The name of Jesus is powerful because Jesus saves us from the sin separating us from God, whose holiness frees us from the sin separating us from Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 KJV). The adversary hates the name of Jesus both because he loses followers, and he can no longer be saved from his own sins. Jesus, meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation,’ seeks to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). OT Israel had a limited view of salvation for the gentile world, just as the NT church has a limited view of salvation as only delivering us from the penalty of sin, but not from the necessity of having to sin. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thessalonians 5:23). The “name of Jesus”: (1) is essential to “receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), (2) was used for a lame man to “rise up and walk” (3:6), (3) was proclaimed, taught, spoken, and “preached boldly” by early disciples (4:10, 18; 5:40; 8:12; 9:27), and (4) was used to command a demon out of a fortune teller, “in the name of” (16:18). Why such critical importance for the “name of Jesus”? Because Jesus is the tip of the spear, the point of the arrow, the edge of the knife that defeats our true “adversary the devil” (1Peter 5:8), who tempts us to sin. But, of more importance, Jesus has promised to save us from ourselves. “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). Either sin separates us from God or God separates us from sin. LORD, You are the God of Salvation, who is able to save “to the uttermost” them that come to You through the name of Jesus (Hebrews 7:25). We do not want to waste our time with gods many and lords many, but only You. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). In Jesus name, we pray. Amen and amen.
Jehovah
Show Me Your Glory
Moses had just interceded for Israel after they worshipped a false god in the form of a Golden Calf. Jehovah heard and answered Moses’ prayer. Yahweh then promised, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14 KJV). Moses had already secured God’s promised presence, but he made a further request, which God will delight to answer for all His children. “I beseech Thee, shew [pronounced shō] me Thy glory” (33:18). “And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by: And I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face shall not be seen” (33:19-23). “When we respond to the glory of God, supernatural things will happen that otherwise would not” (Robert Henderson).
Confusion to the Enemy
“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city” (Psalm 55:9 NIV). Whenever someone is confused, they are confounded in their attempt to accomplish their goals. Likewise, David prayed for the Lord to confuse his enemies, as should we. Elisha prayed for blindness upon the Syrian army, who came to capture him. “And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha” (2Kings 6:18 KJV). LORD, teach us to wage war victoriously in our Spiritual Warfare. Amen.
Repurposing the Messiah
Jehovah gave His Messiah to Israel for the same reason He gave the Spirit of Christ to the New Covenant Church. “And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27 KJV). The intention of the LORD has always been to create a willing heart in His people. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power” (Psalm 110:3 KJV). It has always been about His children giving their heart to Yahweh. “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26 KJV). It has not been simply to build a nation or church but to join Himself to His people. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).
Praying for the Fulfillment of Prophecy
In Scripture, where can we see the necessity of praying for the fulfillment of prophecy? In the Babylonian Captivity, Daniel interceded for Israel to be allowed to return after 70 years (Daniel 9:2-3), just as promised by Jehovah (Jeremiah 29:10). If prophecy will be fulfilled because God promised it, why do we still need to pray? “I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them” (Ezekiel 36:36-37 KJV). In spiritual warfare, prayer is commanded, but it most importantly draws us to God, as well as extends His supernatural influence in this world. May Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.
A Reasonable God
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18 KJV). We are relieved to hear God announce His willingness to reason with us. If He was more harshly inclined, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy this opportunity to seek His better side. Just as gravity pulls our bodies down, our selfish actions push us away from God. Thank God, Jesus invited us, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 KJV).
We Need A Miracle 