In one of my classes, my professor shared a story about his experience with healing and deliverance ministry.
He had worked with gang members and addiction in Asia, and his first encounter with demonic possession was with a gang member who was in rehab for heroin. The patient had more withdrawal symptoms than usual, and when the team started praying for him, he began to throw himself against the concrete wall. They had to restrain him, but they couldn’t seem to get him to stop.
One of the ladies on the team whispered the words “In Jesus name, stop.” As soon as she said those words, the man fell to the ground and stopped his convulsions. The professor mentioned trying to test whether it was the words or tone in which the lady was speaking that got this man to stop. He tried using different words and different tones to see what would happen and the man only responded to the words “In Jesus name, stop.” To make things even more miraculous, the man didn’t even know English, nor was he educated, which means those words did not have any meaning to him whatsoever. Yet, these words were so powerful that they stopped any convulsions this man was having and brought him back to his original state.
After hearing a story such as this, I can take away one thing: There is power in the name of Jesus. No other name or words were any match for that man’s demonic possession. He is the only name that makes everything bow down.
Many of us will probably not encounter such supernatural things in our daily lives. But we may face difficult times and moments where nothing seems to work. When no high level strategies, no therapeutic techniques or interventions, or even expert advice can make a way for us, perhaps we should consider praying in the name of Jesus.
The power of the name of Jesus penetrates both the physical and spiritual realities of our lives. If we could only fathom what both the angels and demons know to be true about Jesus, perhaps we would talk differently. Maybe we would walk differently. Maybe we would even pray differently.
I’m convinced that the most powerful prayer we can ever make is the one we pray in Jesus name.
Father, I thank you for sending your son Jesus as a living and loving sacrifice to die on the cross for our sins. I thank you for giving us access to you through the Holy Spirit that was made possible with Jesus. I pray that you would reveal to us your glory and power through your Holy Spirit and that we would realize how great and awesome you are. May we be in awe and wonder of your grace and mercy. Help us to grow in our understanding of who you are, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, we pray amen!