When we speak the precious and powerful name of Jesus, it’s not a magic word. We must be wholly submitted to Jesus to use it. - Dean Sherman(1)
The name of Jesus is the most powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. Jesus is the Word (Jn 1:1, 14), and by the Word and through His holy name “the worlds were framed” (Heb 11:3). The very name by which the entire universe came into existence, is the name through which prayer is answered (Jn 14:13), and the name at which demons tremble and flee (Mk 3:11; Jas 2:19). The Apostle Paul declared in Philippians 2:9-11:
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).
When believers pray they conclude by citing or speaking the holy name of Jesus, because He promised to be present in power among His followers and answer their prayers whenever they acted in His name. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20); and “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Jn 14:13)
The reason why believers are commanded to proclaim the holy name of Jesus is to invoke His power and authority in their circumstances. Jesus is no longer present in bodily form to rebuke the works of the devil; however, He is present within His followers by the indwelling Holy Spirit to aid them when they need His assistance (Acts 1:8-9).
Jesus informed His disciples of how He would ascend into heaven (Jn 16:16); but He encouraged them that they would no longer have need of His physical presence, for He declared, “In that day . . . whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (16:23). Well, “that day” has arrived; and Jesus has given a mandate to His followers to go forth in His name winning the lost to Christ (15:16).
Jesus granted us power to preach the gospel; however, He also bestowed power to overcome the forces of darkness. John declared, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8b). Noel Richards states, “There is power in the name of Jesus . . . at His name the demons flee; at His name captives are freed . . . at His name God’s enemies shall be crushed beneath our feet; for there is no other name that is higher than Jesus!”(2)
In Acts chapter 16, we read about how Paul and Silas were being harassed by a demon-possessed slave girl who kept following them, disrupting their ministry efforts. The Bible says, “But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And he came out that very hour” (Acts 16:18). Like Paul, all Christians have power over the enemy and his evil forces in the name of Jesus.
The name of Jesus is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare; however, His name must not be taken lightly or used inappropriately. It’s unwise to utilize a weapon without first knowing its intricate workings and being properly trained in its use. In our message tonight we’ll be shown how to properly handle the name of Jesus; and we’ll also be shown “what not to do” in using His holy name.
A Correct Use of Jesus’ Power (vv. 11-12)
Some of us may argue or even deny this point but, according to Scripture, Jesus granted His followers the ability to perform amazing signs. In Mark chapter 17, Jesus said, “In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues . . . they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mk 17:17b, 18b). In Acts chapter 19, which is our primary text, we can observe Paul freely exercising this unusual, yet amazing, spiritual authority. We read in verses 11-12:
Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12).
Right here, Paul utilized the “spiritual gifts” of healing and miracles (1 Cor 12:9-10). Jesus promised His followers that they would be endued with power from on high (Lk 24:29), and that this power would be granted them by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The Bible says that this same power is available to believers today, in Jesus’ name, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12:1-11). However, some believers reject this power, believing it’s currently unavailable or that it’s the work of the devil.
One time the scribes approached Jesus and said, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons” (Mk 3:22), and He replied, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (3:23b-24). Jesus was saying that when the Lord is glorified through the working of signs and wonders, then it can’t be the work of the devil! It is instead the work of the Holy Spirit!
The negative feelings that some believers have about spiritual gifts are derived from seeing an abuse of the gifts (cf. 1 Cor 14:3-4; 14:13). The correct use of Jesus’ power and gifts is for bringing glory to God, not to oneself. Spiritual gifts are endowed for the edification of the church (1 Cor 14:12). So, if someone’s seeking spiritual gifts in order to feel important, special or powerful, then he or she isn’t right with the Lord, and that individual is about to get a spiritual beating!
A Hunger for Spiritual Power (vv. 13-14)
A desire to feel powerful is why people often dabble in the supernatural. Some will unfortunately do so in the name of Jesus, hoping to justify their desire for power by portraying it in a spiritual light. In our primary text, Luke shares the account of some Jewish exorcists who, in their thirst for spiritual power, were trying to mimic Paul’s healings. We read in verses 13-14:
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so (Acts 19:13-14).
The context of this account is placed in Ephesus (Acts 19:1). The city of Ephesus was well-known for its pagan spirituality. For example, in Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” Antipholus of Syracuse journeyed to Ephesus and referred to the city’s reputation as a center for the learning and practice of magical arts.
Antipholus is portrayed by Shakespeare as saying, “They say this town is full of [deception], as, nimble jugglers that deceive the eye, dark-working sorcerers that change the mind, soul-killing witches that deform the body, disguised cheaters, prating [snake oil peddlers], and many such-like liberties of sin.(3)
People journeyed to Ephesus to learn black magic and obtain spiritual power. When the Jewish exorcists saw the power behind Paul’s exorcisms and healings, they became envious. They wanted to possess this same power; like people today who obsess over spiritual gifts, or who seek power in the realm of the supernatural.
They figured the name of Jesus must have been some magic term like “hocus pocus,” and the seven sons of Sceva were determined they would use Jesus’ name and find out what would happen. Keep in mind, however, that they weren’t spiritually prepared!
