"Authority (In The Name Of Jesus)" by contemporary band Stars Go Dim is a catchy and inspiring song packed with truth. As I've been listening to this song, I'm reminded of the power of Jesus at work in our lives. So, let's chat about the power of Jesus' name and what it means to have victory in Him.
"I speak to the lies/Truth in the name of Jesus/I speak to the fear/Hope in the name of Jesus/I speak to the brokenness/Wholeness in the name of Jesus/In the name of Jesus."
The Christian life isn't a defeated life. It's a victorious one.
"You move the mountains, and you split the sea/You called the dead man up to live and breathe/The same authority's alive in me/So I'll move the mountains, and I'll split the sea."
Romans 8 is a chapter Christians often turn to for encouragement, but sometimes I wonder if we miss the depth of the truths in those verses. They say so much about the victory of Jesus in our lives—in this life and the next—through His work on the cross.
The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside us. He transforms us, empowers us to overcome the desires of our sinful nature, and instead does what pleases God. He empowers us to know God's love for us and have confidence in the identity He's given us as His sons and daughters.
He helps us with our weaknesses. He helps us pray in agreement with God's will. He gives us hope for a day when Jesus will return to restore all things—even us, His people—so there will be no more suffering and pain, only eternity with Jesus.
Stand in the authority of Jesus.
"When I'm surrounded, and I cannot stand/When insecurities are creeping in (are creeping in)/I won't bow down to any fear of man/'Cause He who is within me is the great I am."
Even with all those promises, sometimes we don't live like they're true. I know I struggle with that. The passage in Mark 11 that Stars Go Dim sings in this song teaches us two things. Ultimately, having faith means having faith in God, not just having faith in an outcome. However, God is willing and able to do great things in our lives, and He wants us to believe in Him and ask for those things.
According to Mark 11:22-24 in the New Living Translation, Jesus told the disciples, "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours."
While this doesn't guarantee that we won't face any challenges or that the manifestation of the victory Jesus won for us on the cross will always be immediate, it does imply that we can rely on the power of Jesus' name and the work He has done in our lives. This idea is reinforced by John 16:26-27 and Luke 10:17-20.
There was a season of my life when I was weighed down with lies and accusations from Satan, struggling emotionally, and dealing with spiritual battles until I finally took a friend's advice to take advantage of some resources from my church to help me. I described it to my friend: "It feels like I was cleaning out my closet one day and found my authority as a believer." I had lost sight of what Jesus had made available to me.
You see, in that situation, I had been trying to push through all those feelings and face my struggles without God's help. I was sinking fast. I needed to walk with an awareness of the authority of Jesus' name and His power at work in my life. And because I didn't let Him into the situation right away, I put up with many spiritual battles that I didn't have to endure for a long time.
There were lies I believed that lifted when I finally confessed them to Him, found truth in His Word, and began to think and agree with what He had said about His character and His promises for me in Scripture. My emotional pain started to heal when I was honest with Jesus and asked for help, and He comforted me. When I prayed and relied on God to meet my needs, instead of trying to solve everything myself, He came through and fulfilled my practical needs.
There's truth for lies, hope for fear, and wholeness for brokenness in the name of Jesus. Things do change when we praise Jesus and pray in His name.
Final Thoughts
"Something happens when we sing Your praises/Something happens and the whole room changes/It's the power of Your name, oh the name of Jesus."
I encourage you to meet with Jesus in prayer and Scripture, whether you're struggling or discouraged or even if you're not. Maybe you need to reach out to a friend, parent, or pastor who can pray with you and speak the Word over you. But let Jesus remind you of who He is and the truth of His Word. Invite Him into the needs in your life and heart and the lives of those around you, and watch what He does. There's power in the name of Jesus.
Find "Authority (In The Name Of Jesus)" on Stars Go Dim's latest album, Grace In The Wilderness. Buy it on Apple Music or stream it on Spotify. Read "Authority (In The Name Of Jesus)" lyrics here.
NRT contributor Jasmin Patterson is a lifelong Christian music fan passionate about helping others connect with Christ. She lives in Kansas City, serves in college ministry, and runs a blog to help seekers and believers discover and live biblical Christianity.
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