We are continuing on the Keys of The Kingdom, and amazingly God has been taking us on a fantastic journey in this series, we have looked at key number one: The Word of God, key number two: The Bond of Love, key number three: Prayer, and today we are looking at another key, key number four: The Comprehensive Name of Christ Jesus. When we started, the Holy Spirit made us to understand that the keys of the kingdom have been handed over to us by Christ. He said I give you the keys of the kingdom, whatever you bind on earth is bind in heaven, whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven. You have authority, He said I have given you, but how do we access what has been given to us? How do we use, how do we handle that which has been given to us? And that’s why the Bible says that God made His acts known to the children of Israel, but His ways were known to Moses.
So, the children of Israel could not continue to enjoy the acts of God repeatedly because they don’t know His ways. The ways of God are the path that leads us to the continuous experience of the acts of God. So, if you want to continue to see the acts of God in your life, you must seek to understand and seek to know the ways of God. So this morning, we are looking at the comprehensive name of Christ Jesus. How is this a key that gives us access in the kingdom? We are going to start by looking at Proverbs 18:10. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower…”
I want you to notice this particular verse because it’s a reference verse for us this morning. The name of the LORD which appears in capital letters. “The name…” We looked at the word of God, but we are looking at the comprehensive name of Christ Jesus. The name of the LORD is a strong tower, meaning that it is singular, as students of English and language we know that when there is “is” it’s talking about one. When there is “the” is talking about a definite thing. So the name, not a name, “the name” and it’s not a name of other people, the name has a subject. The subject of the name is of the LORD. So, you can put it this way; ‘the Lord’s name is.’ So, it’s that one name. Is a strong tower, the righteous… its definite, runs to it and are safe. The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and they are safe.
Philippians 2:9-11. We are also going to go back to verse 5-8, but please write verse 9-11 first. “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name… See what the Bible says; “the name.” It says God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Proverbs 18:10 says the name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it, and they are safe. How did He come about the name? How come all other names are subsumed in the name? How come this name has been highly exalted? And the Bible says it is above every name.
Let’s look at this Scripture in the simplicity of the word. It says: the name has been exalted above every other name. There are names in this world, in fact, there are names of God, if you go through the Old Testament, there are several names, when people have encounter with God, they would always express the dimension of God they have contacted by giving Him a name. In fact, God will introduce Himself to a people and He will say to them that I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So God will introduce Himself to His people by His name. So, if you go through the Old Testament, there are several names of God: Jehovah Jireh, I AM that I AM. There are several names ascribed to God.
At this point it says; therefore, God, the one that has the sovereign authority, the one that has all control, because God is a deity, in fact the deity of all the universe. He is the one who has all authority in heaven and on earth. Heavens, even the highest heavens the Bible says belong to Him, the earth is also His, because the Bible says the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and everyone who dwells in it. But the earth He has given to the children of men. Now see, this God almighty, the Bible says therefore God; there would have been an issue if God was not involved. There would have been an issue with legitimacy if God was not involved.
But the Bible says therefore God, the almighty, the one that has all power and authority within His purview, the Bible says; has exalted Him, The Lord God almighty singled Jesus Christ out and gave Him, and bestowed upon Him the name. What this means is that, that name is binding. God gave Him the name, and made the name binding, because; when God did it, He backed it up with the whole of His person. There is no where you appear and mention the name that the whole backing of the LORD of hosts, the LORD of heaven’s army, the LORD God the creator of the ends of the earth, does not back up this name. Because, He has highly exalted Him – He gave Him.
The Bible says He gave Him that name and that name is above, please don’t miss out on this. The name is above. One of the things that God did when He introduced creation is that God named everything He created. And when He was going to transfer the authority to man, He gave man that is made according to His image and likeness the right and the authority to name. The Bible says and God brought the animals to Adam to see what he will call them. So, God initiated man into the naming ceremony that makes God, God. There is nothing God will do that doesn’t have a name. In case you are confused, all the angels in heaven, as numerous as they are, they have names. That’s one thing about God, one secret about God that we must latch into. Because God is a naming God, He won’t create you and you are nameless. God is always purpose-driven and identity-centered. You can’t be in the kingdom of God and you are nameless. When God is having conversation with you, the first thing He does is to make you understand and identify who He is to you, so He will introduce Himself. He will say I am your Lord; I am your God, I am the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What is He doing? He is teaching you that when you come into His presence, when you are operating under His license and authority, if you are in His image and according to His likeness you must behave like Him.
Jesus came and modelled this when He was on the earth, in fact more than fifty percent of the controversial statements that Jesus made was about name. Check your Bible. He will say to them, I am the way, I am the truth, what are those? Names! He will tell them you are familiar with Abraham, before Abraham was; I am. You know Solomon, greater than Solomon is here. You know David, I am of the root and descendant of David. So, Jesus will always make no one ignorant of His identity. The essence of all these is for you to understand that God names. And so everything in the world that we see, whether believer or unbeliever, you are made in the image and likeness of God, and consciously or unconsciously you behave like God.
