No 3.    Healing Through the NAME and LIFE of Jesus Christ

THE USE OF THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST

            In the Old and New Testaments names were not just a title, but descriptive of the character, office, or authority of the person. e.g. Abraham means ‘father of many,’ Naomi means ‘pleasantness.’

            Concerning authority, a name had similar significance to a signet ring, which when it or its stamp was displayed on behalf of the owner, the viewer was obliged to obey the owner’s requests.  It was a symbol of the owner’s authority that had to be upheld.

            In Old Testament times a ruler could entrust his signet ring to his steward to exercise authority on his behalf.  In the same manner Jesus Christ has entrusted the authority of His name to His stewards to execute works that are in His will.

            The name of Jesus Christ has an authority and power attached to it above that of every other name. The special authority and power invested in the name of Jesus occurred after His resurrection, when God received Him back into heaven, and rewarded His sacrificial obedience by declaring His name to be above every name in creation.

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name [in authority and power], that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow [submit to and obey], of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:9-11.

            When used in the will of the Lord, the name of Jesus has such authority that everyone in heaven, on earth, or satanic spirits, are all obliged to obey. In ministry, when the name of Jesus is used in God’s will, the Holy Spirit always responds to execute the works of the Lord done in His name. 

Attributes Associated With the Names of Christ

          The measure of the power and universal capability of the name of Jesus Christ to accomplish all things is illustrated in the many titles given to Him. e.g.

SAVIOUR -- REDEEMER -- I AM -- THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH -- OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- OUR HOLINESS -- MEDIATOR -- HIGH PRIEST -- SHEPHERD -- LAMB OF GOD -- ADVOCATE -- WORD OF GOD -- LIGHT OF THE WORLD -- THE WAY -- THE TRUTH -- THE LIFE -- RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE -- OUR WISDOM  -- THE TRUE VINE --  IMMANUEL  -- LORD OF LORDS -- KING OF KINGS -- BREAD OF LIFE -- PRINCE OF PEACE

          Paul says that we were baptised into Jesus, and that we have put on Christ as one would clothe himself in a garment.  “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Gal 3:27-28. When we are baptised into Him or His Name, all of His attributes are potentially at our disposal in ministry.

 

Praying in the Name of Jesus

         Praying “in the name of Jesus” is not just a phrase we tack on at the start or finish of our prayers. It is an assertion that we belong to Jesus.  We are His possession – His redeemed and righteous ones, purchased by His sacrificed body and shed blood, entrusted to bear the ‘signet ring’ of His name.

         We approach a God so holy that Moses could not look at His face.  We are only able to converse with God on the basis of our bearing the name of Jesus.  For instance, Jesus is to us redemption, righteousness, holiness, salvation. He is our mediator, High Priest, the spotless Lamb of God, our way, and truth, and life. We are bearers of all of these redemptive blessings when we approach God in prayer in the name of Jesus.  We stand before God in and by the name of Jesus Christ. We stand because all of the attributes of His name are imparted to us.

THE USE OF THE NAME OF JESUS IN THE HEALING MINISTRY

His Final Promise:

          Jesus passed on the authority and power of his name to the church

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me* in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8.

The Power and Authority of His Name Given to the Apostles

“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease… These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying… heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,* cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matt 10:1-9.

Also Delivered to Seventy Disciples  or The Whole Church

“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also,* and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go… Then the seventy* returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:1, 17-20.

            The number 70 symbolises perfect completeness. The seventy disciples represent the whole church. The whole Church has the authority to wield the authority and power of the name of Jesus Christ, when it is initiated by the lord. This is verified in this reading from Mark.

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature… He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Mk 16:15-18.

The Power of the Name of Jesus in Action

          The authority and power associated with the name of Jesus was illustrated by Peter when he was used by Christ to heal a man who had been lame from birth.  Because Jesus was not physically present, it was the authority and power of His name entrusted to Peter that was used to accomplish the healing.

“And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: 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 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God.” Acts 3:2-9.

          When challenged by the Pharisees and the High Priest, Peter explained to them that it was the power associated with the name of Jesus that had accomplished the healing of the lame man.

Then Peter said… "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel… let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth… by Him this man stands here before you whole.” Acts 4:8-10.

The Need to know the NAME Personally Before Using the NAME

          These readings illustrate the need to know Jesus and the power associated with His name personally.  Accompanying this there should be a right heart attitude to honour His name through obedience.

“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We* exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." 1Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered* them, and prevailed against them,* so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.  This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." Acts 19:13-18.

“Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'   And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” Matt 7:22-23.

HEALIING BY THE LIFE OF JESUS

The Nature of The Life  (from Strongs Greek Dictionary of the New Testament)

zoe (NT:2222), is used in the NT of life as a principle, life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which He gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself, John 5:26, and which the Son manifested in the world. 1 John 1:2.

Man became alienated from this life as a consequence of the Fall, Eph 4:18, but now we may become partakers through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, John 3:15, who becomes its Author to all such as trust in Him, Acts 3:15, and who is therefore said to be 'the life' of the believer, Col 3:4, for the life that He gives He maintains, John 6:35.63, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4-5.

JESUS HIMSELF IS THE LIFE

            The name and the life of Jesus are closely associated because LIFE is part of His name  e.g.

"I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25.

 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6.

            Calling on the name of Jesus activates the power of the name of Jesus to work in the circumstances.

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Jn 20:30-31.

THE LIFE IS IN US

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20. (KJV)

“Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Rom 8:9-11.

Jesus used the analogy of the vine as the source of life to the branches to show us that without His life in us we can accomplish nothing.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’ John 15:4.

The Life is Received by Faith

“…I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,* … that Christ may dwell in

your hearts through faith”   Eph 3:14-17.

The Life is the Life of Jesus

The life of course is the life of Jesus, the life that He came to impart to us, and is now in us. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jn 10:10.

“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." John 6:33.

The Life of Jesus is Resurrection Life out of the Death of our Old Man

“…always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body”2 Cor 4:10.

“For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” 2 Cor 4:11.

The Life Grows Until it is Established in Us

My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you, Gal 4:19-20.

The World Cannot Receive “The Life”

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of* the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Eph 4:17-19.

“saved by his life”

This section applies mainly to our personal walk in Christ, and our continual appropriation of His life to overcome attacks on our bodies, and so enable us to be sustained in health.

“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Rom 5:10.

Definition of the word saved

From “Strongs”

NT:4982 ‎sozo    - heal, preserve, save, do well, be made whole.

From “Vines” To save one (from injury or peril); to save a suffering one (from perishing), e. g. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health:

In the light of these definitions, the reading takes on these additional meanings, which show the power of the life of Christ to generate healing and maintain health. e.g.  “…much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved, healed, preserved, restored, made well, by His life.