TAKE AUTHORITY! IN JESUS NAME!

We read in the book of Acts, Chapter 19, about a very powerful story. It seems there were seven sons born to a man named Sceva. These sons had heard of the preaching of Paul the Apostle, and how there was a man called Jesus, in whose name, when called upon, could perform miracles. Sceva was a priest in the city they lived in, so these men were familiar with the God, and knew the stories of miracles that he performed.

When these men believed the story of Paul, that the Messiah had come, and it is Jesus, they decided to take it upon themselves to use that name. In short, they came upon a man in the town who was possessed with a powerful demon. And upon facing this man, decided to try their new found name of Jesus against this demon. This story takes a turn for the worse when the demon speaks back to the sons this powerful statement; " Jesus I know, and Paul I know, BUT WHO ARE YOU?". These men were sent home running with the clothes tore from there bodies and barely escaping with there lives as the demon attacked them.

What happened here? Why did this name of Jesus not work? Is there no power in this name? Did God seemingly fail? NO! a thousand times NO!

Beloved, God is and always will be more powerful than any demon from Hell. The name of Jesus will ALWAYS be above every name in the universe for salvation, healing, redemption, deliverance. The missing key here for the seven sons of Sceva is very simple. Look at what the demon said here. He says Jesus he knows and Paul he knows. That word "Know" means in essence:

• To know one INTIMATELY, inside and out
• To have a PERSONAL connection

This demon was saying, I know Paul. I know very well he has an intimate connection with God the father. I know Jesus, he is Lord and King, even over me, and I know he is connected with God the father. But I also know YOU (the sons of sceva) have no connection, no personal relationship, with Jesus and this name. Beloved, the demon knew that these sons only knew this name Jesus from hearing about him. when you read this story you will see these men never knew Jesus, never had a personal relationship with him. there was no personal connection with the Holy Ghost living inside them and birthing them into the family of God. What they were using this name for was no more than a magical spell. And friend, there is no power in a magical incantation, even when you bring the name of Jesus into it.

Authority ONLY comes from one place. Time spent in the presence of GOD! My friend, if you have a personal connection with Jesus, if you have been born of the HOLY GHOST, if you have been birthed into the family of God, and you spend time in that presence getting to know Jesus intimately, and He you, then you have power with God just like Jacob. He gives you authority (POWER) to rebuke demons off your family, friends, finances, Pastor, Church. He gives you power to lay hands on the sick and see them recover. He gives you power to intercede for lost and backslidden souls just like abraham. And most important, He gives you power to be a son of God, to live like Jesus did, produce the fruits meet to be a child. To love your enemies, pray for them that hate you, and have faith in God thru the storms of life.

Dear reader, the key here is building a connection, personal and intimate, thru the spirit, with the father in Jesus name. If you wonder why your prayers go unanswered, why it seems God is not in your life situations, why you never feel what they do at church when the tears begin to flow on others, this is your problem. Jesus these people know, but who are you?

I beg you today to find time to make Jesus personal. There is no power in just a name. You might as well call my name out against a devil, it is just the same. The power in Jesus name comes when you have spent time alone, and personal with God, built a relationship one on one with him thru the Holy Ghost. I beg you, there are things coming upon this world and in your life that will take this "intimate authority" to make it or you will find yourself tore apart like the sons of Sceva.

Get alone with Jesus, read his word and seek his face, one on one while you still can. Then you will have something behind that name of Jesus when you use it.....POWER!