Reigning In Life As A King (7 page)

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:23-24

Just before Jesus was received up into heaven, He appeared to the eleven disciples and gave them the Great Commission.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

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.

Mark 16:15-18

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher. He will teach us how to use the Name of Jesus.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

I Corinthians 2:12-13

The Holy Spirit is in us to help us recognize the Lordship of Jesus and KNOW that the Name of Jesus is above every name. The Apostle Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of HIM. (Ephesians 1:17)

The Holy Spirit dwells within each person who has confessed Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. He is ever present within us. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and He is indeed our Teacher, if we allow Him to be. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

Our oldest son, Paul, who is now a practicing physician, proved this as a young Oral Roberts University student.

The summer of his junior year, Paul went with a missions group to Africa. During this time, he became very ill with malaria. He had a very high fever, chills, and muscular spasms so severe that his teeth chattered. He was left alone for three days and was too sick to pray, or even to think.

While he was sick, the Word of God began to come up out of Paul's spirit and into his mind. He began to think on the Name of Jesus—the Name that is above every sickness and disease. He was still too sick to speak, but the Holy Spirit brought to Paul's memory healing scriptures that he had memorized in the past.

The Holy Spirit does not get sick, and He was inside Paul!

The fever broke, the chills dissipated, and his body became normal.

The Book of Acts is a record of how the New Testament believers shook the heathen world by using the Name of Jesus. The Gospel did not revolve around a man, an organization, or a denomination.

The believers preached salvation in the Name of Jesus.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 2:21

New believers were baptized in the Name of Jesus.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:38

The believers brought physical healing to many through the Name of Jesus.

Jesus had been put to death by the religious and political leaders. After His death, burial, and resurrection, the believers had gathered in the upper room and received the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Very soon after this experience, Peter and John went up together into the temple. They saw a man who was lame from his mother's womb, and he asked Peter and John for alms.

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 3:6

The same people who were responsible for the death of Jesus must have been in the city when this crippled man received his healing. They recognized that this man was now walking and leaping and praising God. Peter was quick to tell the people that it was not Ms power or holiness that made this man strong. He was healed through the Name of Jesus.

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Acts 3:16

The believers suffered persecution because of the Name of Jesus.

The religious and political leaders recognized the power in the Name of Jesus. They became so angry that they took Peter and John to trial.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

If we this day be examined of the good deed

done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:8-18

The high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests gathered, not against a political party or an army, but against the NAME OF JESUS.

Peter and John were threatened and released, but notice their boldness.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

Acts 4:29-30

When the disciples prayed that way, the place was shaken and all who were assembled together were filled with the Holy Ghost. Again they were put in jail, but an angel let them out! Finally, they were taken before the Sanhedrin.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Acts 5:27-28

. . . and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Acts 5:40b-42

The believers counted it a joy to suffer for the Name of Jesus.

Often, Christians are persecuted for believing that God's Word is true. It is easy for us to be discouraged when we suffer persecution, but the New Testament Christians considered it a joyful experience. They asked for more boldness!

The disciples counted it an honor to suffer for the Name of Jesus.

In the Book of Acts, the Name of Jesus stirred the world, broke Satan's power, healed the sick, and wrought miracles. It will do the same today!

In the early church, that Name, spoken by believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit, wrought the same miracles that Jesus did while He was on earth.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20

When we use His Name, it is as if Jesus Himself were speaking through our lips.

The Name of Jesus, used by believers, has power to do what Jesus did and even more.

The youngest of believers, filled with the Holy Ghost, can speak that Name in faith to perform miracles. It will work for us just as it did for Jesus when He spoke in the Name of the Father.

It does not matter how unlearned you may be or what people may think of you, the Name of Jesus used against Satan has all the power you will ever need.

A minister friend of mine related this story to me as it happened to him. One afternoon, as he was resting, my friend experienced his spirit leaving his body.

He told me that suddenly he found himself in a dark, misty atmosphere, and he was afraid. He did not know where he was, and he had a terrible awareness of being lost. He sensed the presence of something approaching him. Terrified, he recognized Satan.

Instantly, Jesus appeared between my friend and Satan. Jesus faced the devil with His back to my friend. He said that Jesus, very slowly and gently, began to step backwards toward him until the face of Jesus became the face of my friend, the torso of Jesus became his torso, the legs of Jesus became his legs, the feet of Jesus became his feet, the arms of Jesus became his arms, the fingers of Jesus became his fingers.

Jesus, in my friend, raised his arm and pointed his finger directly at Satan, and he heard himself say, "Satan, you shall bow!" Satan fell to the ground!

Jesus lives in each one of us. Our faces are like His face. Our hands are like His hands. When we speak, He speaks! Satan must bow to the Name of Jesus.

WE REIGN IN LIFE AS KINGS
THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS.

Chapter Six
Reigning In Life Through The Confession Of God's Word

You can reign in life by your continual confession of God's Word.

In the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Acts, Paul arrived in Ephesus and found twelve disciples of John the Baptist. They were twelve believers without the power of the Holy Ghost.

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Acts 19:2,3,6

These twelve disciples received the Holy Ghost and there was a great revival. They stirred up the synagogue so much that they were kicked out. They moved on, and for two years the revival continued as the Word of God was preached.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Acts 19:19-20

The Word of God prevailed. Prevail means to triumph or win a victory; to be greater in strength or influence. The Word of God grew so mightily that it triumphed! The Word of God overcame and conquered!

We must learn to confess God's Word until it is a prevailing power in our lives.

Many people hear a message on confession and immediately say, "I confess I am going to have a new Cadillac." When they do not receive the Cadillac, they declare that there is nothing to confessing the Word of God. The problem was that they were not confessing God's Word.

The Bible says the Word of God grew so mightily that it prevailed. It conquered! When you allow the Word of God to grow in you, believe it in your heart, and continually confess it with your mouth, it will prevail in your life!

It may not occur the first time you say it, but if you will believe what God says, the Word of God will prevail over every sickness, every disease, every fear, every torment, and every situation you may have in your life. Your responsibility is to learn to confess the Word of God until it prevails.

Many times I have started a confession in weakness. I have had a lack of understanding and belief, but as I remained faithful to that confession, the Word of God has prevailed.

Several years ago I injured my back. At times, as I was driving my car, a stream of fire would go down my leg and the pain would be so great I had to pull over to the side of the road and get out, and walk around. The pain in my leg was great, but the Word of God said I was healed.

I began to declare that God had healed my body. I did not feel healed. One Sunday morning as I stood up to preach, I was in such pain that I had to hold on to the pulpit. I made my confession to the congregation, "I am so happy. The Lord has completely healed my back!" The people became excited and began to rejoice in the Lord. I rejoiced with them and the healing of my back was manifested soon after that morning.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:22-23

You are ruled in life by your confessions. You may say that you do not believe in confession, and that it does not make any difference what you say or what you believe, but confession is working for you anyway.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Proverbs 18:21

It is a law of God. That law is in operation whether you believe in it or not. Therefore, you should allow it to work good in your life rather than evil. If you learn to confess what God says about you rather than what you see and hear, the Word of God will prevail!