The power of the Name of Jesus
The Name of Jesus is powerful beyond our understanding, but it’s not a magic word or incantation. God works powerfully through His children who rely on the grace and authority of Jesus Christ. God exercises the power of Jesus Christ through us when we confess our sin, humble ourselves and trust completely in Him rather than our own strength or that of anything else. Evil seems to triumph in the world, but remember Jesus Christ has already overcome the world, our sin and the enemy. Jesus wins, always and forever.
Scripture
Acts 19:11-20 ESV And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. [13] Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” [14] Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. [15] But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” [16] And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. [18] Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. [19] And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. [20] So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Through the Scripture
Extraordinary miracles
Acts 19:11-12 ESV And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
John 14:10-14 ESV Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. [12] “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. [13] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Invoking the Name of Jesus
Acts 19:13-14 ESV Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” [14] Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
Mark 16:15-18 ESV And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. [16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink aIsaiah 45:22-24 ESV ny deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Empty words not designated messengers
Acts 19:15 ESV But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
Matthew 8:29 ESV And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Acts 19:12] ESV so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
Evil seeks to prevail with fear, shame and suffering
The enemy wants to shame us so that we will run from God in fear of judgment, Jesus humbles us so that we run to God in our suffering.
Acts 19:16 ESV And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
John 10:10 ESV The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 8:44 ESV You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Genesis 3:10 ESV And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
The Name of Jesus extolled
Acts 19:17 ESV And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
Isaiah 45:22-24 ESV “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. [23] By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ [24] “Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.
Philippians 2:9-11 ESV Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Confessing, exposing and openly burning bridges
Burning the bridges to your past sin will cost you,, but it’s worth every cent.
Acts 19:18-19 ESV Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. [19] And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
1 John 1:9-10 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
James 5:15-16 ESV And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, [23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
The Word of the Lord prevails powerfully
Acts 19:20 ESV So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Isaiah 55:10-13 ESV “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. [12] “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. [13] Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”