Introduction:

Last week we started off our journey into walking in the miraculous by understanding the name Jesus - the name by which the miraculous happens. We looked at the meaning (Jehovah is salvation), the significance, the content and implication of the name Jesus. Today, we will consider the origin of the name - how He obtained this great name!

 There are examples of people who were self-acclaimed. The Roman emperor Domitian became power drunk and decreed himself to be god demanding to be addressed as dominus et deus (master and god) in AD 81. Idi Amin came into power in 1971 as the Ugandan president and decreed himself Field Marshall! But Kenyon writes:

 "Men obtain great names in three ways. Some men are born to a great name?a king, for instance. Others make their name great by their achievements. Still others have a great name conferred upon them."

The name Jesus is great because it came by all three means.

·         He inherited a great Name.

·         His achievements were great.

·         His Father conferred it upon Him.

Let us consider one after the other how, when and why Jesus obtained this great name.

1.      By Inheritance

Hebrews 1:1-6

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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; 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: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 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? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him.

Jesus inherited a "more excellent name than they." He inherited a greater Name than any angelic being. As Son, He is heir of all things. He is "the express image" of God. He is "the brightness of the Father. He is God speaking to us.

And He "by inheritance obtained a more excellent name."

When did He inherit it?

Not in heaven before He came to this earth, because He already had everything.

Not when He came to the earth, because the Philippians 2:7 says that He stripped Himself of all honour and glory.

Hebrews 1:4, 5

These verses tell us when He inherited this more excellent Name. It was when God said to Him, "Thou art my son, THIS DAY have I begotten thee" This day! That's when it happened?the day He was begotten.

When was Jesus begotten?

When He was raised up! On that Resurrection morning

 "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Acts 13:33

Emphasis mine

We will not be able to understand the authority in the Name of Jesus until we understand this fact that Jesus went down to hell and satisfied the claims of Justice on the behalf of each one of us, because He died as our substitute.

2.      By Bestowal

"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 should bow, of things [beings} in heaven, and things [beings] in earth, and things (beings] under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ?Philippians 2:9-11

The second is by bestowal; God gave Him a Name, which is above every Name.

Let us imagine for a moment that God had a Name (known in heaven, unknown elsewhere), and this Name was kept to be conferred upon someone who would merit it: and Jesus came down to earth and made himself of no reputation, became a servant, God became like men. He then humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He therefore merited and was given this Name, and at this Name every knee shall bow in the three worlds?Heaven, Earth, and Hell?and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord of the three worlds to the glory of God, the Father.

Paul praying for the Church at Ephesus in Ephesians 1:18-20 prayed that the eyes of their spirit would be enlightened to truths they would never be able to figure out in their heads.

God not only gave him a Name before which every being in the three worlds must bow and confess His lordship, but God seated Him in the highest place in the universe, at His own right hand, and made Him to be head over all things.

Why did was the name given to us?

1.      To use that Name against our enemy (the Devil and his cohorts). Mark 16:17

2.      To use it in our petitions. John 14:13-14

3.      To use it in our praises and worship. Luke 4:8

Finally, we will consider the third means by which Jesus obtained His Great Name.

3.    By Conquest

In Paul's prayer for the Church, he stated that God had raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named "(Eph. 1:20,21).

By His conquest of these principalities, powers, might, and dominions, Jesus obtained that Name!

Colossians 2:15 says:

"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it"

These are the same principalities and powers spoken of in Ephesians 6:12:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual "wickedness in high places"

The principalities and powers we wrestle against are the same ones that He overcame,

No wonder He said, "In my Name they will cast out demons"!

The conquest that Jesus made of the devil, of sin, of sickness and disease is wrapped up in the Name. The Name, when we use it, will bring into reality in our lives what Jesus has already accomplished.

We need to be well aware of the authority invested in that Name

Colossians 1:13

"Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

After spoiling the principalities and powers, putting them to nought, overcoming them and defeating them, He delivered us from the "power of darkness." Satan has no authority to dominate the Christian or the Church.

Conclusion

When we know this truth, that the name is not a self-acclaimed name, and know that the Name has been given to us. When we recognize the power and authority embedded in this name and the completeness it offers; then we can indeed walk in the original dominion God intended for man in the Garden of Eden; dominion over all of creation including the Devil and his agents.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai