You might have heard it said—or sung—that “There is power in the name of Jesus.” But have you ever stopped to think about why His name is so mighty? Why do we lift His name on high? Why do we pray “in Jesus’ name, amen?” Philippians 2:9 (NIV) says, “Therefore God exalted Him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name,…” God Himself, eternal and almighty, who spoke all things into existence, breathing His breath and life into mankind’s nostrils, crowned Jesus—who is both fully God and fully man—with the only name that is above every other. There is no other name in all of the universe, past, present, and future, that can even be compared to His. No other God can heal, save, deliver, redeem, restore, work miracles, and do the impossible. He is the one true God who parts seas, raises the dead, and defeats our enemies. We call upon Him, acknowledge Him, and praise Him—because He proves to hold true to a multitude of names: Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), Savior (1 John 4:14), the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13), the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6), the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), the Lamb of God (John 1:29), our greatest Love (1 John 4:8), and countless more. He who is “I Am” is our Everything, and in Him we lack nothing.
Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV) goes on to say, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” He is so gloriously powerful that nothing can stand against Him and absolutely must bow down before Him, confessing Him as sovereign Lord over all. By proclaiming His name, we align ourselves with His will to work miracles. If we are in Christ, He is in us, and in His name, we can speak boldly, just as Peter did to a lame beggar in Acts 3:6-8 (ESV, emphasis added): “But Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” The Holy Spirit, who Himself was sent to us in Christ’s name (John 14:26), lived in Peter, but it was by declaring His name upon the lame beggar that Peter acknowledged the power of Christ and refused to rely on his own strength to complete the action, for apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Later in the chapter, Peter testifies to the astonished onlookers, “‘Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?… By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him, as you can all see’” (Acts 3:12; 16). Even during the Great Commission, credit to Jesus’ name was given: “‘And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well’” (Mark 16:17-18, NIV; bold emphasis added). These verses exemplify that to access Christ’s miraculous power and walk within it; we must first acknowledge His name so that we rely on His strength instead of our own, and the glory goes to Him alone. Psalm 115:1 (NIV, emphasis added) shares sentiments that further point to the awe and reverence we are to have unto Jesus’ name: “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.” If we do not acknowledge who Christ is, we lose sight of Him living inside us, and we focus on ourselves more than Him. But through uttering His name, we bring our attention back onto Him and align ourselves in our proper place of worship and reverence, abiding in Him and reminding ourselves who is Master over our lives.
Even the very famous prayer that Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9 (ESV) starts out with attributing to His name: “‘Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…”’” And in Revelation 4:8 (NIV), we read that “the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” These heavenly creatures unendingly acknowledge who God is—“holy” and “Lord God Almighty.” Why shouldn’t we live like this too, proclaiming His glorious name with every breath we have, continually increasing our awareness of His wondrous might and beauty? Besides, as Colossians 3:17 (ESV) says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
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