7. Power in the Name of Jesus Christ

7. Power in the Name of Jesus Christ

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Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name.
— Jesus

That the name of Jesus Christ is a real, practical, wonder-working, result-producing power there is no doubt.

In the Acts of the Apostles we find that, immediately following the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter and John one day instantly healed "a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb . . . whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms." This healing was done through Peter by the spoken word: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

We further read that "immediately his feet and his ankle-bones received strength. And

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leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they took knowledge of him, that it was he that sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. . . .

"And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus ... And by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong."

The following day when the rulers of the Jews, the high priests and others, were gathered together, they set Peter and John (whom they had arrested the night before for preaching and healing in this name) in their midst and began to ask:

"By what power, or in what name, have ye done this [meaning the healing of this man]?

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Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders ... be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ . . . whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole. . . . And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved."

Later on in the ministry of Peter we read of his healing Aeneas, who kept his bed eight years, sick of palsy:

"And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose."

Paul in the same way healed instantly a certain damsel possessed with a "spirit of divination": "Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour."

When Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Saviour, he said, "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name

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Immanuel," which being interpreted is "God with us." The Hebrew name Jesus means savior, Christ means the anointed of God: Jesus Christ, the Saviour anointed of God; Immanuel, God with us.

When the Christ, the Anointed, the very Son of God, came to abide in Jesus the result was the fullest conscious expression of the invisible Father that had ever occurred; and the very names that contain all power were given to this child by those devout souls who were open enough to receive them by direct illumination of the Spirit.

The name of Jesus Christ holds all power within it.

We know that all sensations, all impressions, either mental or physical, that reach man from without or within reach him through vibrations of one sort or another. We also know that different words spoken produce different effects. If one doubt this, let him speak out into the formless ether the word "power" over and over repeatedly. Then let him by way of experiment take the word "weakness" and do the same for a day; or take the words "love" and "hate," or

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any other opposing words, and watch the results. As we ascend from the outer or lower region of man, the physical, to the higher or more spiritual self living at his center, the vibratory movements by which all information or help is given become finer and subtler but infinitely more powerful.

The name or words Jesus Christ, with all their original meaning behind them and embodied in them, produce spiritual vibrations of infinite fineness and power. The Master of spiritual things understood this, and many times as He was about to leave His humble disciples and was giving them last instructions He tried to impress upon them the truth that there is power in His name to accomplish things.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name: Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full."

And again: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do."

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Jesus Christ is a revelation of God in man. He is invisible God made visible. Jesus Christ is "God-with-us" made visible. This is exactly what we all need and desire, did we but know it. This same Christ abiding within you and me is God come forth to center or focus Himself in humanity. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves." "For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Because of this intimate relationship we may each become in Christ's name and stead a savior, always remembering however that the "exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves." Of ourselves we can do nothing. All the power we have comes to us and through us from the Spirit of God. "Unto each one of us was the grace given [free gift of wisdom, power, and so forth] according to the measure of the gift of Christ."

When a person is given authority to speak or act in the name of a king or of a chief executive,

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his speaking or acting carries with it the full power vested in the ruler together with that of the entire government behind him. When using the name with full authority, we speak in the name of Jesus Christ, the anointed Son of God, the Saviour unto whom has been given "all authority ... in heaven and on earth," we become even "as he is ... in this world," and we set in motion a mighty though invisible force to accomplish that whereto our word is sent.

Is your way so hedged in by difficulties that you do not know which way to turn ?

Jesus Christ says, "I am the way." Take His name and use it. There is surely power in it to open ways that the finite mind never dreamed of. Let your silent affirmation constantly be "Christ is the way now, Christ is the way made visible, for Christ is 'God-with-us' made visible or the invisible way made visible."

Let go of all external ways and see the marvelous way that will appear before you when you trust this word spoken in His name.

Do all the doors of escape from physical or mental bondage in your daily life seem closed to you?

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Jesus Christ says, "I am the door." Stand still and see the salvation that He will work for you when you begin to say: "Christ is the door, the open door made visible now this moment. 'God-with-me' is my Saviour and deliverer." Says the Christ within us this very day, right in the midst of our seeming bondage of environment or circumstances, "I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut." Jesus Christ is the open door. By it — this door — we may enter into visible possession of the good that He has for us. We must first stop all external planning for escape and then enter in by faith and by continual affirmation that Christ is now the open door made visible.

Does all your life seem dark and gloomy, nay, covered by a thick black darkness wherein is no light at all?

Remembering that Jesus Christ is "God-with-us" made visible, recall what He said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." It is God speaking to you. Take up the name and remember that "whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do."

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Your darkness will soon glow with the true "light which lighteth every man, coming into the world."

Does sickness reign in your body? Still "God-with-us" made visible is the remedy.

"As the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself"; and the Son is within us.

Is your illness a desperate one?

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live." Your case is not quite so bad as "dead," is it? Even if it is, just let go of everything else and take up the all-powerful, all-prevailing name: "Jesus Christ is my life. Christ is God made visible. The life more abundant is this same Christ within me made visible now. He that believeth on this name (the power of the name), though he were dead yet am I his resurrection." "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

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"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full." This is the message coming out of the silence from the invisible Father to His children: "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full." A marvelous message indeed!

Christ in us is our all-sufficiency in all things. Is. It is a finished condition as far as He is concerned; but we must bring it forth into the material world of manifestation by claiming it (speaking the word of it in His name) and sticking to it through thick and thin no matter what the appearance is. "Judge not according to appearances."

There is a marvelous power for protection and deliverance in this name when it is simply and earnestly spoken. In times of great mental disturbance or of lack of wisdom, in times when peace and harmony seem to have fled from the home or when one is in the presence of impure-minded persons or of any false teaching or association, just quietly repeating within one's own heart the sacred and all-powerful name of Jesus Christ will not only keep one's own mind

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in perfect peace ("Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" Psalms 26:3) but it will radiate some marvelous and living power from the indwelling divine presence. And all that is not of Christ flees away as did the devil-possessed men who cried out, "What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God?"

"The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; The righteous runneth into it, and is safe."

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will make mention of the name of Jehovah our God."

Seek often to retire from the world of noise ("Enter into thine inner chamber, and . . . shut thy door") to find revelation of the Christ in your own soul. Sit down quietly and alone and with closed eyes begin to say: "Jesus Christ is now present. He is within me." Say the words. Say them. You do not need to say anything else but just repeat the name. It will bring wonderful realization of the divine presence. One moment's real conscious communion with the Son of God is of more worth than a thousand worlds.