A few weeks ago the Lord started impressing on me the importance of the name of Jesus Christ. Have you gone through something similar where God starts putting the same point or doctrine in front of you from various different sources? It’s a sign that He wants you to pay close attention to something.
There was some background leading up to this. I’ve discussed at length for many months that we’re in a significant spiritual war right now and so I had already been thinking more about spiritual warfare. I shared Michael Knowles and the Very Rev. Daniel Reehil Discussion back in late March. I had also been thinking about a video Shelly had done about Shadow Men, “Ghosts,” and Demonic Activity: My Personal Experiences. In particular, in that video she mentioned that these things all happened to her and her family before she was a Christian. After she became a Christian (as an adult), it all stopped.
I believe God has been impressing on me just recently that the name of Jesus Christ is part of the weaponry God the Father gives us in this war.
The big change started when I was doing some reading about the new Christian movie Nefarious. I won’t get into all the details, but one of the reviews I watched by a self-described non-Christian mentioned how the demon in the movie called Jesus Christ “the carpenter” and would not use His name. I’ve heard this fact before in other contexts, but this time the Lord impressed upon me the importance of using the name of Jesus Christ out loud more regularly.
So a few weeks ago I started doing some things differently in our home. We always have a peaceful home. The television is almost never on. If we play music, it tends to me quiet or classical music. Usually the music has no words, even if it is Christian. I thought about how even though it is peaceful music or might even be Christian music, there is no proclamation of the name of Jesus Christ.
So I started singing out loud songs specifically that name Jesus Christ such as:
Praise the name of Jesus Christ
Praise the name of Jesus Christ
He’s our Rock. He’s our Fortress.
He’s our Deliverer. In Him we will trust.
Praise the name of Jesus Christ
I started praying out loud in my home that this family belongs to Jesus Christ. This house belongs to Jesus Christ. Each person in this home belongs to Jesus Christ.
When we did the kitchen rearrangement last week, we moved the under-the-counter radio/CD player to my zone. We rarely turn the radio on, but I felt led to start using it. I had David program in a few stations for me. Specifically I asked him to put on there the station that plays very traditional Christian music and has lots of sermons. I started turning it on whenever I was in the kitchen. Even if was just for a few minutes, I turned it on and listened to the name of Jesus Christ being broadcast into our home whether through music that specifically names him or Scripture being read aloud.
I didn’t mention what I was doing to David or Caroline. I simply did it.
Within 48 hours of singing and praying out loud there was a noticeable change in our home. I can’t fully describe it other than to say the entire home felt more peaceful. Each of us was more peaceful. We were sleeping better. It continues to be noticeable.
I shared this experience with a friend Thursday evening and Friday I was led by the Lord to a particular video that popped up in my YouTube feed. I wrote about it in a post called What Is The Biblical Response To Aliens, Demons, and UFOs? What does that have to do with the name of Jesus Christ? A great deal as they discussed the power of the name of Jesus Christ in part of that video. It was yet another confirmation I was on the right track.
This morning I was making breakfast and I turned on the radio. A sermon was on and I almost turned it off. In fact, I did turn it off. But something told me to turn it back on. In retrospect, I’m sure it was the Holy Spirit.
The sermon had already started. I could tell it was older and fairly quickly I determined it was probably from Chicago so probably Moody Church. However, I didn’t immediately recognize the voice because I haven’t listened to sermons from the past in a long time. At the end, I found out it was Moody Church and it was Warren Wiersbe preaching. I laughed out loud. It made sense that the Lord would use Warren Wiersbe to reach me again.
What was the sermon about? Wiersbe was preaching about the power of the name of Jesus Christ. I missed the first few minutes, but what I heard was more than enough. His four points were that the name of Jesus Christ is:
- Effective – The name of Jesus gets things done, including restoring a man’s sight.
- Exalted – It is the name above all names. There is no one on earth we can know with a greater name.
- Exclusive – There is no other name given for salvation. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
- Exciting – Those who know Jesus are excited to share Him.
Wiersbe probably gave this sermon in the early 1970s, around the time I started kindergarten. God used it today when I am well into my fifties. That alone is something to ponder in terms of how God will keep using us over and over again.
If you are struggling to find peace in your home, I hope this gives you something to think about. We’re in the midst of an epic spiritual battle. God has given us tools. In addition to the tools I’ll include below, our Heavenly Father has given us the name of Jesus Christ. There is power in the name. Use it. Fill your home with it. If Jesus Christ is your Savior, He is there for you and your loved ones.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.