THERE’S POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
Acts 3:16
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. PAUL HARVEY told the story of a 3-year-old boy who went to the grocery store with his mother. She sternly told him, “No chocolate chip cookies; don’t even ask!”
2. In the store she put him in the shopping cart seat, and they went down the aisles. He was quiet until he got to the cookie aisle. When he saw all those chocolate chip cookies packages, he said, “Mom, can I have some chocolate chip cookies?” She said, “I told you not to ask. No!”
3. Later, she accidentally went back to the cookie aisle. He asked again. “Sit down & be quiet; I said, ‘No!’”
4. Finally, arriving at the checkout, the boy knew it was his last chance. He stood up and shouted as loud as he could, “In the name of Jesus, may I have some chocolate chip cookies?”
5. Everyone around him laughed and applauded, and with the help of the other shoppers, the little boy left the grocery store with 23 boxes of chocolate chip cookies! God DOES answer prayers prayed in the name of Jesus!
B. TEXT
Peter said [about man healed @ Beautiful Gate] “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” Acts 3:16.
C. THESIS
1. We’re continuing our series on Spiritual warfare today looking at the Name of Jesus. We’ll see the 1). Importance of the Name, 2). Why this Name has power, and 3). How we can use the Name of Jesus.
2. The title of this message is, “There’s Power in the Name of Jesus!”
I. WHY THE NAME OF JESUS IS SO IMPORTANT
A. NAMES ARE IMPORTANT
1. IDENTITY. You’re standing in a crowded, noisy room—and someone says your name. Instantly you zero-in to find the source - because that combination of sounds is connected to your identity. Family members travel long distances to go to the Vietnam Memorial where they search for their loved one’s name. When they find it, they run their fingers over it or make a tracing on paper. Why? Because people’s names are precious!
2. In the Bible, most names have spiritual significance.
a. “Moses” means “drawn out.”
b. “Esau” means “hairy” or “red.”
c. “Jacob” means “heel grabber.”
d. “Peter” means “rock.”
3. The same is true of the names of God; they capture some of God’s character/nature. Elohim connected to ‘Creator;’ El Shaddai means ‘Almighty God;’ Adonai means ‘Lord’ or Master; Melek means ‘King.’ Jehovah or Yahweh - “I AM” – expresses His nature as “Self-Existent One,” outside of time, and who’s a covenant-keeping God.
B. THE NAME OF JESUS HAS SPECIAL MEANING:
“The angel said, ‘You shall call his name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins’” Mt. 1:21. “Jesus” means “Savior,” but ‘Jesus’ is much more than that! His Name has creative and spiritual power, and it shakes the spiritual realm when it’s spoken aloud. That’s why...
C. THE WORLD TRIES TO STIFLE THE NAME OF JESUS
1. On his show “Home Improvement,” Tim Allen was told he couldn’t mention the name of Jesus in connection with a Christmas episode! It’s TABOO!
2. ABC officials chose to bleep out the word "Jesus" on its talk show, "The View." A guest who had a very successful weight-loss program exclaimed, “Thank you, Jesus, is all I have to say!" The network bleeped out Jesus’ name! https://www.faithwire.com/2017/10/31/controversy-erupted-after-the-view-bleeped-out-jesus-but-everyone-missed-this-hosts-amazing-line-about-the-bible/
3. Lt. Cmdr. Wes Modder, a Navy Chaplain to Navy Seals for 15 years, was told he couldn’t pray in the Name of Jesus at Navy Ceremony. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/navy-chaplain-censored-dont-pray-in-the-name-of-jesus
4. Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, has created firestorms for his use of the name ‘Jesus’ in public prayers. As long as preachers pray to a generic God, or to Buddha, or Mohammed, or to Goddess Gaia – there’s no problem.
5. But if you say “Jesus” – stand by – the politically correct police will pounce on you in a moment. Isn’t it funny how those who lecture Christians on how we need to be tolerant, have zero tolerance for the name of Jesus!
6. It wasn’t any different than the 1st Century, when the Jewish leaders forbid the Apostles “to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” Acts 4:18.
7. Even Church people, today, hesitant to say the Name of Jesus. Make no mistake about it, the devil is committed to silencing the name of Jesus, so all the more we should speak it out, if only to antagonize the devil!
II. WHY DOES THE NAME OF JESUS HAVE THIS POWER?
A. GOD MADE IT THE MOST POWERFUL NAME
1. He calls it the "name...above every name" (Phip. 2:9)! It’s “...far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” Eph. 1:21 NIV1984.
2. His name is powerful because He lived a perfect life, died as the substitute for the sins of the world, was resurrected, and now reigns at the right hand of God! His Name deserves praise!
3. We’re SAVED by that Name (“there is no other name under heaven...by which we must be saved;” Acts 4:12); we’re FORGIVEN in that Name (Acts 2:38); Jesus is PRESENT as we gather in His Name (Mt. 18:20); we PREACH & are PERSECUTED in that Name (Lk. 24:47; 21:12); we CAST OUT DEMONS and HEAL THE SICK in that Name (Mk. 16:17-18)! PTL for Jesus!
B. HIS NAME IS A PROXY FOR JESUS HIMSELF
1. HIS NAME IS ONE WITH HE HIMSELF: notice the O.T. combination – “See, the NAME OF THE LORD comes from afar...; HIS LIPS are full of wrath, and HIS TONGUE is a consuming fire” Isa. 30:27. Biblically, the Name & Person are One! So Jesus is one with His Name.
2. IT REPRESENTS ALL THAT JESUS IS -- His authority, character, deeds, majesty, power, His excellence.
3. IT REFERS TO “THE SPHERE OF HIS PRESENCE”
a. We can speak the Name of Jesus because Jesus is actually in us and with us. When Peter healed a man, he said, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.” Acts 9:34. Jesus was there!
b. Dutch Sheets says: “When you pray or lay hands on someone, you lay your hands upon them, but unseen to anyone are the hands of Jesus upon you, and His authority, power and healing are flowing into and through you.”
C. JESUS IS THE CREATOR & KING OF HEAVEN
1. Why could Jesus multiply bread, walk on water, still the storms, turn water into wine, heal sick bodies, etc.? Because He’s the Creator of all things! He’s in His natural element.
2. And since Jesus is the eternal King of heaven, all the angels bowed before Him, even before their fall. That’s why the demons fell prostrate before Jesus & cringe at His great Name!
3. “Where the word of a King is, there is power!” Eccles. 8:4.
D. NEWS STORIES: THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME
1. "Preacher’s Kids Stop Would-Be Burglar", Houston Chronicle or Post, August, 1988. Dallas (AP) –Two children of a Pentecostal preacher refused to fall prey to a would-be burglar, apprehending the man and holding him until police arrived, authorities said Wednesday. As the man raised a tire tool toward her brother, Keidra (10 years old) screamed, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!" Dumbfounded, the man "began tripping over his shoes and I (Shaun, 15) jumped him from behind," knocking him to the ground.”
2. “Women order armed robber 'out in Jesus' name'” 1-28-13. - Lake City, FL. A masked gunman attempted to rob a group of women having a jewelry party. Jacquie Hagler, says “I stood up and said, ‘In the name of Jesus, get out of my house now.’ And he said, ‘I’m going to shoot someone.’ And I said it again, real boldly,” Hagler said. “Everybody started chanting, ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,’ and he did a quick scan of the room, and ran out the door as fast as he could go.”
3. “Jesus Saves Jewelry Store Owner” January 18, 2010, NEW YORK (CBS). A masked gunman walked into Extravagant Necessities in Frisco, Texas and pointed a gun at Marian Chadwick, owner, and Kathy Vereen and demanded money and told them to get on the floor. Marian pointed her finger at him and forcefully said, "In the name of Jesus, I command you to get out of my store. You are bound by the Holy Spirit and you are leaving!" Chadwick said. "He could have grabbed anything, but he was totally arrested by the Holy Spirit." "The power of God filled the store and it just pushed him back," she said. The invader left and neither of the women were hurt.
4. Another story, "Masked Abductor Frees Woman" (Houston Post, Nov. 1988) told of a woman who was abducted in the Woodlands and driven to a remote location, but she kept praying aloud for deliverance in Jesus’ Name and her assailant finally lost resolve and let her go. The Name of Jesus is powerful!
III. HOW WE CAN USE THE NAME OF JESUS
A. BE IN FAITH, RELATIONSHIP, & SUBMISSION
1. The name of Jesus is not just a magic word that can be used by just anybody. It only has power when spoken in faith by people who are submitted to Jesus Christ.
