THE BELIEVER’S AUTHORITY FOR ANYTHING
Only you know what makes you a believer. Even when our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, there were people who believed in Him, that were not known. Some of these people believed in Him without following Him around like the apostles whom the Lord called. Some of them, their names were not mentioned. They left evidences of their faith from which many of us need to learn today. Some of them must have heard him speak or heard about Him from others who witnessed His deeds.
The apostles had been with the Lord for a while and He sent twelve of them out, according to Matthew 10:5-8, “—- Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils.” In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus gave the same commission to His apostles, “—- And gave them power over unclean spirits; ——– And they cast out many devils and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” These were His apostles, given face to face instruction and authority to go show the goodness of God. They were successful in their mission, they preached the gospel and the need to repent. They healed the sick and cast out demons. Luke 9:1-6 tells us the same story of Jesus Christ sending the twelve apostles out, “—And gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases; and to preach the gospel.” What a privilege to serve the Lord. But there were others who were listening or may have received the testimony of the Lord from others and believed.
God deals with revelations to individuals always; to bring His own into His perfect will on any issues. These revelations bring and increase faith. These apostles went out and acted in the NAME of Jesus Christ who gave them the directives; and the authority was in the NAME. In Mark 16:17, it reads, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; IN MY NAME SHALL 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.” In My name, refers to JESUS CHRIST and not Father, Son and Holy Ghost. You will do well to remember Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Also we should do well to examine Philippians 2:10, “That at the name of Jesus all knees should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Which name are we talking about? If you are in doubt let me remind us the name in question is “JESUS CHRIST.” Understanding of this comes by revelation. Someone in the Bible caught the revelation but his named remained hidden.
This believer was found around the time of the Mount Transfiguration experience of Jesus Christ and the three apostles, Peter, James and John. It is found in Matt. 17: 16-21 and Mark 9:38-41 which in particular states that, “And John answered him saying Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy NAME, and he followeth not us; and we forbade him, because he followeth not us.” Here was a man the apostles never knew but they saw him casting out devils in the name of JESUS CHRIST, and they forbade him, because they did not know him. How did this unknown believer come about to be able to even cast out demons? The disciples saw him cast the devils out and in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST. They confessed that they forbade him not because he used the NAME but because he did follow them. Just like when the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts.
Jesus when he heard John in verse 39 said, “Forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name (JESUS CHRIST) that can lightly speak evil of ME.” This was an eye opener for us all. Jesus Christ as God knows everything. He knew who this man was and that he believed in Jesus Christ, to be confident enough, to act on the NAME against devils. How do you compare to this man in your spiritual life of believing in that name, Jesus Christ? This man knew the NAME and the power in the name; even before the deception of trinity doctrine. Some claim Matthew 28:19, which reads, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” This statement talks about “THE NAME” and that name is the Father’s name, which the Son came by and the Holy Ghost came by the same name: That NAME is JESUS CHRIST, Amen.
Now this passage of the Holy Scriptures said, baptizing in the NAME, not names, get it clear. Firstly, the Son has a name, and that NAME is JESUS CHRIST. Do you agree? If you disagree find your support from the BIBLE. Secondly, in John 5:43, Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s NAME and ye receive me not.” He said He came in his Father’s name; what name did he come with but JESUS CHRIST. It reads baptizing them in the name of the Father which he came with; and that NAME OF THE FATHER IS JESUS CHRIST. Remember it is NAME and not names. Wake up, that man who John referred to that they saw casting out devils in “your NAME” JESUS, surely believed and knew that NAME and used it and had results. What NAME or names are you believing and using? Do you really know his name? Thirdly, according to John 14:16, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my NAME,” now you can ask what is the name of Jesus, is it the Son or what? His name is not Son but His NAME is the same as that of the Father which is JESUS CHRIST and which is the name of the Holy Ghost. That was why Jesus said, baptizing the in the NAME not names. JESUS CHRIST IS THAT NAME.
Jesus Christ went ahead to answer another question to Mark 9:17-29, “——–Why could not we cast him out?” The disciples who did not go with the Lord up the Mount of Transfiguration encountered a man whose son was tormented of the devil but they could not cast it out. And when Jesus came to them He had compassion on the father of the boy and cast out the evil spirit. Privately, the apostles asked him why they could not cast the evil spirit out. Jesus Christ answered in verse 29, “This kind can come forth by nothing; but by prayer and fasting.” This unnamed man must have met the requirements that Jesus mentioned. The man must be a person who heard the word of God and believed, he knew the name, he had confidence to use the name, he knew he could cast out demons in that name JESUS CHRIST and he did it and the disciples were witnesses but they forbade him. He must have had revelations of the WORD. He must have been in prayer and must have been fasting. Some of us believe, pray and fast but some of us miss out in prayer or in fasting. Also, this man exercised and had faith to his believe in the Lord and in His NAME.
In Mark 9:41, Jesus spoke again about, “in my name” and it is worthy of note: It reads, “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink ‘in my NAME’, because you belong to CHRIST, verily I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” In John 14:14 Jesus said, “If ye shall ask anything in my (I came in my Father’s name) NAME, I will do it.” What name was He talking about? (Father, Son or Holy Ghost?) NO, the name in all these and much more is JESUS CHRIST. This is the name from which all believers derive their authority. The man in this text without a name, used the name JESUS CHRIST as his authority. What is your authority against the kingdom of darkness? This is the moment to know your source and name of authority. The wicked one is stepping up his attacks on humanity and the only think that can bring the machinery of the devil down; is the true believers using their authority in the name of JESUS CHRIST against these wicked works. If ye shall ask anything in my NAME, I will do it. He said, anything. Amen.
THE BELIEVER’S AUTHORITY FOR ANYTHING