The Power of Jesus Name

Acts of the Apostles 4:5-12   Psalm 23   1 John 3:16-24   John 10:11-18

Last week we read that a crippled man begged Peter and John for alms. They replied, "I have no money, but I do have the power of Jesus’ Name. Stand up and walk." When an excited crowd gathered, Peter called them to repentance and faith in Jesus. The temple authorities arrested them for preaching Jesus. The leaders ask: "By what power or by what name did you do this?"

In the Bible a name reveals the essence of a person. The name is the person. The Hebrew word for salvation, yeshuah, is also Jesus’ name. His name is “salvation.” He is salvation. Name is identity.

When the temple authorities ask, “By what name did you do this?” what they means is “who has authorized you?” Peter’s response is, "We belong to Jesus and share His power." Anything we do in Jesus' name is a declaration that we belong to Him. It is a profession of faith that Jesus is salvation.

The power of Jesus’ Name is Jesus Himself within us healing us as we are healed, His power then should pour out of us into others. We are all mortally wounded by Sin and Death. Our mind/nous and heart are broken. We cannot save ourselves; the Word Incarnate and Holy Spirit do, but we must synergistically cooperate. The faithful Ancient Church has told us to pray* the name Jesus. We love and trust Him. We obey Him. We lives as His servants. We pray His name, over and over and over. This "Jesus Prayer" opens our mind and heart to healing. It is also our submission to Him as Lord. Pray: Lord Jesus, mercy. Lord Jesus, save me. Pray it, over and over, until your mind and heart are healed, until He lives in you and you in Him.

The power of Jesus’ Name can also heal others through us. We have His power within us. We can forgive sins in His Name. We heal can the sick in His Name. We can set people free in His Name. We can because He does it. Remember Peter said, “It is Jesus who heals, not our own piety or power.”

“In His Name” means “Jesus in us.” The Name is the Person. This is why theosis matters. There are reasons why praying in “His Name” seems ineffective. Too much fear, doubt, sin; the world and the devil fight hard. Christians keep Jesus at a distance. The power of Jesus within us will increase as our own union with Him increases. Remember, Jesus and the apostles do not pray for people, they command health, deliverance, and salvation. They do not doubt, but our broken minds and broken hearts are rarely up to the task. Our relationship is tenuous, our theosis incomplete. We ask Jesus to take care of the things He has sent us to do.

Let us consider this analogy. A parent sends the teenager to clean their room. After two hours the child returns with a list of things in the room which are out of order. Does the parent then use the list to clean the room? NO, they send the child back. "I sent you to clean the room," says the parent. God sent Jesus to save the world, and Jesus sends us to clean things up. "Go in my name and do what I do," Jesus commands us. Our response is prayer lists, divine 'to-do' lists loaded with all manner of human misery and suffering. When the man asked Peter for alms, did Peter say, "I have no money but I can put you on the prayer list!" When Jesus preached to the crowds did He invite them to put their names on a prayer list? No. Jesus and His apostles commanded health. How should we pray our prayer lists? With authority in Jesus Name (in Jesus) with faith we send His power to heal. We do not beg, doubt or fear. IN Jesus, WITH Jesus we do the ministry of Jesus. 

If we faithfully pray the Jesus prayer, the Holy Spirit will faithfully heal and sanctify us. His Name, Jesus Himself, we be the power within us. God’s goal for each of us is to have “a Peter and John moment”—to be healed and heal others in Jesus’ Name.

*for more information see here:
https://oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/spirituality/prayer-fasting-and-almsgiving/the-jesus-prayer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer