Good morning, church. God has given a specific word for us today—including me—and I believe it is special because it deals with truths we know so well. There is no "new" information or hidden revelation here, but the Lord laid this so strongly on my heart that I feel he wants to remind us of it. As we meditate on these scriptures, I request that you make them a prayer, a declaration, and a proclamation, because there is power in declaring the Word of God aloud.
Key Pillars of Standing in His Name
The Power of Proclaiming the Word
God told Joshua to never let the Word depart from his mouth day and night; it is not enough to just read it in our minds.
We must have the high praises of God and the two-edged sword of His Word in our mouths to see an impact.
Proclamation is a spiritual tool that creates an impact in the world around us and the unseen realm.
All Authority is Invested in Jesus
Jesus is the heir of all things and the exact representation of God's nature, upholding all things by his powerful word.
Because of His act of redemption, God has given Him a name more excellent than any other.
He is seated far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, not only in this age but in the one to come.
Scripture: "God... in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things..." — Hebrews 1:1-4.
Scripture: "...far above all rule, all authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named..." — Ephesians 1:21.
The Authority of the Name in Action
When Peter and John encountered the crippled man at the gate called Beautiful, they gave him what they had: the name of Jesus.
The man didn't just stand; he leaped up and walked instantly by the power of God.
The religious leaders were astonished because they recognized that Peter and John, though uneducated and untrained, had been with Jesus.
Scripture: "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk." — Acts 3:6.
Scripture: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven... by which we must be saved." — Acts 4:12.
Standing Solely in His Righteousness
We do not stand before the Father based on how long we prayed or by stopping our bad habits; those are filthy rags.
We stand solely in the finished work of the cross and the righteousness of Christ alone.
God has taken our "rejected" stamp and replaced it with "forgiven" and "redeemed".
Scripture: "He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross... God has highly exalted him..." — Philippians 2:8-9.
The Necessity of True Lordship
Praying in Jesus' name is not a "magic word," "coupon code," or a "secret password".
It is a relationship; the ability to use the name comes from being close to the Person who owns the name.
If Christ is not Lord of all—including our secret thoughts and desires—then He is not Lord at all in our lives.
Scripture: "Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do... If you love me, you will keep my commandments." — John 14:13-15.
Scripture: "You did not choose me, but I chose you... so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give to you." — John 15:16.
Sincere Heart vs. Empty Repetition
True prayer is a heartfelt vocalization of inner longings, not a "radio" we just turn on to play automatically.
The Lord does not hear us because of the beauty or perfection of our words, but because of a broken and loving heart.
We must check our motives; asking for the wrong reasons, like personal credit or pleasure, hinders our prayers.
Scripture: "This is the confidence... that if he asks anything according to his will, he hears us." — 1 John 5:14.
Conclusion
As we go from here, remember that you are an ambassador for Christ, representing Him in every word and action. Like the sun spreading warmth, let your godliness rub off on others to connect them back to God. When you face "impossible" situations this week, do not just utter "in Jesus' name" as a habit. Instead, stand in His righteousness, surrender your will as Jesus did in Gethsemane, and watch the power of that name change your life.
