Inspiration of The Heart

"In The Name Of Jesus"

This time of year we get excited, a New Year, behold old things are passed away, yet here we are in a world that is upside down, and full of fear and terror. However, we have some good news, the Kingdom of God has not suffered damage, the gates of hell shall not prevail. There is Power in the Blood of Christ, and Authority in His Name. For some reason we seem to lose sight of that, and it has been many years since Paul or Peter heard "Go in My Name", but that Name has not changed, it has not weakened, it has not faded. In today's society of "compromise", we can get caught up in a "one religion is like another" thinking and slip from the appreciation, honor, importance and victory found in the wonderful powerful Name of Jesus.

Let's face it in this shrinking world we hear how one religious thinking says they are of faith, another says they are, one says it believes in One God, another does as well. Is simply believing in One God enough? No, James told us even the devils believe in One God, and he didn't limit that premise to the fallen angels alone. Jesus called Judas a devil, and told the Pharisees they were of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they would do, and we know everything produces after its own kind. The disciples of Jesus were changed by the gift of Grace, so much so we find a man like Peter who had one revelation from the Father, and another from hell and he didn't know the difference between the two, until he was Born Again, then he obtained an awareness of the Name of Jesus from a spiritual standpoint. After Pentecost Peter and John were going to temple and came across a lame man, who begged for favor. Peter told him, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I you; In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:1-4). The man was healed, and when the religious rulers question Peter and John, it was Peter who said he was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus, and the healing came not by some holiness Peter obtained on his own, but by "the Faith which is by Him", that same Faith we are known by. God gave His Son for us, His Son gave Himself for us, because He loves us, therefore, if one Believes in the One God, they will accept God's Son who died for all mankind.

We hear of many "faiths" in the world as some identifying element to ones religious thought process, but there are only two faiths - the measure of faith given to all men, and the Faith of Jesus unto Salvation. Only the wicked and unreasonable are without faith, thus what man does with that measure of faith determines if they are saint or a devil. James tells us faith without works is dead, but what works? Seeking the Wisdom of God by faith is the work of faith - although James uses "Wisdom", we know from Proverbs the Wisdom of God is the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us if we are baptized and continue to Believe we shall be saved (Mark 16:16). At the time He said this, His own disciples had fallen into unbelief, yet they were the called ones (Mark 16:14). They had a promise in hand, but they allowed unbelief to take hold. Was it over for them? No, but they had to believe in order to gain. They were the formation of the Body, the purposed beginning of New Jerusalem. They were even baptized in water, and baptized others in water as well (Jn 3:22-4:3).