2. The 7 sons of Sceva (Acts 19:14-16) tried to use Jesus’ name to drive our demons, but the spirits ended up driving them out because they weren’t even believers, so they had no authority to use that name.
3. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, therefor, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” That’s the correct order. If we’re saved, filled with the Spirit, and walking in submission to God, then we’re in the line of authority and demons have to obey us. THE REASON THE SPIRITS WENT WHEN PAUL SAID, “GO,” WAS BECAUSE PAUL WENT WHEN JESUS SAID, “GO!”
4. When a policeman knocks on a door and says, “Open in the name of the Law,” he doesn’t represent just himself, but the the entire authority and power of the government. When we go in Jesus’ name, we represent the government of Heaven, and have all its authority & power.
B. HIS NAME = THE POWER OF ATTORNEY
1. ILLUS. A preacher was holding meetings in a city in Tennessee. One afternoon, while giving a message on "The Name of Jesus," a lawyer in the audience interrupted, asking: "Do you mean to say that Jesus gave us the ‘Power of Attorney,’ the legal right to use His Name?
2. The preacher said to him, "Friend, you are a lawyer and I am a layman. Tell me -- did Jesus give us the ‘Power of Attorney?’
3. He said, "If language means anything, then Jesus gave to the church the Power of Attorney." "Then," asked the preacher, "What is the value of this Power of Attorney?"
4. He answered, "Whatever assets or authority that person has -- is delegated to you!" If you give power of attorney to someone, it means you appoint that person to represent you. We represent Christ!
C. THE KEY TO HEAVEN
1. The Name of Jesus is the key to heaven. When you speak “JESUS” out loud, you release the atmosphere of Heaven right here on Earth. There IS power in the Name of Jesus!
2. I challenge you to bring up the Name of Jesus as often as you can, even in casual conversation. When people relate their problems, ask them if you can pray, and say, “in the Name of Jesus” boldly! “His Name is as ointment poured forth!” SS 1:3.
3. Jesus said, “And I will do whatever you ask in My Name…You may ask Me for anything in My Name, and I will do it” Jn. 14:13-14.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: “Greater Power”
1. Missionary Bernie Smith tells a story that took place in Togo, West Africa. There was a witchdoctor named Ayawa who had practiced her arts for many years and was wealthy and well known. One day her daughter, Yovovi woke up, but couldn’t see: she had become blind!
2. Her mother knew that for blindness to come on that quickly had to be the activity of spirits. Something about this frightened Ayawa. Why would the spirits do this to her daughter? Ayawa knew she had met more than her match in the spiritual realm. There was nothing she could do – except – find A GREATER POWER!
3. She knew the reputation of Holy Ghost Christians – that they had power over the spirits, so she took Yovovi to the home of an Assemblies of God pastor. The pastor and his wife prayed for Yovovi for two hours. Nothing happened. “We will come to your house after church.”
4. Later that day, the pastor returned. He brought several prayer warriors from his church. All the Christians gathered around Yovovi and began to pray. Then they went home.
5. They came back that evening and prayed IN THE NAME OF JESUS! Afterward, they went home. The next morning, Ayawa took Yovovi to the pastor’s house. “Look!” she said excitedly. “My daughter can see! She is healed!” “God is faithful!” the pastor said.
6. Ayawa said to the pastor, “I don’t want my daughter to live the kind of life I live. Please pray for her to become a Christian.” And Yovovi gave her heart to Jesus and is still serving the Lord in her church today! Information from missionary Bernie Smith and the Assemblies of God World Missions.
7. Jesus said, “And these miracle signs will accompany those who believe: They will drive out demons in the power of my name. They will speak in tongues. They will be supernaturally protected from snakes and from drinking anything poisonous. And they will lay hands on the sick and heal them.” Mk. 16:17-18, The Passion Translation
B. THE CALL
1. What do you need from the Lord? How many of you need HEALING in your body? We’re going to anoint you and pray!
2. How many of you need a SPECIAL ANSWER TO PRAYER? Some of you need SALVATION. How many of you need a MIRACLE?
3. Some of you need PEACE from God! “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe” Prov. 18:10. I want all those who have a spiritual need to come to the front. PRAYER
[some quotes were adopted from John Burke’s “The Name of Jesus” message.]
