The power in the Name of Jesus must be highly honored in a day when it's being disrespected and challenged. Since this is something the Lord spoke into my heart I must give heed to in producing the Herald of His Kingdom website, I have given myself to some meditation upon the subject.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:9-11.
But, what the Lord dropped into my heart goes beyond my own adoration of His Name but to a mandate that it MUST be "highly honored" in a day when it's being "disrespected and challenged." Why is that? It's because we live in a time when man wishes to diminish it not only through careless and vain use of it by not speaking it with reverence, but often as a convenient curse word, but also by coupling it with the names of other gods (little "g") as if the Lord of All the Ages, the Ancient of Days, the Lamb Upon the Throne, the ONLY Saviour of our Soul is willing to share His glory with another!
In my decades on planet earth, I have never seen so much attention given to strange gods, foreign gods, icons and idols. I've been in homes where they have an 'equal opportunity worship policy." Whatever god you wish to worship is there. You can find the Holy Bible on a coffee table, and a statue of Buddah on the bookshelf. You can find a picture of Jesus on the bedroom wall, and the book of Mormon on the dresser. You can find a promise box full of promises from the word of God on the office desk, and a Koran in a desk drawer. Why? Because deluded souls wish to be ever so careful they don't hurt anyone's feelings, and especially not the feelings of "the gods". Beloved, let me clue you in: Idols made by man's hands or conjured up on man's imaginations don't have feelings.
And you don't dare mention the name of Jesus without giving some real thought to it first because you know just the mention of His Name will bring ridicule. I do not know too many people who wish to be mocked , made fun of, considered as less than kind so most shrink back rather than assert themselves when it comes to standing up for His Name.
But, that is what we are called to do. And we are called to do it regardless the consequences, and beloved, I fear that what I see happening to Christians around the world who suffer for their faith is coming nearer and nearer to America. We are being challenged to practice standing up for His Name so in that day when it may cost us our very lives, we have had some good practice! Do we honestly believe that if we can't stand a little heat of people mocking or making fun of us or treating us rudely or even manifesting attitudes of hostility we will suddenly become super saints if the time comes that we must stand for it in the face of true physical persecution, and not just hurt feelings?
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5
As part of my devotionals, I love to pray the prayer of John 17.
17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17:1-5
In the first part of this chapter, we see Jesus asking His Heavenly Father to glorify Him, as He has glorified the Father. I feel compelled that even as Jesus is now seated on the right hand of the Father in eternal glory, and ever magnified throughout heaven, we must pray earnestly that He receive this same glory through the saints here on earth until there is not a soul on this earth who has not heard of His magnificent power and glory!
Can you imagine what a glorious day that would be when all of the earth sees Jesus for Who He really is, and falls down to worship Him?
The most wonderful thing about being a "herald of His kingdom" is getting to be one who adores, promotes, exalts, gives preeminence to the KING of the kingdom, the Lord Jesus Christ! THIS truly is the most wonderful thing about any "kingdom" message. JESUS is at the center of it!!! His holy apostles came preaching and teaching the Name of Jesus, and the kingdom of God!
I ask you to pray for me that I be faithful ALWAYS to not only stand for His Name, and all that it represents, and I will certainly pray for you!
Dear Heavenly Father, we recognize that because Jesus was a willing and obedient Son who was even obedient to the death of the Cross, it pleased you to exalt His Name above all else! We pray that we will always be in agreement with You, giving honor and glory to Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
We pray that you will reveal anything to us which is not keeping with Your purpose that He be glorified and magnified very specifically through our lives. We ask it in Jesus Name, Amen and amen.
Always in the Love of Jesus,
CJ DiPilato