The Power of THE Name.

The Power of THE Name.  Take-off on James 4.2 - You do not have because you do not ask God.

 "Hallowed be thy name" is an archaic way of saying ‘holy be thy name.’  When the Lord taught us to pray, he began with, ‘Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name . . .’   I have been thinking a lot about that—what is so holy about the name of God?  And when did man first call God by any name?  This morning, I went back to the beginning of my Bible, to see how ‘man’ first addressed God … I mean did Adam call God ‘Father’?  Adam was the first created human being . . . so when he opened his eyes, when he found his tongue and realized he had a voice box, did he look up at his Creator God and attempt to address him—to place him—perhaps by naming him, in some way?  What is in a name anyway?

We close our prayers with "In Jesus' name, Amen."  Why do we say that? Why finish our prayers in such a fashion?  Let's take a look at what God's word says about his name . . .  First, a few Old Testament references to the name of God:

Psalm 8.1 - How majestic is your name. . .    Psalm 68.4 - Sing praise to his name. . .   Proverbs 18.10- I love this one: The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it, and they are safe.  Exodus 20.7  - Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.      Why? Because it is set apart--it is holy.

Then take a look at these New Testament references-

Matthew 1.21 - You are to give him the name Jesus . . .    Matthew 18.20 -  Where two or three come together in my name, there I am in the midst of them                                                     Acts 2.21 - And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 4.12 -  There is no other name under Heaven whereby men may be saved.                                                                    Philippians 2.9-11 - God . . . gave him the name that is above every other name. . . but now, consider with me John 16.23 and 24 - everything changed from here on out . . . Jesus said to his beloved disciples: my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. So, why do we say, 'in Jesus' name'? Because there is power in the name of Jesus--there is authority.

There have been times in my life, when I was not able to tell up from down; in these times, my most effective prayers consisted of one word . . . one powerful word – JESUS.  ‘See, there is nothing that concerns me, nothing that concerns you that doesn't concern him.  There is nothing that is not covered by the name of Jesus.  

Closing our prayers in his name is in small part like putting a postage stamp on a letter before placing it in the mail.  The name of Jesus is authority, and it is power as well.  So when you pray, close your prayer in confidence that it is truly in Jesus' name we pray, and in whom our prayers are answered.

Grace and Peace,

Christine

PastorWoman.com