Tag Archives: in the name of Jesus

In The Name Of Jesus

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In Jesus Name

“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.”

John 14:13-14 KJV

“And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.”

Jeremiah 14:14 ESV

There is not a Sunday that goes by and there is not any time when one can engage in or hear conversation with people who profess to be Christians that you will not hear the phrase: “In the name of Jesus.”  People use the phrase a lot and use it to justify just about anything they do “for” God, but the question is: Do they really know what the phrase: “In the name of Jesus” really means? I have a sneaking suspicion that most people who say it really don’t!

We have made it and use it as a religious phrase, but it is actually a legal phrase. It is not a magical formula like “abbra-ca-dab-bra” or “open-says-a-me” that gives power or authority to whatever is tacked on to it! The term: “In the name of Jesus” is the use of the power of attorney. When one has the power of attorney, they are legally authorized to act and/or transact business in   the name of someone else. In other words, if you have been given the power of attorney, whatever you do in the name of person who gave you the power of attorney, the law looks upon it as if the person actually did it themselves. When you function in their name, you function as their authorized representative to transact business in their stead and on their behalf.

In the legal field, the power of attorney is carefully spelled out with stipulations as to what a person can and cannot do with it. So it is also in terms of using the name of Jesus. What we can and cannot do is spelled out in the Bible, which is the legal document of the Kingdom of God. We can’t just do anything in the name of Jesus! We can only do those things that we have been authorized to do! When we function in the name of Jesus, we act on Christ’s behalf and God looks at whatever we do in Jesus’ name as if Jesus was doing it himself! Hence, anything that is done in the name of Jesus must be consistent with the character, purpose, and will of Jesus. So, I can’t kill anyone in the name of Jesus, because killing someone is inconsistent with the character, purpose and will of Jesus. So, just saying we are doing something in the name of Jesus doesn’t make it so! It is only done in the name of Jesus if: (1) We have been authorized to do it and (2) It is consistent with the character, purpose and will of Jesus.

We should be careful in using the name of Jesus, for in using that name, we represent ourselves to be his representatives, transacting his business on earth on his behalf! We don’t want to be guilty of practicing Christianity without a license or of being unauthorized representatives of the Lord.

Is It Faith Or Magic?

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priests with cardsThe Biblical writer of the book of Jude encouraged his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” But, as I look around the landscape of Christendom today, I can’t help but wonder if what much of what is being passed off as faith actually faith at all.  It seems to me that many today are confusing faith with magic! Let me show you what I’m talking about: Today, there seems to be a pervasive misunderstanding and misapplication of the name of Jesus. People do anything or say anything and then claim they are saying or doing it in the name of Jesus. But it’s really not in the name of Jesus just because we say it or do it and then utter the words: “In the name of Jesus.” Saying the words: “In the name of Jesus” is not some magical formula like: “Open-says-a-me” or “Abra-ca-dab-bra.” To say or do anything in the name of Jesus is to say or do whatever is consistent with the character and actions of Jesus as revealed in the Bible. In other words, we can only say or do in the name of Jesus that which Jesus would have said or done himself. Therefore, we can’t steal, lie or kill in the name of Jesus because those things are inconsistent with the character and actions of Jesus.

The Bible say that we (believers) have been authorized to use his name in a fashion that is similar to what is known as the power of attorney. If you have been given the power of attorney, that means you have been legally authorized to act, speak or transact business on behalf of the person who gave you the power of attorney. Therefore, in exercising the power of attorney given to you, whatever business you transact on that person’s behalf, the law looks at that transaction as if the person actually did it themselves. In like manner, whatever we do or say in the name of Jesus, it is as if Jesus is doing it himself. But to do or say something inconsistent with the character and actions of Jesus and claim to be doing or saying it in his name is not an exercise of faith; it is an exercise of the futile use of magic!

To pray for something that is inconsistent with God’s will, saying the words; in the name of Jesus, is not an exercise of faith; it is an attempt to use magic! Now, the reason so many people are attempting to use magic rather than faith is because many actually have faith in faith instead of having faith in God! It is not enough to “just have faith.” The faith we have must be grounded in the truth of God’s word! We can have the faith; but is it God’s will? It could be God’s will; but do we really have faith? And what is the motivation for our request of healing or blessing or anything we ask of God? Is it merely for our comfort? Or is it for His glory?

Now this was by no means an attempt to analyze this question in a deep exegetical manner, just a few thoughts to help us to stop and really think about what we say and do on a consistent basis; “in the name of Jesus.” The question is: Is it faith or is it magic?