Acts 3:16 (NIV)
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
CONSIDER THIS
“The Spirit of Jesus in me greets the Spirit of Jesus in you and brings us together in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.”
Peter understood the assignment. You will be “my witnesses.” We all know John 3:16. How about Acts 3:16?
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
I’ve been listening to a song on repeat this morning. I’ve lost count of how many times. It’s not a song written by a famous person, but it comes out of a community of people. They call themselves King’s Porch. My old friend, Jesse Reeves is one of the originators of the fellowship. The song is called I Speak Jesus and I’ll link it here if you want to listen in with me. Here’s how it goes:
I just want to speak the name of Jesus,
over every heart and mind.
I know there is peace within your presence.
I speak Jesus.
Isn’t this exactly what happened on the day of Pentecost and the day after? On the day of Pentecost, they all began to speak in different languages and yet they were all saying the same thing weren’t they? They spoke Jesus. The song continues . . .
I just want to speak the name of Jesus,
’til every dark addiction starts to break,
declaring there is hope and there is freedom.
I speak Jesus.
On the eve of their graduation to apostleship, Jesus said this to those first disciples:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Not my workers. Not my worshipers. Not my weekend warriors. My witnesses. It means those who will cease to live for themselves and learn to live with me and from me and through me and to me and for me. In other words, “my witnesses” are the people who speak Jesus, not like a mantra but like a sacred language. That’s it! The Holy Spirit teaches us to speak Jesus.
The song continues . . .
Your name is power.
Your name is healing.
Your name is life.
Break every stronghold.
Shine through the shadows.
Burn like a fire.
It reminds me of the time Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). That’s the whole tamale, isn’t it? “You will be my witnesses. I will build my Church.” How we desperately need to recover this kind of simplicity!
My church.
My witnesses.
Dear friends, this is how Jesus saves the world—according to his power that is at work within us. The song breaks forth into a bold call to action . . .
Shout Jesus from the mountains; Jesus in the streets; Jesus in the darkness over every enemy; Jesus for my family—I speak the holy name of Jesus.
Far from becoming a religious person who speaks Christianese, speaking Jesus is about becoming a person of extraordinary power, a person in whom the Spirit dwells without measure, a person of holy love.
My witnesses.
My church.
Still day one.
THE PRAYER
God our Father, who with your son Jesus Messiah, fills us with the Holy Spirit, thank you for the miracle and the mystery of the day of Pentecost. And thank you for today, and that it is only the day after. I am moved by these four words you spoke over us, Jesus: My church. My witnesses. They are so filled with revelatory power. I am struck by what they have in common: “My.” You look at me and you say, “mine.” You look at us and you say, “mine.” I look at you. We look at you, and we say Jesus. Holy Spirit, teach us to speak Jesus. Praying in his name, amen.
THE QUESTION
Are you picking up on the subtlety that isn’t subtle at all—the difference between speaking about Jesus and actually speaking Jesus? Wrestle with that one today.
For the Awakening,
J.D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com
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P.S. I’m just getting started . . .
If you want to go to the next place in your faith, you must take risks on Jesus. That’s how you spell faith—R.I.S.K. Some of you are afraid to take a course on the Holy Spirit. You are afraid it is going to be weird. That’s not this course. The goal will be to actually increase your comfort level to know, experience, trust, and move in the Spirit—in your everyday life. Go ahead and register today.
And many are asking, what if I can’t make the sessions, will it be recorded to engage later? Yes. It will all be there for the duration for you to engage on demand.
3 Responses
To speak about Jesus
Without seeking Him,
Without experiencing Him,
Without surrendering to Him,
Without obeying Him,
Without being in awe
Of His presence
Is empty words.
If I understand this correctly, the grace-gift of the Holy Spirit, manifest’s His presence within us when we “speak Jesus “. …..and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord”, except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3b)
Jesus is the name above all names!
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Luke 19 37-39
37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Even the rocks know His name!