Lately I have been hearing the Name of Jesus being replaced simply with the word “Christ”. To some this may seem like a non-issue, but knowing the strength, authority, power and truth about and behind the Name of Jesus makes it difficult to ignore. Let’s go into the Word of God and briefly look into the Name of Jesus, and also take a look at what the reference “Christ” actually means.
JESUS, THE NAME ABOVE EVERY OTHER NAME
Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow, of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What do we see here? A lot! God has given Jesus the Name WHICH IS ABOVE ALL NAMES and that everyone, everything, WILL bow down to it!
THE POWER BEHIND/IN THAT NAME
Hebrews 1:3-4 And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His (God’s) glory, and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
Acts 4:12 And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
We see here that Jesus is the RADIANCE OF GOD’S GLORY! Think about that… and, Jesus UPHOLDS ALL THINGS by the word of His power! There is no other name under heaven that will save us!
WHAT DOES JESUS SAY ABOUT HIS NAME?
John 16:23-24 And in that day you will ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. Hitherto you have asked nothing in My Name: Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My Name they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
John 14:13 And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.
John 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.
Some people think that we should pray to Jesus… not so! Jesus Himself said that we are to pray TO THE FATHER but IN HIS NAME! He told us that for those who believe (who are truly born again) signs will follow. He tells us that whatever we ask in His Name, that He will do, SO THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. We need to be sure that what we ask for does glorify God the Father, as He warned us in Matthew 24:24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” The signs and wonders of Jesus in His Name are to and for the glorification of God.
And Jesus also promised that whenever two or three are gathered in His Name, HE IS THERE AMONG THEM! I think some people forget that!
The last passage listed is about “the fruit” … and Jesus has “ordained” us to do just that, to bear fruit! THEN Jesus says that whatsoever we ask the Father in His Name, God will provide for us!
WHO IS AFRAID OF THAT NAME?
The devil, satan, the father of lies, our adversary, TREMBLES at the Name of Jesus. The Name “Jesus Christ of Nazareth” is not a “magic word” … the power is not in saying these words, rather, it is understanding and believing all that the Name of Jesus signifies! His Name represents the finished work on the cross, fulfilling God’s plan of redemption and salvation, victory over sin, death, and over the devil’s ENTIRE REALM. We, as true born-again believers, have been given a sort of ‘delegated authority’ by and in the Name of Jesus. And satan knows this.
Acts 16:16-18 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the most high God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
The finished work on the cross not only brought our redemption and salvation, but Jesus also disarmed our adversary and his minions, and defeated the work of the devil.
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers , He (Jesus) made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in it.
We have already seen in Mark 16:17 that true born-again believers will cast out demons. How? By the power of and in the Name of Jesus. There is power in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And the devil knows it. I think that is why our adversary wants to diminish, taint, or eliminate altogether the Name of Jesus. He knows the Word of God, and trembles.
WHAT DOES ‘CHRIST’ MEAN?
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word is “Christos” which means, “the Anointed One, (the) Messiah, (the) Christ. It is a masculine noun. It is a title. Jesus IS THE CHRIST. But the devil has an agenda to discredit the Name of Jesus CHRIST OF NAZARETH! His deception is subtle.
“Satan was defeated by Jesus. That Name and that Name alone is the Name satan hates. That Name and the One behind that Name is who defeated satan. Jesus told us to pray in His Name, the Name of Jesus, not christ, not messiah, not the anointed one, but the Name of Jesus.”
Jesus IS the Christ. He IS the Anointed One. He is the Messiah. But in His Name……… oh, that we would understand the power and authority in Jesus’ Name!
At the end of many prayers, I hear a slurring of “….. in His Name….” but with no reverence, no awe….. and in whose name? Say it! IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH! IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS! IN JESUS’ MIGHTY NAME! SAY IT!
WHICH JESUS?
2Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might bear well with him.
In order to KNOW Jesus, we must KNOW His Word. All Truth is found in God’s Word. And, in order to recognize a lie, we must first know Truth.
There IS another jesus, another spirit, another gospel, and they are counterfeit; do not be fooled! The Jesus of the Bible is the Lord God Jehovah in human form. When people say “I believe in Jesus” ask which one!
And when we begin to hear the Name of Jesus is continuously and intentionally replaced by “Christ”, beware. Because we are also told of the one who is to come… that anti-christ spirit, the anti-christ himself. He will come AS ‘the messiah’ AS ‘the anointed one’ AS the ‘christ consciousness’ … and we need to be aware so that we may not ‘bear well with him.’ Jesus singled Himself out as THE only Christ. No one else has that TITLE. Jesus also warned us that :
Matthew 24:5 Many will come in My Name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many.”
Matthew 24:23 Then if anyone says to you. ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
Yes, the Name of Jesus. Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Get to know Him, allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead and guide you into all Truth. Know, as a born again believer, the delegated authority you have in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There is power in the Name of Jesus.