The name of Jesus has become the most widely used and often the most misused phrase in the modern religious landscape. We assume that anytime the name is invoked, the person is referring to the Christ of the Bible. But we must be sober enough to recognize that a name is only as powerful as the person it represents. A person can call an idol by the name of Jesus, use that name in a public setting, and lead people to believe they are operating under the authority of the Savior, while they are in fact serving something else entirely.
“The biggest deception coming in the church is people using the name of Jesus who are not referring to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, son of the living God,” says Dr. Mensa Otabil. “In that day, many will come and say, Lord, we prophesied in your name, we did miracles in your name, and Jesus will say, I never knew you. You said Jesus, but you did not mean me.”
This is the great peril of our time. There are many who perform works, cast out demons, and attract crowds using the name, yet they do not know the historical Jesus of the Bible, the Word made flesh, the eternal Son of God, fully human and fully divine. When the name is detached from the person, the authority is lost. If the Jesus being preached is not the One described in the sixty-six books of Scripture, then the name being used is nothing more than a label. We must be discerning, for the power of the name rests entirely on our relationship with the One who owns it.
— Dr. Mensa Otabil
Wisdom Nuggets:
1. The name is not a talisman: Simply saying the name of Jesus is not a magical formula. True power comes from the person behind the name, not just the syllables spoken.
2. Beware of different versions of Jesus: There are many false gospels that promote a Jesus who is merely a tool for personal gain, a prosperity mascot, or a magical entity. If the Jesus being presented does not match the Christ of the Bible, it is a different gospel.
3. Test the sanction: You can do impressive things in His name, yet remain unknown to Him. Being sanctioned or authorized by God is different from simply using religious language.
4. Know the historical Christ: Your defense against deception is a deep, personal knowledge of who Jesus actually is—the One who existed from the beginning, was made flesh, and remains the only mediator between God and man.
5. Watch the fruit of the heart: Jesus warned that many would claim to act in His authority while being total strangers to Him. Do not be mesmerized by the activity; look to see if the heart and the message are truly rooted in the Son of the living God.
#SacredWord #MensaOtabil
