In His Name

Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also has 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.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

Jesus Christ is Lord! His name is above every name! Everything we say or do should be in His name. I think we have been mostly obedient to do that. We always pray in the name of the Lord. When we minister healing, deliverance, and blessings it is always done in the name of the Lord. But isn’t it troublesome how often we speak something in His name and nothing happens? Does it bother you some? It bothers me! Why do we seem to be so ineffective? Have you ever asked God, “God, why is Your Word not working? You promised so many things. Why aren’t they happening? Don’t You back up Your Word anymore?” If these thoughts haven’t crossed your mind, they’ve crossed mine. Well, let’s see if we can find an answer. I believe there is one.

We notice in the Parable of the Sower that there were three levels of fruitfulness among the good ground hearers (Matthew 13:1-9). These three levels or stages of fruitfulness depict three levels of spiritual growth for a Christian. They are also clearly illustrated by three Greek words used in the Scriptures: (1) Teknion = a babe, (2) teknon = an adolescent, (3) huios = a full-grown son, maturity.

Galatians 4:1-2 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

In various parts of the world there are different traditions, ways of thinking, idioms, etc. In the East it is different than it is here in the West. Here in the West when parents have their first son, the father looks through the nursery window and says, “That’s my son! That’s my son!” But among the Israelites it was not so. Son was a title that was not given to a child. As long as the heir was a child he was as a servant, even though he was the owner of everything (Galatians 4:1).

There are three pictures of Christ in the Scriptures that depict the three stages of growth. The first time you see Him is as a babe in a manger. He was a teknion. The next time you see Him is when He was about twelve years old in the temple. It was when His parents had left and upon realizing that He was missing went back and found Him in the temple. And He said, “Know ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). At this point He was an adolescent, a teknon. The next time you see Him is when He went to the river Jordan to be baptized by John. When He came up out of the water a voice out of heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Now He is a huios, a full-grown Son. That was His public appearance. Our public appearance will be the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19).

Ephesians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
5 Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

The phrase adoption of children in verse 5 is literally “adoption of sons.” The Greek word for “adoption” is huiothesia, and it means, “the placing of a son.” When a male child was born he was under his mother until the time for his training under tutors and governors (Galatians 4:2). But when the child reached full age (Hebrews 5:14), a responsible adult, then the father held the ceremony of adoption (huiothesia). At this time he received the title of “son.” In our way of thinking he would have been a son all along, but to them becoming a son was something special.

It was at this time that he could receive his inheritance, and he now had the right to use his father’s name. Why aren’t we saying, “In the name of Jesus,” with greater effectiveness? Well, grow up and be placed as a son (huiothesia). Then you will have the right to use your Father’s name and to receive your inheritance. Christians talk about the inheritance they will have in heaven. Well, if you grow up spiritually and become a son, then you can pull it out of heaven and bring it into the present.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use His name at all now. Start learning how. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Colossians 3:17. But when the Body of Christ is placed as a son, it will receive its inheritance and the right to use the Father’s name. The Body of Christ will make its public appearance, and you will really see God moving in the earth!

Back