Lesson 10 The Power Of His Name

     We read in Acts 2:1-4 (Amplified), "And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place."  Verse 2 continues, "when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting."  Verse 3 says, "And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each of them."  Verse 4 goes on, "and they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues) as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expressions (in each tongue in appropriate words)."
     Until this time, satan only had to contend with one man who was filled with the Holy Ghost.  Jesus was the only one satan had to deal with.  At every turn, Jesus had totally defeated satan and left him helpless.  Suddenly, satan had to deal with 120 more people who walked in this power and wisdom of God.  If this wasn't enough to let the devil know that defeat was total and complete, then he watched in Acts 2:4 where more than 3,000 people were now more than his equal.
     Satan had first thought that when he had crucified Jesus that he'd won the battle and had slain the only one who was victorious.  Now, he knew that he couldn't keep the word of his defeat quiet anymore.  Satan had tried to explain away the absence of Jesus' body by saying that it was stolen, but now that lie was revealed as exactly that; a lie!
     Suddenly, what was one man to deal with was 120 and then to add insult to injury, 300 more were facing him.  His job was more and more difficult now as in Verses 46-47 he saw the people being drawn together by the Holy Spirit into one accord against him.  And, the Word says that they were adding to this number "daily those who were being saved."
     As miracles and healings like those Jesus performed began to be seen by the people and the word of His resurrection began to be proclaimed, satan knew he had to stop it wuickly.  In Acts 4:3-4 (Amplified) Peter and John were still preaching Jesus at every turn.  Satan saw his chance and had them both arrested.  But, to his dismay Verse 4 says that, "many of those who heard the message believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ) and their number grew and came to about 5,000."
     In Acts 4:16 (Amplified) satan is in a complete panic and decides to stir up the people in order to stop the preaching.  Verses 16-17 says, "What are we to do with these men?  for that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by them (through them) is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.  But in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn them and forbid them with a stern threat to speak anymore to anyone in this name (or about this person.)"
     Satan couldn't stop what was now a complete shambles of his former control over the people.  The name of Jesus and the truth of His resurrection was being made public knowledge everywhere.  Threatening the people only made them more determined to carry on with their preaching.  Now, not only were Peter and John preaching, but those who believed were preaching Jesus.
     In Acts 4:31 (Amplified) when the people heard the threats that were placed upon Peter and John, they began to pray and when they did "the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage."
     Satan, one would think, would have realized by now that this thing was getting out of hand.  His word of defeat was being published everywhere and satan was powerless to stop it.  The harder he tried, the worse it got for him.  Satan found out the hard way that threats wouldn't work against those who believed and that he had to try something else.
     Satan has know since that day that it was all over for him, yet to this day he tries to stop the name of Jesus from being preached.  In many lands yet today, they will put you in prison or put you to death for preaching Jesus' name.  But, it isn't working.  In many places they won't let Christian preachers into their country.  Bibles are being shipped in like contraband to believers all over the world.  Even in our nation of America, we're seeing the name of Jesus being attacked by public opinion and politicians.  But, it won't work here either.  Jesus' name is above all names.