Embracing the Power of Jesus Through Surrender

Devotional

Day 1: The Name of Jesus as a Relationship Gateway

The name of Jesus is not just a word to be uttered; it is a gateway to a profound relationship with Christ. This relationship is characterized by intimacy and submission, where every aspect of life is surrendered to His lordship. When believers are deeply connected with Jesus, they experience the power and authority that comes from His name. This connection is not about using His name as a magical formula but about living in a way that reflects His character and desires. By aligning our lives with His will, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His presence. [00:12]

Acts 4:12 (ESV): "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your relationship with Jesus today, allowing His name to be more than just a word but a reflection of your life?

Day 2: Surrender as the Path to Authority

True spiritual authority and the power of answered prayers come from a life fully surrendered to Jesus Christ. This surrender involves allowing Him to overrule every part of our lives, aligning ourselves with Heaven's authority. When we submit to Christ's lordship, we begin to see His power manifested on Earth. This total surrender is not a one-time event but a daily commitment to let Jesus guide our thoughts, actions, and decisions. As we yield to Him, we find that our prayers become more aligned with His will and, therefore, more effective. [01:19]

James 4:7-8 (ESV): "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 3: Aligning Prayers with God's Will

Our prayers become powerful and effective when they align with God's will. As believers draw closer to God, their thoughts and desires begin to reflect His, leading to transformative prayers. This alignment is not about asking for what we want but seeking what God desires for us and the world. When our prayers are in harmony with His will, we experience a deeper connection with Him and see His power at work in our lives. This process requires a heart that is open to being transformed and a willingness to let go of personal agendas. [02:42]

1 John 5:14-15 (ESV): "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

Reflection: How can you ensure that your prayers are aligned with God's will today? What steps can you take to listen more closely to His desires for your life?

Day 4: Exercising Spiritual Authority

The name of Jesus grants believers authority over the spiritual realm, including power over the devil and his schemes. However, this authority is not automatic; it requires a genuine relationship with Christ. Using His name as a ritual without a true connection to Him is ineffective. Believers are called to live in a way that reflects their identity in Christ, exercising the authority given to them through a life of submission and commitment. This spiritual authority is a powerful tool in overcoming evil and advancing God's kingdom on Earth. [10:22]

Luke 10:19 (ESV): "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

Reflection: In what ways can you exercise the spiritual authority given to you in Christ today? How can you ensure that this authority is rooted in a genuine relationship with Him?

Day 5: Identity in Christ as the Foundation

A believer's identity in Christ is the foundation of their access to God's throne. When approaching God in prayer, they do so with the confidence that comes from being in Christ. This relationship is the basis of their spiritual authority and the key to experiencing His power and presence. Understanding and embracing this identity allows believers to live with assurance and boldness, knowing that they are deeply loved and accepted by God. This identity is not earned but given through faith in Jesus, and it transforms how believers interact with God and the world. [14:26]

Ephesians 2:18-19 (ESV): "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."

Reflection: How does your identity in Christ influence the way you approach God in prayer? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of this identity and its implications for your life?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound significance of the name of Jesus and the power that comes from a deep, personal relationship with Him. Jesus's name is not a mere incantation or a magical formula; it is a representation of the person of Christ, who desires a genuine relationship with us. To experience the power and authority that comes from His name, we must be intimately connected with Him, submitting every aspect of our lives to His lordship. This includes our roles as husbands, wives, children, workers, and every other facet of our existence.

The essence of our faith is not just in believing in God but in being fully surrendered to Jesus Christ, allowing Him to overrule every part of our lives. This surrender is the key to seeing Heaven's authority manifested on Earth. When we align our thoughts and actions with God's will, we begin to think as He does, and our prayers become powerful and effective.

Moreover, the name of Jesus grants us authority over the spiritual realm, including power over the devil and his schemes. This authority is not automatic; it requires a life fully submitted to Christ. When we call on His name, it should be from a place of genuine relationship and commitment, not as a mere ritual.

Our prayers should not only seek physical blessings but also address the spiritual aspects of our lives. God desires to transform us from the inside out, and when we align our requests with His will, He is glorified, and we experience His power in our lives.

