21/07/10

Taking the Name of the Lord

Zephaniah 3:9 - For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.


In my previous mails I have mentioned one of the areas of spiritual growth is from hope to trust, trust to faith and faith to authority.

Hope is an expectation, trust comes from experience, faith comes from knowledge and authority from understanding. It is only when we know the plan of God for us and the right we have when we become Sons of God, then alone we will be able to have fullness of faith which is authority in the name of the Lord.

Now comes the question what is the Name of the Lord. People would all say, Yahweh, Elohim, El-Shadai etc. In simple sense these are names (plural) by the scriptures say Name (singular). Now if among these are the Name of the Lord, then which one and who will decide.

When the Lord spoke to his people, He referred to Himself with these various names, but these are not His Name, they are just descriptive words or references to Him. It is like when we speak to one another about a person and we do not know that person completely including his name we will use descriptive words which are unique to him to identify him among others.

For among the names of the Lord is the name 'Jealous' which people quietly filter away out of convince. They mistake it with the English meaning without knowing the Hebrew word means 'the possessiveness of a mother over her children'.

Now coming to the true Name of the Lord is it in the Bible?

The answer to that is a No and a Yes.

Firstly understand that the Name of the Lord is as holy as the Lord is. Like man with sin cannot come before true glory God similarly sinful man cannot take the Name of the Lord, if he does he will die.

But God knowing that without His Name we will perish has been giving us the shadow of His Name in the Old Testament as Yahweh, El-shadai, Elohim, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob etc. But in the New Testament the only person Who knew Him gave us His Name as Father. Jesus never said speak to Yahweh, or pray to Elohim, but Jesus always referred to God and God the Father. It is only when corrupt man is made incorruptible will he know the Name of the Lord. For it is by this Name that Angels have the tremendous power.

Jesus came to give us authority, which is power and therefore gave us His Name. Jesus Himself used His Name to protect his disciples, for hidden in his Name is the Name of the Father. That does not mean the meaning of the word 'Jesus' which is 'God our Salvation'.

The Name of the Lord cannot be written nor spoken with human lips but only one way and that is from a purified heart. One may keep on saying the name 'Jesus' but it is only when one is in relation with Jesus, eaten of His desires and become one with Him will one have power when he speaks the Name of the Lord by taking the Name Jesus, for the Name of Jesus is above all names.

In today's scripture the Lord promises us that He will purify our inner man so that we will be able to take His Name and have power being one in His Son.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, You came from the Father and You alone know the Father. Lord Jesus, it is only because of You that we can come before the Father and become His Sons. Lord, help each one of us to be one in You by having your desires be ours by eating your flesh...

This prayer we make in your Mighty Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Exodus 3:15
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Exodus 34:14
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

John 17:12
12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

John 20:31
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Acts 3:6-8
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.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Acts 4:29-30
29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

Acts 19:13-16
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Philippians 2:9-11
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 45:23
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

John 6:53-57
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)