Only Believers Should Use His Name (vv. 15-16)
The name of Jesus is a powerful weapon against the enemy, and a weapon must be handled with great care. For example, if proper maintenance isn’t done in cleaning a firearm it can backfire; or an axe left unsharpened can slip while we’re chopping and lead to a severe injury. Likewise, using the name of Jesus improperly can backfire, just as it did with the seven sons of Sceva. We read in verses 15-16:
And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded (Acts 19:15-16).
The seven sons of Sceva were unaffiliated with Paul and the other apostles of Christ; and yet, they were trying to mimic the apostles and invoke the name of Jesus in order to cast out a demon. In Mark 9:38-40, we’re told of a somewhat similar scenario of a person who was calling on the name of Jesus, even though he wasn’t associated with the disciples, The Scripture tells us,
Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side” (Mark 9:38-40).
In Acts, we see how the seven sons of Sceva got into trouble for calling on the name of Jesus; however, in the passage from Mark, the Lord told His disciples to let the individual alone, “For he who is not against us is on our side” (Mk 9:40). So, what made the difference between the two scenarios?
The seven sons of Sceva were in Ephesus because they were seeking power and attempting to learn the magical arts. God says that people should never seek after magic and witchcraft (cf. Dt 18:10-11); therefore, it’s likely they were unsaved, not knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Since the fellow mentioned in Mark was actually helping further the ministry of Jesus, he was probably a believer in Christ. Perhaps he was saved under the ministry of John the Baptist (cf. Jn 3:25-26) or someone else, and that’s why the disciples were unfamiliar with him. Nevertheless, he was able to call on the name of Jesus and find a measure of success, because he was undoubtedly a believer.
The demons looked at the seven sons of Sceva, and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). If Jesus had been abiding within these seven sons, the demons would have recognized Christ’s presence. Also, if the seven sons of Sceva were believers then they would have been in Ephesus in order to assist Paul in his ministry; however, the demons knew they weren’t helping Paul, nor were they with him.
The bottom line is that the seven sons of Sceva were unbelievers, and that’s why they were powerless against the demons and were beaten up and kicked out of the house to flee the scene “in the buff,” so to speak. What kind of spiritual attack might we encounter if we don’t know Jesus as Savior?
If we are a believer in Jesus then we have Christ living inside us, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, full and overflowing; however, if we happen to an unbeliever then we are left empty inside. So, what will happen should the devil find us empty? In Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus stated,
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, “I will return to my house from which I came.” And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first (Matthew 12:43-45).
If we don’t know Jesus Christ as Savior, whether we abuse and misuse His name or not, then we’re opening ourselves up for the enemy to come in and make his home with us. We need to allow Jesus to come inside instead, and turn on our “no vacancy” sign. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Rv 3:30a).
You Had Better Know His Name (vv. 17-20)
We should never call on the name of Jesus in an attempt to cast out a demon if we don’t have a personal and intimate relationship with the Savior. This is a fact that became well-established and understood by all the people who were living in Ephesus. We read in verses 17-20:
This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed (Acts 19:17-20).
When the people of Ephesus witnessed what had happened to the seven sons of Sceva, as a result of these men not knowing Jesus, they realized how dangerous it is to live without Christ. They didn’t want to take any more chances, so they “came confessing and telling their deeds” (Acts 19:18).
If we’re planning on using the name of Jesus, then we had better think about our deeds first. Where do we stand in our relationship with Christ? We cannot utilize the name of Jesus in spiritual warfare if we are not a believer; and if we are indeed a believer, then I want to caution us against using His name if we’re distant in our relationship with Christ, or if we’re living in known sin.
To utilize His name without knowing Him is to set ourselves up for a serious spiritual beating! The power behind the name of Jesus is the power of the blood; and unless we’re covered by the blood of the Lamb, then we’re unprotected from the spiritual realm. When the people of Ephesus realized this fact, they gave up the finite power of Satan for the infinite power in the blood.
Time of Reflection
If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, then you are able to call on His name for power over the enemy to combat the forces of sin and darkness. In Luke 10:17-19, we read this:
Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:17-19).
The seventy were able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name, and overcome the attacks of the devil; however, Jesus went on to remind them that the greatest victory of all in His name and in knowing Him is the victory over sin and death. He continued to tell them in verse 20, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” If you know Jesus Christ, then rejoice in your salvation and get ready to put the demons to flight!
If you happen to realize tonight that you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, then I encourage you to do as the people of Ephesus, as they “came confessing and telling their deeds” (Acts 19:18). Confessing your sins and asking God’s forgiveness is known as repentance, and it’s the first step toward having a relationship with Jesus Christ and gaining eternal life with God the Father. The second step is to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life (Romans 10:9-10).
NOTES
(1) Dean Sherman, Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian (Seattle, WA: YWAM Publishing, 1990), p. 132.
(2) Noel Richards, “There is Power in the Name of Jesus,” (1989) Kingsway Thankyou Music.
(3) F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1996), p. 291.
