In the Name of Jesus

The name of Jesus has healing, deliverance, life, truth; He is King of kings and Lord of lords, the Almighty. He is the way, the truth, and the life. His very name was chosen because He would save from sin;

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

We cannot fully and completely describe, fathom, or perceive the depth of the power in His name. And yet, when we hear the phrase “In the name of Jesus” we often misplace the needed emphasis in the phrase; we must be “in” Jesus for the desired thing to occur. The seven sons of Sceva tried to use the name Jesus and were soundly defeated because they were not “in” Him (Acts 19:13 – 17). Look at the Gentiles in the following scripture to understand the emphasis;

Matthew 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

The statement in the sentence is not that all Gentiles trust in Him, and the emphasis is not His name. But the trust is in and with those who are in Him, in His name. Consider the following scriptures;

Matthew 18:19, 20 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The seven sons of Sceva were certainly more than two or three, and were … gathered together … to use the name Jesus, but they were not “in” Him. As a result, He was not in their midst. The two or three must be “in” Him. The agreement of two or three that is mentioned is not only in mind or word, but “in” Jesus in heart. Read the phrase “as touching”; if it were removed the sentence would not read the same. As touching has a heart element, a spiritual aspect to it. There is a depth of being in Jesus, being in faith in Him, that we need to understand in the church today.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Peter gives the initial element needed to be in Him; repentance. It is the beginning of being “in” Him; justification. The further step of baptism is going further “in” Him. These steps must continue on the path of sanctification. By being “in” Him the gift of the Holy Ghost is available to us. But we must get beyond the mind knowledge of what being “in” Him is, and receive Him in our heart. We must live “in” Him, and dwell “in” Him.

The account of the man at the gate Beautiful also shows an example of being in Him.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Peter acknowledges giving what he has, the knowledge and faith in the power of the name. If Peter were not in Him, he would not have boldly stepped out in this faith. Multitudes of people were changed by the healing of this man; desire to be “in” Him in such a way! Peter then acknowledges to all the people in the temple the part faith played in the healing;

Acts 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Peter spoke to the people that were marveling at the miracle of the necessary faith they needed. Being in Him is the element of faith; how deep will you go in this faith? Peter spoke slightly differently to the rulers he was called before;

Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Imagine being condemned and taken to task for a miracle. Peter recognizes, and still boldly declares, … Be it known unto you all. Why did Peter add Nazareth with the name of Jesus? It specifically brings home the man, and not just His deity as God. It recognizes His life, His walk, His perfection although in the fleshly body. Peter then notes the price Jesus paid, and the life that is again in Him. There is no recognition of Peter or John in his statement, but only the glory due unto Jesus, the performer of the miracle. This shows and recognizes being “in” Him, and the power that is in His name.

This emphasis on the word “in” should not in any way diminish or limit your faith of the name Jesus, but should increase it. The depth of your relationship and faith in Him will determine the depth of power you have with Him. We know that He can, but we do not see that He will, because of our needing to be more “in” Him, and empty of flesh. The natural man, or flesh, cannot discern spiritually the things of God (I Corinthians 2:14). Understanding this should draw you to seek Him in a deeper, greater way as you understand the power available “in” His name. We must get beyond being “in” the flesh to find victories “in” His name;

Romans 8:7, 8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

We see here the difference in the physical word flesh, and the carnal nature of the flesh. Enoch was in the physical flesh, yet he pleased God, and God took him. Let us look for a moment to the example of Jesus; while He took on the flesh of a man, He was not “in” the flesh;

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

I Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

We see that Jesus was not “in” the flesh carnally, because they beheld His glory. He walked in the power of the Spirit to accomplish the things he did, and He acknowledged being “in” the Father;

John 14:10, 11 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works sake.

Jesus acknowledges that it was the Father in Him that did the works! How can we expect to do any differently without being “in” Him? Read of His temptation in the wilderness, and realize that He … was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He was the perfect, unblemished, sacrifice to reconcile us to the Father. Until He reconciled us, we could not be “in” the Father because of our sin. Consider His overcoming in the following verses;

Hebrews 5:7 – 10 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Verse 7 tells of His prayer in the garden, and we see Jesus battling the frailty of the physical flesh that we all know. In Luke it says His prayer was so intense He … sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. He had a fear of death, and was heard of God, but overcame to fulfill the will of God. Though He was the heir, the owner of everything, the word says He … learned obedience by the things which He suffered. By His obedience He was made perfect, and released those who would be “in” Him from their bondage and captivity to the flesh. We then must obey Him.

Returning to John 14, we can then see the possibilities;

John 14:12 – 14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 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.

We have the possibility/ability to do greater things because Jesus went to the Father. Why is that? Because He will do it! When He became a man He gave up the use of the power of being God, and He walked in the Spirit. By going to the Father He has taken up His deity again, and all power is available “in” His name. Brother Clendennen said we are to be an empty possibility. He also said we were only created to be an habitation of God. We can not do these things if we are in the flesh. This is how and why Jesus said He was in the Father and the Father in Him; He was empty of the carnal nature and had become the habitation of the Father. Our faith and belief in Him, and humbleness and obedience open the door to great things! Desire to be “in” Jesus in a greater way! It is here that “His name” has the way, the truth, the life, and power, and honor, and glory that we cannot imagine if we are not in Him. As we see in the many examples of the lives of the apostles, His name avails all of these things when we walk or abide “in” Him;

John 15:4, 5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

May you so abide in Him, and He in you, that the name of Jesus bears much fruit in you, because you are “in” Him!