The Name Of Jesus
By Kenneth Hagin Jr.
The name of Jesus has been given to every believer as an inheritance vested with honor and authority.
To review briefly, we learned that the Name of Jesus is the most powerful name there is in Heaven and on earth. We also discovered that if we apply the Name of Jesus to any situation we face, we can come out victoriously on the other side.
This month, we’re going to examine how Jesus received His Name and the honor and power that came with it. Some people are born into a great family. They inherit their name. Some acquire their name because of something great that they’ve done. Their names are bestowed upon them. Others obtain their name through conquest. Jesus received His Name in each of these three ways.
First, realize that Jesus inherited His Name. The Bible has much to say about that. Let’s look in the first chapter of Hebrews.
HEBREWS 1:1-4
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4 Being made so m angels, as he hath obtained a more excellent Name than they.
Jesus inherited a more excellent Name than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. Not only did Jesus receive His Name by inheritance, but the Word of God tells us He is heir of all things (Heb. 1:2).
In Hebrews chapter 1, we begin to see Jesus set apart from every other heavenly being except God Himself. Hebrews 1:5 says, “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” This verse does speak of angels, but notice that Jesus’ position is supreme over them.
According to the Word of God, Jesus is far superior to any prophet who has ever lived (Phil. 2:9). You must realize, however, that there was a period of humiliation during which Jesus was made a little lower than the angels and came to earth. The Amplified Bible says, “But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself . . .” (Phil. 2:7,8).
Some religions don’t recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God, or that the Name of Jesus came by inheritance from God. One religion says, “Jesus is a human man who demonstrated Christ.” Another group claims, “Jesus Christ Himself was nothing more than a medium of high order.”
But what does the Word of God have to say about Jesus? The Word says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
God gave His Son a Name that is more excellent than any other, and that Name is Jesus’ permanent possession. Let’s look at Matthew chapter1 in the New International Version and notice how Jesus’ Name was made known to humanity.
Matthew 1:20, 21 (NIV)
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, AND YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins.”
In these verses, notice that God not only worked through the Holy Spirit in conception, but He was very explicit about what Jesus’ Name would be. – This was because that Name was ; reserved for Him as His inheritance.
My name was given to me at birth. I inherited it. It is the name that I received from my father. Well, Jesus inherited the Name “Jesus.” That is the Name given to Him by His Father.
Your name is your inheritance, whether anything goes with it or not. Good or bad, it’s your name. But whatever goes with the Name of Jesus also belongs to us! God gave Him the Name by inheritance–then He turned right around and gave Jesus’ Name to the Church! John 16:23,24 says, “. . . And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father IN MY ‘NAME, he will give it you. ” .
God didn’t give Jesus just a name; He gave Him a more excellent Name. Understand that the exaltation given to e the Name of Jesus is concise tent with the honor and power of that Name.
So Jesus inherited His Name from His Father. But that Name and the honor and the power that go with it were also bestowed on Him.
If we were to name a few well known people who are very wealthy, there would be some recognition that goes with their names. Those names often carry with them honor and power. In a sense, their great names are bestowed upon them.
If the President of the United States were to suddenly walk into your church, you would give him the honor that he is due according to the position of authority that he holds. His title has been bestowed upon him. Honor and authority go with that title, whether or not you agree with his opinions and decisions.
Philippians 2:9 says, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him [Jesus], and GIVEN him a name which is above every name.” That means Jesus’ Name was bestowed upon Him. When someone gives you something, he bestows it upon you. I believe God bestowed upon Jesus the Name above all names when He raised Him from the dead (see Ephesians 1:17-21).
In regard to honor and authority, Jesus’ Name is above every name. Every name in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth has to bow to the Name of Jesus.
Jesus’ Name is more than just a Name possessed by some dignitary.
Jesus’ Name really means something! His Name is eternally significant!
Consider, for example, the Stars and Stripes–the flag of the United States of America. When I hear the national anthem and see the flag, I give honor to the freedom that flag represents. It is the duty of every American citizen to do that, because that flag has graced many :a battle field. And while that Star-Spangled Banner may have fallen for a moment, someone has always picked up the standard and kept going.
Well, through the smoke and the fog of the spiritual battlefield where we meet our enemy, Satan, we can see that Jesus Christ is still standing! He is our standard Who will never fall or fail. It makes no difference what’s coming or going, at the Name of Jesus, every demon in hell has to submit. Every angelic being has to bow. And our situations must change when confronted by that Name because that great Name was bestowed upon Jesus.
The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament. From his writings, we have what we call the Pauline Revelation. Some believers have gotten hold of the revelation of receiving from God by faith. But they also need to get a grip on the revelation of their authority in the Name of Jesus.
In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul tells us the position God has given to Jesus.
EPHESIANS 1:21-23
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
The Name of Jesus is above every name, both now and in the world to come. That Name will be known as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16). And, if you’ll study the scriptures, you’ll find that there’s another name that only God knows that is apparently yet to be bestowed upon Him (Rev. 19:12).
We have seen that Jesus obtained His great Name by inheritance and by bestowal. But He also obtained His Name by conquest. Let’s look at Colossians 2:15.
COLOSSIANS 2:15
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM in it.
Another scripture says that Jesus “paralyzed” principalities and powers (Heb. 2:15, American Standard Version). Still another says He “put [them] to naught.” To put to naught means to reduce to nothing. Jesus reduced the devil and all of his principalities and powers to nothing! That is why the devil trembles at the Name of Jesus (James 2:19).
But only believers have a right to use that Name with authority. In Acts chapter 19, we see the seven sons of Sceva confronted with a demon-possessed man. They tried to cast the demon out of the man by using the Name of Jesus, but they weren’t believers. The demon-possessed man said to them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you” (Acts 19:14)? Those demons knew Jesus because He died on the Cross and arose victorious. And those demons also knew Paul because as a believer, Paul exercised his authority, using the Name of Jesus against them with power.
Some Christians run around crying, “The devil’s after me! The devil’s after me!” But what’s he going to do with them when he catches them? He’s been reduced to nothing! When Christians find that out, they’ll quit running!
There is a little snake indigenous to the state of Texas called the blue racer. My grandmother always had to deal with these snakes when she was out in her yard. When she ran from a blue racer, that snake would chase her! But if she stopped, turned around, and chased the snake, it would start fleeing! Then the minute she stopped chasing it, the snake would turn around and start chasing her again! A blue racer is a harmless snake, but you can hurt yourself running from one!
Similarly, that’s what the devil’s doing with a lot of Christians. The devil is a defeated foe. He can’t legally do anything to them that they don’t permit him to. But he’ll chase them and cause them to hurt themselves because they become afraid and start running. Believers have to turn around and put him on the run with the Name of Jesus!
The Above Material Was Published By The Word Of Faith, June 2001, Pages 12, 13, 15, 16. This Material Is Copyrighted And May Be Used For Study & Research Purposes Only.
