Power in the "Name"

[Josh]

Okay, so the question came up today- is there power in the actual name/ title of Jesus or does invoking his name have power only insomuch as one is invoking Jesus' authority?

[robin]

I think it is the authority one is invoking, but that's not to say that the name is not important. In the end I think they are one in the same. I know Jesus as Jesus, the way I know Josh as Josh. Does that even make sense?

[Josh]

Acts 19:13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

I think one could point to this story to differentiate the difference between a name and the authority behind it.  These Jewish excorcists used the name of Jesus as a formula without the authority that would have been theirs if Jesus was truly their Lord, and they failed. 

Still, I think there may be some power in the actually speaking of the name itself.    Perhaps that puts me somewhere between you and Chris on this? 

It's similar to how I see all the "word of faith" stuff.  I think there is to a small degree some power in certain words and speaking things out*, but nowhere near the power claimed by word-of-faithers or adherents of "the Secret".   We can say all sorts of things and see no real effect, good or ill.  The real, deep power of faith always comes from authentic relationship, not formula.

[christopher]

I think the sons of Sceva story makes my point.  They thought they were invoking a magic word (Jesus) but hadn't the authority because they weren't of his kingdom.  So the demon (who was not obligated to comply) mocked them and "whooped their asses".  The syllables they uttered had no power.

If someone, as a believer acting on the prompting of the Holy Spirit, says in the name of Jesus, Yeshua, Christ, the Lord, JC, or any other alias that refers to Jesus, I think the exact same authority is invoked.   It's important to remember that not all healings were explicitly done "in the name" of Jesus.  Sometimes it was just implied (like when even Pauls' hankies were healing people).  See that?  Even Paul's snot rags carried the authority of Jesus by association and people were healed.  How cool is that?