In My Name

What did Jesus mean when He said …"in my name?"

Mark 16:17 …"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they …" K.J.V.

The Amplified reads …"And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will …"

It is generally held that this is a promise limited to the apostolic age, to the disciples of that age, and not even to all of them, but just a few; and it would not be forever, but only for the time necessary for the establishment of Christianity in the world. Notice I used the term "generally held" which means it is widely accepted but not by all, including me, because even yet today God still performs many miracles in and through the name of Jesus.

The miracles the disciples had continued for a considerable time with their use of the powerful phrase "in the name of Jesus." In the Arabic version of the Bible, the word "believe" is joined to the first half of this verse and rightly so … for you must believe it is by the authority of Christ in giving the disciples the right to use that name as if they were acting in His stead, as His Power of Attorney more or less, and speaking on His behalf for Him to accomplish His will on earth.

God has many believers; some believe the power is in the name itself, while others like me believe the name represents the authority and power of God given to believers. Before my parents came to the point in their old age where they could no longer carry out all their business, they appointed me as their Trustee and Power of Attorney. As such I had the very same authority and power when I spoke or signed legal documents as they had. They put their trust in me.

This is exactly what Jesus has given to us still today … He has appointed some, but perhaps not all believers to be the Trustee, His P.O.A. over His Word, just like the disciples were in the apostolic age as they declared healings and miracles everywhere they went with the authority given them to act … in His name.

I am coming to believe that this phrase "in the name of Jesus" as the disciples used it, does not mean at the end of a declaration of faith or a prayer you … tack on … "the name of Jesus." They used that name as if it was a legal document giving them His authority.

What I am beginning to question is how we use that name; and what really happens in the spiritual realm when we use that name. Do demons really tremble when any believer "tacks" that name on the end of their prayer? I don't think so.

Just speaking the name of Jesus won't make the devil tremble. You must believe in that name and even more than that, in the power His name gives you as His representative to speak the truth of His Word in the court room of the world as they place us on trial and ridicule us for our belief in Jesus.

Look what is recorded in Luke 10:17 where it states …"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." K.J.V.

The disciples were sent out by Jesus in His stead; and they went in His authority and power, not in their own and as such they came back and reported … "even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."

The disciples had success in healing and even casting out demons because they had been given the authority by Jesus to stand as His representative so that the word or command spoken by them was as if Jesus had spoken it Himself.

In the Book of John, there is one word spoken by Jesus that gives me pause and complicates my own teaching about asking … in the name of Jesus.

John 14:13-14 …"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."

What wonderful verses of promise from the lips of Jesus Himself. But I find one word in them that complicates or hinders my asking with faith each time I need to ask or pray; and that one word in these two phrases that Jesus spoke is the word "will" … "I will do it" and "that will I do."

How can I ask in faith the next time when it didn't come true, when it wasn't fulfilled; let's get right to it … when He didn't do like He promised … the last time or the time before that?

Do you see where I'm going? I have asked many times in the past for various whatsoever's in the name of Jesus; and some are granted by God and some are not. So what I am saying is this; just by speaking what many believe is the magic formula … "the name of Jesus"… most of the time won't do it.

This is why I am saying we must believe it is by the authority of Christ; that we are acting in His stead, as His Power of Attorney, speaking on His behalf for whatever He wants to do through us; and not because we get all our ducks in a row, cross all our T's and dot all our I's or use the so called magic formula … the name of Jesus.

This is also where the sovereignty of God plays a role in all we receive or don't receive from Him. Let me give one example.

I know a woman who has been used mightily of God with the gift of healings operating in her life. I was talking with her one day about praying for people when she surprised me with a statement she made. It was this … "I don't go and pray for everyone who asks me for prayer. I only lay my hands on the ones God tells me to. I must be led by the Holy Spirit, and not my feelings. I have found out from past experience, when I depend on being led by God's Spirit, the one I am praying for is usually healed. It must be something the Lord wants done."

I can attest to that fact; I have seen terminal cancer disappear after she was told by God to go and pray for a man that I worked with. This is just one of many healings from God through her hands. But God must be the one who directs us to perform His will.

I believe this is also what happened with Peter at the Temple gate when he spoke to the lame beggar. I am convinced it was the Holy Spirit that stopped Peter and had him say what he did to this man. God wanted this man healed at this time for the purpose of establishing the early Church with signs and wonder through many great miracles performed by the apostles. It's found in Acts 3:6-16 …

When asked for money … "Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: 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.

And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus … And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."

I must conclude then … this lame man's healing was not so much that Peter used "the name of Jesus" as the answer, but rather the healing came from what was within Peter, for he had an anointing on his spirit; because the authority as a Trustee and representative for Jesus had already been given to him.

It was this anointing that caused Peter to voice some of the greatest words found in the Bible … "but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth …" and the man was healed.

God wanted it done; He had Peter and John to stop. It was God's will; it was His purpose and plan drawn out and worked for His glory and amazement of the Church as it grew in reverential fear and wonder.

So today when we say … "In the name of Jesus" … we should also be declaring the position and authority He has given the Church as the Trustee of His Word and name.

May we speak as He would speak; and then just maybe … "wonder" … instead of doubt, would once again come to His Church.