The Name of Jesus Is Powerful

Names are important. It’s how we identify with each other.

Every new parent knows how important the name of a child is because it can cause couples to fight when they can’t agree on the name for their future child. For example, the name, Aaron means “exalted”. Or the name Elizabeth means “God is my oath.” Every name given to a child has a different meaning.

In the Bible, names were important too. Your name could describe who you were. Take Jacob for example, his name means a deceiver and he was a manipulative person until he had an encounter with God. After his experience with God, his name changed to Israel which means “God perseveres.”

If a name has that kind of impact then what about the name Jesus? Does his name have power?

It does not have power, it is power.

When Peter and John went to the synagogue, they encountered a man who was lame from birth. This man was begging for money and Peter said to him silver and gold I do not have but in the name of Jesus walk.

When the religious leaders saw that this man was healed, they asked Peter and John “By what power or what name did you do this?” Acts 4:7 NIV. This was their answer “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.”Acts 4:10 NIV.

The man was healed by the name of Jesus. This tells us that name of Jesus is powerful.

That is why David said to his enemy, you come against me with your javelin and spear but I come against you in the name of the Lord (1 Samuel 16). In James, he writes, if anyone is sick they should anoint that person with oil and pray for the person to be healed in the name of God (James 5:14). And the psalmist says, some trust in chariots and horses, but we trust in the name of God (Psalm 20:7).

All of these people wrote about and talked about the name of Jesus this way, why?

Because the name of Jesus is power.

His name brings healing.

His name brings hope.

his name opens doors.

His name cast our demons.

His name can do the impossible.

If his name has that much power, shouldn’t we say call on his name when we are in trouble, praise him when we have victory and share his love when we talk to someone?

In the middle of the night when my sister is trying to put her baby to sleep and she cries, she picks her up and sits in the rocking chair with her. She begins to hum or sings tunes trying to calm her baby. But my sister tells me she continues to cry and cry and cry. However, my sister also shared with me that when she begins to sing “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so ….” She says her baby instantly stops crying, why?

Because the name of Jesus is powerful.