© 2021 Philip M Spence
The Bible gives us the expression ‘In the name of Jesus’ which we understand to be an essential part of how we pray. The New Testament also gives us many other things that are possible or that should occur in the name of Jesus.
‘In the Name of Jesus’ means ‘in or with His authority’. To do things in the name of Jesus is only possible because we do them with His authority. Jesus said that He has been given all authority and that we are to fulfil His purposes in His authority (Matthew 28:18-20).
[1] Christ Exalted
Firstly, God has exalted Jesus’ name above everything and everyone in Heaven and on earth. This means that God the Father has given Jesus a position that is the highest of all. Along with that, the Father has given Him the highest and greatest authority in Heaven and on earth.
The outcome of this exaltation is that everyone will one day acknowledge Jesus for who He is and respond to Him in surrender and submission. As we live a surrendered life and function in Christ’s authority, we become the visible expression of His exaltation to the earth. Through this there will be many who will enter the Kingdom and accept Jesus as their King (Philippians 2:9-11).
[2] Washed, Sanctified, Justified
The Apostle John said that when we believe and receive Jesus, we then are given the right to become sons of God. The process of becoming sons includes being washed clean, being set apart to God, and being completely freed from our past (John 1:12-13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
In the light of our past sin and the devil’s desire to condemn us for it, on what authority can we be delivered from these things? It is on the authority of the one who provided redemption for us. No one else can authorise us to be free, but if Jesus authorises our freedom then we are completely and unreservedly free!
[3] Baptism
On the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter told the crowd that they should be baptised in the name of Jesus. This means that when we are baptised, and we baptise others, it is because Jesus has authorised us to do so. Baptism is something we have the authority to do because Christ has authorised us.
The authority to baptise does not come from a church, denomination or ministry. We are therefore not baptised into a church or denomination. We are baptised into Christ because He is the only one who authorises baptism (Acts 2:38-39; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:4-7)
[4] Kingdom Living
Life in the Kingdom of God is meant to be one of overcoming and being more than conquerors. We are to be the head and not the tail; above and not beneath. We are positioned in the highest place with Christ. In fact, being a believer means we already have the highest promotion that any human being can be given (Romans 8:31-39; Deuteronomy 28:13; Ephesians 1:4-7).
Because of the position we have, everything we do and say can and must be with the authority of the King Himself. This means we live a lifestyle authorised by the King. Therefore every part of our lives is lived as though Christ Himself is living in and through us (Colossians 3:17).
[5] Preaching and Teaching
Our preaching must be done in the name or authority of Jesus. This means that when we speak about Jesus and His Kingdom, we must be aware that we are authorised by Him to do so. This keeps us accountable to Him for what we preach and how we preach it.
If we preach and teach in His authority, we will be emboldened in our preaching. Boldness is a by-product of knowing we have His authority to speak what He has given us to say. Boldness gives us the courage to address issues in society with the gospel of the Kingdom. Boldness will cause us to not shrink from difficult discussions or even threats (Acts 9:27-29)
Because we are authorised by the King Himself, we preach and teach with an authority that is higher than any human government or authority. This gives us boldness to continue to declare and demonstrate the Kingdom of God regardless of the possible consequences (Acts 4:18-31).
[6] Healing
Because we are believers, we are those who heal infirmed people with the authority given to us by King Jesus. We do not have to beg God for healing. We do not have to pray long prayers to move Him to heal. Also, we don’t have to shout or use certain formulae to bring physical or psychological healing into someone’s life.
To pray for healing in the name of Jesus is to release His authority against sickness and disease and deliver healing. Because this is an action using His authority, we command sickness to go and healing to occur and it must obey. Jesus commanded that people be healed and they were. The original apostles commanded that people be healed and they were. We are authorised to do the same (Acts 3:6-7).
[7] Deliverance
Jesus gave His disciples authority to cast out devils. He also said that this exercise of His authority would characterise the lives of believers. Because we act in His authority, the devils are afraid of us and must obey us. We are not afraid of them; we function in Christ’s authority in dealing with them (Luke 9:1-2; Mark 16:17-18).
The sons of Sceva were not authorised by the King so they not only could not cast out a devil but suffered at the hands of the demoniac. However, the Apostle Paul cast out devils in the name of Jesus. When he did so he confessed where the authority to do it came from. The devils had to obey because of the authority in which Paul functioned. (Acts 16:18; Acts 19:11-20)
[8] Ministry to God and One Another
Jesus our anointed King has authorised those who believe in Him to engage in ministry to God and one another. This includes sharing the word of God with each other, submitting to one another, and giving praise, worship and thanks to God (Ephesians 5:18-21).
Because we are authorised by Him to engage in these things, we must honour Him by conducting ourselves the way in which He directs, and that will bring glory to Him. We are not authorised to draw attention to ourselves; we minister to God and one another in His authority so He must be seen in us.
[9] Apostolic Counsel
The Apostle Paul counselled churches in the authority of Jesus the anointed King. His authority didn’t come from a human being, an organisation, or through having a position and title. Paul taught, exhorted, pleaded and corrected the churches with the authority that can only come from Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 1:10).
The churches that recognised Paul’s apostleship also recognised that his authority came from Christ Himself. Paul referred to the authority in which he functioned when giving direction and instruction to the churches. In the same way, church leaders must function in Christ’s authority, not in the way of the world (2 Thessalonians 3:6-7).
[10] Order in the Ekklesia
Apostles are authorised and graced to deal with disciplinary matters in the church. They are also given the dimensions of authority required to protect and deliver the church from satanic influence and activity. These things are not possible if they are not functioning in the authority given by Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 5:1-5).
The grace carried by the Apostle Paul caused Him to see when things were out of God’s order. He was then able to know the order that would glorify the Lord. He would establish this Godly order in the authority that Christ had given him (1 Corinthians 14:40).
If and when we say ‘In the name of Jesus’, we will see greater outcomes as a result of understanding that we are confessing that everything we do and say is with the authority that can only come from Christ Himself.
Blessings,
Phil Spence