Why do you think people make cars and name it? Do you understand? When you give birth to a child, the first thing is that, that child must have an identity. There is no nameless person on the earth. Everybody has a name. Why? That’s how God instituted it. Animals, even those you have not seen before has names. You just need to find out, you will realize that the animal has a name. When a new disease is introduced they give it a name. As at 2017 did you know the name called covid-19? Now the name is all over the world. But the Bible says concerning Jesus, that He has been given a name, until the Lord opens our eyes to this truth, we won’t understand the kind of access, the kind of power that the name of Christ Jesus has in the kingdom. It says; God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name that is above every name.
I am trying to explain to us the implication of that statement. A name above every other name. If everything on the earth is named, if everything in the heaven is named, we are going to see it subsequently in that Scripture, His name is above every. If that disease has a name, the name of Jesus is above it. If that position has a name, the name of Jesus is above it. If that currency has a name, the name of the Lord is above it. So God did not make us ignorant and clueless about the extent to which that name covers. See what the Bible says; the name is above every name, that at the name, now see, understand what that “at the name” means. At the mention of that name, at the thought of that name, at the presence of that name.
It is not only when the name is mentioned, every time the name appears, there is an appearance of the name. You will understand what that means as we go on. There is an appearance of the name, when the name appears on a scene, the Bible says, see what will happen; every knee should bow, every knee, none is excluded, when you see every, there’s no exclusion. It’s all encompassing. It didn’t say at the mention, at the name, not at the mention. Because many of us when we are quoting this verse will say at the mention of the name of Jesus. No! it is bigger than that. That at the name of Jesus; it is talking about at the appearance, it is beyond the mention. At the appearance of that name, see the implication of it.
The Bible says we have been created in Christ Jesus, we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, you are in Christ Jesus, if you are in Christ Jesus, you are in His name. So, at the appearance, not just mention, mention is too limiting, at the appearance of the name, at the name of Jesus, that’s how powerful the name is. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, see where territories and jurisdiction starts coming in, so that you will understand that Jesus did not buy up that authority. Jesus did not corner His way into receiving it, He was legitimately given by God. Because the territories that are being spoken of here are the territories of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the almighty God. And the Bible says that every knee should bow of those in heaven, so you would realize that there are names in heaven.
There is no demon without name, when Jesus was going to cast out the demon out of that mad man in Gatherene, He asked them, what is your name? Jesus was showing us something there, a spiritual principle, as long as there is a name to it, there is a name above it. Because the Bible says; the name is above every other name. And it says, see the jurisdiction; those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. Wherever they are, as long as they are in the jurisdiction of God, this name is above. So the name is an access of authority in the kingdom. Don’t tell me you appeared in the name of Jesus and nothing happened. The first question we should ask; are you the righteous? Are you in that name? Because it is only when you are not the righteous you are like the seven sons of Sceva, the exorcist that are trying to use the name, mention it and there is no appearance of the name in their lives, that there is no result.
See what the demons told the exorcist, it said Jesus we know, Paul we know, their appearance is the same, their appearance is in the name of Jesus and we know the limitation of our authority. We know that at the appearance of that name we can’t stand. And they asked, who are you? So there is no issue with the name. The name is a comprehensive name of authority. That is why we are looking at the comprehensive name of Jesus. It’s not just enough to say you carry the name of Jesus. Do you carry the comprehensive name of Jesus? Christ is the spiritual identity of Jesus. Do you carry the comprehensive name of Christ Jesus? Because at the appearance of the name; apostle Peter said something, He said see, what you see us doing, the things you see around us, don’t look at us as though we are doing it in our power, there is a name.
That’s why they said to that man at the beautiful gate, silver and gold we don’t have, but as such as we have, we give to you. What did they say? In the name of Christ Jesus, rise up and walk. And they did not doubt it, because they knew, that name was above lameness, they knew that, that name was above. So until we come to terms with the comprehensive name of Christ Jesus that we carry, we can’t actually do much. The devil will keep toying and playing around you. It says He has been given a name above every other name in all of the heaven, on earth, under the earth that every tongue should confess. Now this is where it is so powerful; every tongue means the ones that are alive, the ones that are dead, the ones that are to come. We are going to see another Scripture that will make us to understand this. Every tongue.
So, when you are preaching to somebody give your life to Christ and the person is forming hard. This Scripture is the truth. At the name of Jesus, at the appearance of Jesus, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is just a matter of time. Because at the end God will be glorified. The reason you should not give up on any life, on anyone that is still proving hard is because at the end God will be glorified. What you should say to such a person in confidence is that this your tongue will confess Jesus. But the best thing for you to do is to confess Him voluntarily, from your own heart sincerely. Because eventually you will confess it. That’s the implication of this Scripture. So, the name is above every other name. whatever your name may be bearing, the name of Jesus is above your name and you are subjected to that name.
