Introduction
Have you ever wondered why we pray in Jesus’ name?
The name of Jesus is powerful, but just the name in and of itself isn’t what sets people free. It’s the revelation of what Jesus’ name means that brings you freedom.
Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24 (NKJV)
Why is the name of Jesus so powerful? It’s because of what He accomplished through His death, resurrection and ascension. When Jesus was crucified, He took our place and paid for mankind’s disobedience to God. He handed us back the authority to walk in the supernatural on this planet, which we access in His name.
John 14:13-14 says that if we ask anything in His name, He will do it, so that He might bring glory to the Father. Mark 16:17-18 says that in His name we can drive out demons, speak in new tongues, be supernaturally protected and heal the sick.
When you understand the power behind the name of Jesus and use it in your everyday life, it opens the door to supernatural power, strength and provision. As we study in this eBook about the name of Jesus Christ, let’s remember what it means to pray in His name and realize the authority we have in prayer.
In His name, you can speak healing into people’s lives (Acts 3:6, 3:16, 4:10). You can baptize in His name (Matthew 28:19). Demons are made powerless and are cast out because of His name (Luke 10:17, Mark 16:17-18). We find salvation (Acts 4:12, Romans 10:13) and we are justified in His name (1 Corinthians 6:11). When we pray using His name, we get incredible results!
Authority in Jesus’ Name!
What makes the name of Jesus so special? It’s about the authority in His name.
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 (NKJV)
Let’s say that you know the owner of a five-star resort, and he has invited you to stay with him for a week. When you arrive, a note in your room encourages you to use his name wherever you go while you are there. “When you order at the restaurant,” the note reads, “just give them my name. If you want to check out the entertainment, take a look around my penthouse suite, be chauffeured around town, or benefit from any other service we provide, just mention my name, and you’ll have full access.”
As the owner of the resort, your friend’s name holds a certain amount of power. Since you’ve been given permission to use his name for anything you need, you benefit from that power.
The same is true for you. Through Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the Father gave Him a name above all names and “all power”—all authority in heaven and in earth and under the earth. This power and authority flows through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, which God has given to you to use. You can use the name of Jesus in your prayer, in worship, in the circumstances of life and for whatever tries to come against you.
You have been given this name to use so you can rise above the circumstances of life to walk in victory!
Healing in Jesus’ Name!
Do you know anyone who needs healing?
As believers, we can use the name of Jesus both to walk in healing and to minister healing to others. Acts 3:6-7 demonstrates how.
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Acts 3:6-7 (NKJV)
As Peter and John were walking through a city gate called “Gate Beautiful,” a lame man begged them for money. Peter’s response, paraphrased, was: “I don’t have money for you; I have something better. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, be healed!”
Later, when Peter was questioned about this healing, he made it clear that the healing was not due to his own personal power. It was through the name of Jesus Christ that this man was healed.
The name of Jesus holds authority over sickness and disease. Long ago, Adam sold mankind out to the devil. But Jesus paid the penalty for purchasing us back from the devil's evil reign of disease, sickness, poverty and death (John 10:10). Now we have the privilege of choosing to accept Jesus' salvation and all its benefits. Since Jesus paid the price for all sin, sickness no longer has a right to be in our lives. If we are sick, it’s there illegitimately, and we can exercise our authority in Christ over it.
Jesus isn’t just our Saviour; He’s also our Healer! And His desire is: "Beloved [that’s you], I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 1:2, NKJV, emphasis mine).
Access in Jesus’ Name!
In the story of the lame man in Acts 3, when Peter said, “What I do have I give you,” what did he have? Peter had the right to use Jesus’ name, as does every believer, and this gives us access to everything Jesus had access to when He walked this planet.
We can speak blessings over ourselves, our children and grandchildren because the name of Jesus holds authority in every area of life—physical, mental and spiritual—both now and into the future. The promises you claim today unlock blessings, protection and supernatural provision in the future.
Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Acts 4:10 (NKJV)
It’s important to remember that using Jesus’ name does not force change upon people. We can’t guarantee someone else’s healing, protection, or any other promise from God; they must choose to accept what Jesus is offering.
In the example above, the lame man expected to receive something from Peter, and then received a miracle. Why? The name of Jesus is greater than sickness. Everything, including every virus and disease, bows to that name, so you can declare the truth of what we’ve been promised in God’s Word and expect incredible results!
Faith in Jesus' Name!
I hear the name of Jesus Christ a lot, but often it's spoken without any real belief or conviction. It isn’t the name that brings freedom; it’s faith in the name. This is what Peter mentioned in Acts 3:16.
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Acts 3:16 (NKJV)
That being said, the misuse of Jesus’ name can cause us to forget how special it really is.
When people around me swear by using the name of Jesus, I tend to accept the person as they are and treat them with love because they just don’t understand how precious Jesus is. But when I was a young man, one guy I worked with who seemed to thrive on pushing people’s buttons started swearing using Jesus' name. He did this constantly because he could tell that it bothered me.
After putting up with it for a long time, I finally asked him to stop. Not surprisingly, he responded with, “I’ll say what I want.”
After thinking about it for a minute, I asked him what his girlfriend’s name was. Then, every time something went wrong, I used his girlfriend’s name in a tone that clearly expressed my displeasure. At first, he just looked at me sideways, but after a while, it started to bother him too. When I thought he had had enough, I proposed a truce. I agreed to stop using his girlfriend’s name if he stopped using Jesus’ name. We had a laugh, shook on it and never looked back.
I’m not saying that you should confront everyone who misuses Jesus’ name, but we need to reignite our awe for and trust in all that Jesus’ name represents. As we place our faith in His name and remember how powerful it is, this faith brings freedom. Today, take some time to meditate on what His name means to you.
Salvation in Jesus' Name!
According to Acts 4:12, Jesus’ name is the only name that saves.
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
While the word “saved” is referring to salvation, it also refers to more. It does mean saved from hell, which is a wonderful thing on its own. The fact that we as believers are going to Heaven is awesome. But the word “saved” also means delivered from sickness, disease, poverty and more.
Jesus’ name saves us from the entire curse of the fall!
And because you're saved, you have the authority to pray in His name. Prayer is not meant to sound like begging. We need to pray with confidence in the name of Jesus, using His name to claim God’s promises and to speak over the situations we face.
Jesus says that when we ask in His name and believe, we’re going to receive. The name of Jesus Christ—with all its authority—has been given to you to use.
Today, whether your marriage is on the rocks, you’re in the middle of a health concern, or you’re just struggling in an area, it’s time to get back to using the name of Jesus. Maybe you’ve never realized that all authority and all power is in the name of Jesus Christ, or maybe you’ve grown up hearing only begging and pleading type prayers.
The truth is, you have the authority to claim what is rightfully yours in Jesus’ name, and you can claim it with confidence, knowing that you are speaking God’s will over the situation. And His will is that you experience His saving power in every area of life!
Power in Jesus' Name!
Wherever we find someone using the name of Jesus in the Bible, we find a Spirit-filled person.
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)
In Acts 1:4-8, Jesus told his disciples not to go anywhere until they had received power from on high. Whenever you find miracles in the New Testament, you find men and women who are filled with the Spirit. They were people who spent time with God, praying and reading His Word. They were filled with Holy Spirit.
Staying filled with the Spirit is a very important thing in every believer's life. When we spend time in His presence, we access the power, joy and peace that is found in Him. Without this, we start operating on empty and life gets hard. But when we stay full of the Spirit, we can look at the same problems everyone else is looking at, but we’re enabled to stay positive because of the power of God.
Staying filled with Holy Spirit means consistently accessing the power of God. It’s from this place of empowerment that we use the name of Jesus to walk in His supernatural power and provision—both for our personal lives and in helping others.
Confidence in Jesus' Name!
You can be confident in using the name of Jesus!
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (NKJV)
Peter and John had a certain confidence about them—a boldness that others recognized came from being with Jesus. This boldness wasn’t an earthly confidence in their own skills and abilities. Peter and John exuded this boldness because they were confident in the power of God in them. You can have this same confidence today.
Too often we focus on our own lack of skills or experience, but we have the same Spirit living in us that the disciples had. He will empower you right now, both to share Jesus with others and to build an incredible life. You have the power of God in you to help you build great relationships, to live in His blessings so others see His power in you, to get through whatever life throws your way and to always come out stronger.
If you don’t sense this confidence, maybe it’s time to remind yourself that the creator of the universe lives inside you. Take your focus off what you lack and spend some quiet time with God today. Just tune in to His presence and let it begin to permeate you.
Spending time with God makes you strong and enables you to handle things you could never handle on your own. Then, as you face problems, remember that you can speak His promises over every situation, in Jesus’ name. Be confident in using that name because it is your right—and you are empowered not only to get through tough times, but to rise above, thrive and succeed!
Conclusion
As a believer, you’ve been given the authority to use Jesus’ name. His name has authority over sickness and disease, poverty and strife, and every work of the devil. James 5:16 puts it this way: our prayers make tremendous power available.
The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16 (AMPC)
In Jesus' name, you can access His supernatural healing and saving power in your life. In His name, you can pray with complete confidence and declare that every blessing He promised you is yours!
And when it comes to praying for other people, while you don't have the authority to change them, your prayers do make a difference in their lives.
Never underestimate the power of praying in Jesus' name—for yourself and for others. It may seem as though nothing is happening at first, but remember that you are making power available to you and those you pray for. The effects of your prayers can initiate miraculous change.
Tap into the tremendous power that's been given to you in Jesus' name, and you'll see mountains begin to move!
