Lesson 2 The Power Of His Name

     We read in Philippians 2:9 (Amplified), "Therefore (because He stooped so low) God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name."  Verse 10 goes on, "That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."
     The power of this name is the source of the liberty of the Church, both now and forever.  This name holds all authority both in heaven and earth.  In Matthew 28:18-19 (Amplified), "Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them, 'All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.'"  There is no greater power in the universe than the name of Jesus.
     The Church has learned that in order to be saved, they must be born again by making Jesus the Lord of their lives.  We've learned that He bore our sin and have made Him our Savior.  We've allowed Him to be Savior, but don't seem to understand how to make Him Lord.  He's Lord no matter what we say or do.  He's Lord even to the unbeliever and satan himself.  There's no question about His Lordship, but we as the Church have had a problem about knowing how to let Him be Lord.  Like I said, we know Him as our sin-bearer, but do we allow Him to really be Lord in our lives? 
     When God raised Jesus from the dead, and according to Ephesians 1: 16-23 (Amplified) PLEASE READ THESE SCRIPTURES FOR YOURSELF! He placed His name "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named (above every title that can be conferred) not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come."
     There's no higher rule, ever; not just the forgiveness of our sin, but the very power of His name to use on our behalf.  In this same book of Ephesians 3:10 (Amplified), we find that we, the Church, are to use this name in power and righteousness to glorify God by it.  The purpose is" that through the Church the (complicated, many sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects) might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere."
     We, the Church, are to use this name to set at liberty, all who are bound.  The power of His name in the lips of the Church is a fearful sound in the heart of the enemy.  We've used His name in prayer, but some now have been reluctant to use His name in force and command against our adversary.  By not having understood the power of attorney for the use of His name, we have allowed satan to still rule in our lives.
     In Luke 10:17 (Amplified) we read where "the seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!'"  These men weren't born again and Jesus hadn't even gone to the cross or resurrected yet.  Still His name held authority over demonic powers.  Surely, we as the Church, should understand the power of His name more than they did.  Maybe we're afraid we'll overstep our bounds and use this authority wrong.  Or, maybe we've been deceived by the enemy not to use it at all.  Now that you've been born again, you have every right by our Father to the use of His name to maintain your liberty and to give liberty to whosoever will be set free.  The difference of His name in prayer and His name in authority in the lips of the believer is altogether different.
     His name in prayer is access to the throne of God at anytime.  It's the very righteousness that causes God to accept and to hear us.  His name in command is what lets the enemy know that we understand just who this Lord is and that we stand in the power of His name.  James 4:7 (Amplified) says, "So be subject to God, resist the devil (stand firm against him) and he will flee from you."  The only way to resist the devil is to use the name of Jesus and to stand in faith.  Satan doesn't fear you, he fears the name of Jesus.  You can't make a deal with him to leave you alone and satan doesn't care that you are saved.  As a matter of fact, you're the very ones that the devil wants to get too.  He already has the unsaved deceived and now he wants to deceive the believer into thinking he's at satan's mercy.  You weren't left in the enemy's hand as helpless.  You have His name as a legal right to use at your defense.  The enemy understands the power of Jesus' name better than most of the Church.  This name was given to us when He was raised from the dead and is still ours to use.  All of the angels, all of God's Word, and all of God's power is in that name.
     If we have power of attorney to the use of Jesus' name, then everything that His name holds in power and authority is still in His name.  If J.C. Penney gave you the power of attorney, then would have authority over everything he has.  Joseph had power of attorney over all of Egypt and had authority over everything except Pharaoh himself.
     You're not Jesus, but you have His name, His authority, His blood and His Spirit.  You're seated with Him in heavenly places in all power and authority.  Ephesians 2:6 (Amplified) says that, "He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."  If we are in Him and seated with Him, then we have use of His name to command the enemy (just as He did).  When the enemy comes, resist him by the power of the name that is above every name...JESUS!