers that are spoken of in:
Ephesians 6:12; “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The principalities and powers we wrestle against are the same ones that He overcame, that He spoiled, that He utterly destroyed. Listen to how Paul puts it:
Hebrews 2:14; ¶ “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (KJV)
Hebrews 2:14; “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil.” (NIV)
Hebrews 2:14; “Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (ASV)
“Bring to nought” means reduce to nothing! As far as we are concerned, Jesus reduced him to nothing! No wonder He said, “In My Name, they will cast out demons!” No wonder the demons are scared to death even at the mention of His name. They remember that day that their master was made a public show of.
Jesus met Satan and all his demons on their own turf and defeated them. The conquest that Jesus made of the devil, of sin, of sickness and disease is wrapped up in His Name and the Name belongs to us. The Name is what brings into reality in our lives what Jesus has already accomplished. He has already won the victory. Faith in the Name connects us to that victory. I think that is why the devil has fought so hard to keep us from knowing about it. We have been Name people all our lives, but we are not seeing Name results. Something is wrong somewhere.
You can just repeat the Name, like a parrot saying, “Polly wants a cracker,” and it won’t do a thing for you. But when you know what is in back of that Name, when you know what Jesus has won and that He rose up from the dead, life will be different for you. When you know that Jesus said, “all authority is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth, now, go ye therefore because I am giving you My Name; I am giving you authority,” then that will change your life.
Remember, Satan has no authority to dominate the Christian or the Church. All that authority has been stripped away from him. When you know this truth and know that the Name belongs to you, you can put Satan on the run every single time. I mean every single time!
According to Colossians 1:13; “Who hath delivered us from the power, or authority, of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”
God has delivered us from the power of darkness, from the authority of darkness, from the authority of Satan, from the authority of Satan’s kingdom and He has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son!
I Corinthians 2:6; ¶ “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:” (KJV)
I Corinthians 2:6; “We do discuss ‘wisdom’ with those who are mature, only it is not the wisdom of this world or of the dethroned powers who rule this world.” (Moffatt’s Translation)
When you compare I Corinthians 2:6 to Colossians 2:15 you will see that it was when Jesus spoiled principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it, that they were brought to naught or brought to nothing and dethroned.
Why, then is the devil – depression, oppression, demons, sickness and everything else that is of the devil, ruling so many Christians and even Churches? It is because believers do not know what belongs to them. They take the Name of Jesus like they would take a good luck charm. They seem to think, “If I take the Name of Jesus, it just might work.”
We have it all wrong. It is not a hit and miss thing. There are no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. Find out all the authority that is in back of that Name. You need to know that as far as God is concerned and as far as the believer is concerned, these rulers, these princes of this world, are dethroned. Jesus dethroned them! It is important to know that they are not going to be dethroned, they are dethroned.
Some people say, yes, you are right, during the Millennium they will be dethroned. No, He has already done it! We are in this world, but we are not of this world, they have no right to rule us.