John's baptism was in his name unto repentance, and that baptism ended at the Cross (Acts 19:2-6). The basic meaning of Baptism is an identification process with the purpose of the baptism, our water baptism is our Token and vow to enter the Body of Christ, thus one who was in the Body baptized us as a sign of their acceptance of us into the Body. The baptism with the Spirit is different, and only Jesus can baptize anyone with the Spirit (Matt 4:11 & Mark 1:7-8). Before the Cross and Pentecost Jesus said the "Rock" was being established, but the Church was yet future tense, two things yet united (Matt 16:18). When Jesus spoke of the Rock He called Peter "Simon", thus Jesus was making a division between Simon of the old and Peter of the new. Jesus who often called things that be not to man as a were to Him, and He gave Simon a promise of what was to come, a New Name with a New Character., and in a New ability. The name Peter means A piece of the Rock, or as we know it "Rocky", thus he was not the entire Rock, but a piece thereof. The Rock was being formed in the Name of Jesus before the Cross through the Mercy of God; thus we see how the disciples and the 70 operated under the "Name of Jesus" before the Cross, through Mercy, not Grace (Matt 10:1-15 & Luke 10:17-20), but was that the same as after Pentecost? The Gospel is not Old Testament, rather the Law and Prophets ended when John came on the scene, but from the Cross through the Resurrection by the Blood of Jesus we have that Gospel of Peace. Who else could allow us to impute the old dead by the Cross of Jesus, yet give us Life? Who else died sinless, for those who are caught in sin? Who else provided the means for anyone to be Born Again of the Spirit? Who else granted us the Keys to the Kingdom? Who else holds the Scepter to the Kingdom? Jesus, and only Jesus, the Son of the Living God. Why did He do it? Because He loves us, and gave Himself for us (Gal 2:20). After doing all that what else did the Father do? All power in heaven and on earth, the inclusive authority of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost was granted to Jesus, that Name (authority) above All Names (authorities). No one can claim God as their God unless they have Authority, but who has that Authority? Jesus, but what did He do? "Go in My Name", that's right the Authority of heaven and earth given to those of the Body Of Christ. How important was that water baptism? Being a member of the Body of Christ is vital, it's the only place from which Jesus builds His Church. The Body is that heavenly Zion, the Rock upon which New Jerusalem is established. One must be in the Body before they can even consider being a partaker of the First Resurrection. Why go though all this? A special people, but what would happen if those special people refuse to speak about their Lord? What would happen if they compromised with the world religious systems? On that day someone might walk up and say, "I know you, you knew this was the only Way, yet you said nothing to me, why?" - "I thought you might get mad, I thought someone might think I was not tolerant". We want to hear, "pass by My good and faithful servant", but what would we say to Jesus? "Lord, Lord I taught traditions of men as doctrine"? or, "Lord, Lord I did all I could to keep you a secret"?

Think about the Body of Christ, the only Door to heaven is found therein, it's the only portal that allows man in the twinkling of an eye to move from the earth to the throne of God (Rev 4:1 et al). The Christian is really the only one who has the unique capability to have the very Nature of Christ in them by being Born Again of the Spirit. Compare the evidences, look at the nature of the un-regenerated, and then the nature of regenerated. The Bible is our rule book, it holds the mysteries, and the promises, yet without faith in God, and the in dwelling Wisdom of God it becomes another history book. The Bible has One Author, but many scribes, and it's the only document that shows us the division between lost man, and saved man. It's the only guide that has the Power of Life behind it, even if we never prosper in the material, as long as we are in the Name of Jesus we are Blessed beyond all comprehension.

The Bride of Christ made herself ready, Jesus gave Her everything she needed, the Authority to carry out the Power, and the Power to be used in accordance with the Authority. Jesus said He would build the Church on the Rock, but who builds the Rock? And what is it anyway? The Rock is the Body, Peter was a piece of it, as was John, James, and many others. They were called "fishers of men", and Jude shows we are the ones who haul in the net, yet it's only possible if we ourselves are of the Rock (Body of Christ). The granted Authority is the Name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the Power behind the Name. Those are elements not found in any religious grouping or thinking; we have a Relationship in a family order with the Creator of heaven and earth. Talking about God is one thing, Signs and Wonders another. The greatest signs of all are Love, Faith and Hope, the very attributes of the Born Again Believer. There is no Church other than the one Jesus is building, and there is no Rock other than the one found in the Name of Jesus. This is so vital to us as Believers, even the devils believe there is one God, but that doesn't mean they are associated with that One God through the True and Living Faith. The Body of Christ is called "the Faith", pointing to the Faith of Jesus, and by His Faith we have access and boldness (Eph 3:12), and by His Faith we can be dead to the old now, so we can live in the new (Gal 2:20). Think about who we are, Rejoice in our position in Christ, know that we are a chosen people, a generation of kings and priests unto God (Rev 1:6). The Law of Moses didn't allow for a priest to be a king, or a king to be a priest, and anyone who did so, held illegal positions, yet Jesus has made us kings and priests unto God, something no one outside the Body of Christ is privy to. If you want to know about God, look at Jesus, if you want to know about Jesus find a Born Again Believer who is covered by the Blood of Christ and walks in the Faith. Rejoice ye saints of the Lord, Rejoice we say, for our time is at hand, our Lord is with us, and no weapon formed against us shall prosper. Selah.