I believe that we can only approach God’s throne through the blood and in the name of JESUS CHRIST.
Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”
In Christ alone we can confidently come before God’s throne.
Hebrews 4:14 – Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Jesus also said: “but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father, in My name, he may give you” John 15:16
What does the name of Jesus Christ mean in terms of authority and power:
a) The name JESUS CHRIST means literally JESUS “THE ANOINTED ONE”.
The word Christ comes from “Christos” and “Christos” translates the Hebrew “Mashiyach” i.e. “Messiah”. Jesus was the anointed one of God – The Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament.
We have lost a little in translation and can think Jesus Christ was his full name – a surname. The name Jesus Christ the anointed one denotes a TITLE and POSITION. In the Old Testament when someone was anointed it meant “to consecrate by applying Holy Oil to an individual”. Jesus was the one anointed by God. The Old Testament pictures the Messiah as one who will put an end to sin and war and usher in universal righteousness and through his death will make vicarious atonement for the salvation of sinful people. Jesus is the Messiah; he claimed to be the Messiah (Matthew 23:63-64; Mark 14:61-62; Luke 22:67-70; Jn 4:25-26) and the claim was acknowledged by his disciples (Matthew 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20; Acts 4:27; 10:38).
b) There is authority in His Name.
We need to understand the authority in Jesus’ Name when we pray – particularly in the spiritual realm when dealing with demonic influences. We can bring all situations under the name of Jesus because He is superior.
The Bible says: “Therefore God has highly exalted him (i.e. lifted him up, an exaltation to the highest position, a super exalted position of honour and glory) 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
Jesus said “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth –” Matt 28 v 18
“when He (God) raised Him (Christ) from the dead and seated Him (Christ) at His (God’s) right hand in the heavenly places FAR ABOVE all principality (rule) and power (authority) and might (power) and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He (God) put all things under His (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all”. Ephesians Ch 1 20-23
There is authority and power in the name of Jesus Christ. If we recognise this when we pray then we will pray with more authority, understanding, faith and boldness. Satan has tried to demote the name of Jesus and it is now used by many people in a blasphemous way. We need to use His name in the correct way when we pray. We will see results and situations change as prayers are answered.
In Revelation 19 v11-16 we get a further revelation of Christ and the authority and power which is his:
“Now I saw heaven opened and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called FAITHFUL and TRUE and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like flames of fire and on His Head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called THE WORD OF GOD
v 16 And He had on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
c) There is power in His name:
Smith Wigglesworth used to say that all things were possible through the name of Jesus Christ. He had a testimony of the power in Jesus’ name when it came to raising a sick man called Lazarus. Lazarus was an old miner in Wales. Smith Wigglesworth had been told by God to go and raise Lazarus up. He sent a postcard to him telling him he was coming to do it. What faith. However, when Smith arrived he was told by people not to bother and that the moment he saw Lazarus he would be ready to give up and go home because Lazarus was just a mass of bones with skin stretched over them with no life hardly left in him. Instead of giving up and going home (like most of us would have done I’m sure) that night Smith went and found seven more men and women of faith to fast with him and pray for Lazarus and then they all went to the house the next day. This is what Smith says in his book happened when they circled the bed and kept repeating the name of Jesus:
“We all knelt down and whispered that one word, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” The power of God fell and then it lifted. Five times the power of God fell and then it remained. But Lazarus on the bed was unmoved. Two years previously someone had tried to raise him up and the devil had used his lack of success as a means of discouraging Lazarus. I said “I don’t care what the devil says; if God says he will raise you up it must be so. Forget everything else except what God says about Jesus.
The sixth time the power fell and the sick man’s lips began moving and the tears began to fall. I said to him “The power of God is here, it is yours to accept it”. He said “I have been bitter in my heart and I know I have grieved the Spirit of God. Here I am helpless. I cannot lift my hands, nor even a spoon to my mouth”. I said “Repent, and God will hear you”. He repented and cried out “Oh God, let this be to Thy glory”. As he said this the virtue of the Lord went right through him. I have asked the Lord to never let me tell this story except at it was for I realise that God can never bless exaggerations. As we again said, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the bed shook, and the man shook…. I sat and watched that man get up and dress himself. The news soon went abroad that Lazarus had been raised up and many came to hear his testimony. God brought salvation to many. All this came through the name of Jesus, through faith in His name, the faith that is by Him gave this sick man perfect soundness in the presence of them all”
Peter said to the crippled man “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength, and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. Acts 3 1-16
When we pray let us ask the Holy Spirit for more revelation of the authority and power that there is in the name of Jesus Christ and teach us how to use His name in prayer effectively. The name of Jesus is a weapon of spiritual warfare and evil/unclean spirits recognise and have to submit to the authority of the name of Jesus.
Let us read portions of scripture which uplift the name of Jesus and meditate/memorise them. Revelation ch 19, Ephesians ch1 or Colossians 1 & 2 which are on the pre-eminence of Christ.
Let us lift up the name of Jesus as we pray and in our worship – Singing songs which exalt the name of Jesus.
Let us not be afraid to speak out the name of Jesus and bring the problem or whatever it is you are praying about under and in subjection to Jesus and His name. Prayer – Is God hearing my prayers?
EagleSight 