I want us to see that same Philippians 2:5-8, because this is the key for us this is how we have access. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” Now speaking to the righteous, the believers; who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. For you to be able to come out victoriously, for God to commit to you heavy kingdom assignment, He must test you, you must humble yourself. Now this is saying to us, verse 8 precedes verse 9, it says; He humbled Himself to the point of the cross. Therefore, God… as a result of His life, the life He lived, came the glory. The glory did not predate His test; the test came before the glory. And this is an example for us, how He earned the name is how to use the name.
How Jesus earned the name that is above every other name, is how He has commanded you to use the name. if you don’t use the name the way He earned it, the name will not answer. How did He earn it? The Bible says let this mind be in you, as you carry that name, let this mind be in you, that was also in Christ Jesus, He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, made Himself of no reputation, He was found in the appearance as of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient. Two things: humility and obedience. How did He earn the name? He humbled Himself to the will of God. He obeyed God to the last. How He earned the name is how to use the name.
You use the name of Jesus, you appear in the name of Jesus in humility and obedience to the will of God. That is how you would be able to run into the name of the Lord and be saved. You can’t run into it with pride and disobedience. It has to be in humility and obedience. How He earned the name is how you use the name. So we looked at the comprehensive authority and influence of that name, the name every knee bow in heaven on earth, under the earth, every tongue confesses. I want us to see Colossians 1:15-20. Just to buttress what we have shared together earlier in Philippians 2.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
That Jesus may have the preeminence. So His name must have preeminence in your life. His name has preeminence in heaven, on earth and under the earth. The demons tremble at that name because the name carries authority the Bible says He went into Hell and stripped the devil naked and made an open show, spectacle of them triumphing over them in it. The name has preeminence. In Colossians 2:9-10, the Bible talks about Him, it says: for in Him dwells all the fullness of the God head bodily and you are complete in Him. Who is the Head of all principality and power, these things should give you confidence. When you use the name of Jesus, you are not using it in fear, you are appearing in faith because He may have preeminence over all things and He is the head over all principality and power.
So when you appear, you are not appearing apologetically, you are appearing in faith. That was the difference between the seven sons of Sceva and Paul. When Paul appears in the name of Jesus, it is by faith, in faith, on faith. Not in fear, confidence. Because he knows that, that name is above every other name. We can write Ephesians 1:20-23 talking about the authority and influence that Jesus has far above principality, power and might and dominion. And the Bible says far above every name that is named. So every name that is name, the name of Jesus is far above it. They are not competing, there is no competition. It is far above. See the revelation that David had, he said the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until all your enemies become your foot stool.
So, they are not close, footstool and throne are far apart. They are not even the footstool, they are under. So the name of Jesus is not a joke. It’s a key in the kingdom that gives you access. Not access only on the earth, in heaven and under the earth. Even if your destiny is tied and thrown in to the sea, the name of Jesus can locate that destiny wherever, and in whatever form. The name is far above, the devil knows and that is why he does not want the children of God to appear in that name. He will do anything to make sure that you don’t appear in that name. Your confidence in the name of Jesus is not a joke. See what Jesus said in Mark 16:17. It is the basis for our confidence in the name of Jesus.
It says these signs will accompany those that believe in my name, in my name you will cast out demons, in my name, the name of Jesus. See what He said; see what He said, that’s place is so important for us as believers. Because what Jesus said there was very emphatic. Mark 16:17. “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name-Jesus was specific, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.” When we are talking about coming and appearing in the name of Jesus you should understand that it is beyond mentioning the name, its appearing in the name. It says they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. They will do signs and wonders, signs and wonders will accompany them. And we saw that already happening in Acts 3:16, the disciples testified it, they saw. Luke 10:17, you can write it down.
Then one of the things that we must remember very strongly is that the Holy Spirit came in the name of Jesus (John 14:6). So when we are talking about appearing in the name of Jesus, it’s a full force. John 14:26, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. The Holy Spirit comes to your life in the name of Jesus, He will come in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you in the name, so when we appear in the name of Jesus, it’s a full force.
The name of Jesus justifies you; you are justified in that name. Jesus said in John 15:16, He said ask for anything in my name. John 14:13-14. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And see He repeated it again, 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. See access, He said I will do it. Anything in my name I will do it. John 20:31, you have life in that name, you have life in the name of Jesus, the name of Jesus is so powerful, it’s so strong, you don’t want to miss out on the authority in that name; you don’t want to miss out in the power of that name. John 20:31, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. So, the life you have in His name is what you carry about, that’s what you appear with.
When you appear with the life you have in His name, knees will bow, tongues will confess that in this woman, Jesus is LORD. In the life of this brother, Jesus is Lord. In the life of this girl, Jesus is Lord. The limitation we have is when we have lost our position as the righteous. The Bible says we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When we get into Christ we are justified in that name.
It is a good time to pray!