Ultimately, our identity in Christ is our access to God's throne. When we approach God in prayer, we do so with the confidence that comes from being in Christ, knowing that our relationship with Him is the foundation of our spiritual authority and the key to experiencing His power and presence.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Jesus's Name: The name of Jesus is not a magical incantation but a representation of a person who desires a deep relationship with us. To access the power in His name, we must be intimately connected with Him, submitting every aspect of our lives to His lordship. [00:12]
2. Total Surrender to Christ: True authority and answered prayers come from a life fully surrendered to Jesus. When we allow Him to overrule every part of our lives, we align ourselves with Heaven's authority and see His power manifested on Earth. [01:19]
3. Alignment with God's Will: Our prayers become powerful when they align with God's will. As we draw closer to Him, our thoughts and desires begin to reflect His, leading to effective and transformative prayers. [02:42]
4. Spiritual Authority Over Evil: The name of Jesus grants us authority over the spiritual realm, including power over the devil. This authority requires a genuine relationship with Christ, not just the use of His name as a ritual. [10:22]
5. Identity in Christ as Our Access: Our identity in Christ is our access to God's throne. When we approach God in prayer, we do so with the confidence that comes from being in Christ, knowing that our relationship with Him is the foundation of our spiritual authority. [14:26]
** [14:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - The Significance of Jesus's Name
[00:27] - Submission in Relationships
[00:44] - Serving the Lord in the Workplace
[01:19] - Total Ownership by Christ
[01:36] - Surrender and Heavenly Authority
[02:10] - Unity with the Triune God
[03:00] - The Final Decision Maker
[03:43] - Public Confession of Faith
[05:09] - Glorifying God in Prayer
[06:18] - Confidence in Prayer
[07:15] - The Role of Preparation
[08:40] - Spiritual and Physical Healing
[10:22] - Authority Over the Devil
[12:19] - Misuse of Jesus's Name
[14:26] - Identity in Christ as Our Access

Sermon Clips

"so Jesus's name is not a name to be played with nor is it is it dice is it magic you just throw out there uhuh this is a person behind the name and if you don't know the person submitted to the person intimate with the person following the person yielding to the person submitted to the person don't expect the power power comes from a person" [00:00:12]

"whatever you do he says verse 23 do your work hardly as for the Lord rather than from men knowing from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance it is Jesus Christ the lord whom you serve you don't serve the man you work for the man but you serve the Lord you don't even get to go to work tomorrow morning without Jesus being Lord he wants to own your home your life your money your time your efforts your work he wants total ownership uh if you want to answered prayer if you want to see Heaven if you want to see Kingdom Authority manifested in your life listen the more you surrender the more of Heaven you'll see" [00:54:35]

"Matthew 6:24 no man can serve two masters you can't have the Lord and anything as a final decision maker no everybody has ideas only the Lord gets the final decision maker to rule and overrule overrule your manhood overrule your Womanhood overrule your marriage overrule your singlehood overrule your work overrule your finances overrule your activities overrule Your Entertainment he wants the whole kitten Kaboodle that is if you want to see heaven's Authority on Earth it's not enough to believe in God that that's that's not good enough when it comes to having God move on Earth he moves on Earth through his son so your belief in God and love of God and appreciation of God that's nice but it's not sufficient for intervention in history that comes through Christ" [02:50:08]

"to call on his name in the day of trouble means you have publicly confessed him before men Romans chap 10: 9 and 10 he says if you if you confess with your mouth that is open declaration that I am a I'm a committed Christian I belong to Jesus Christ open declaration not hidden that's right he says those who call on me who have confessed he says will be delivered whatever you ask in my name that will I do so that the father may be glorified in the son if you ask anything in my name I will do it in other words anything that's going to make me and my daddy look good I'mma do glorified if if you going to make me look good by your prayer request" [04:23:00]

"this is the confidence which we have before him so the word confidence the word no if we ask anything according to his will he hears us and if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask we know that we have the request that we have asked from him o you see how many times I've said the word no that is inner persuasion or confidence anybody been waiting for something for a while okay well the first question is are you praying in his name okay are you surrendered okay but given that when there is a of time between a legitimate prayer in Jesus's name the knowing that he's going to answer but the lapse in time between the answer it is for one reason and one reason alone preparation either God is preparing it for you or he's preparing you for it or he's preparing the two for each other" [06:12:36]

"the prayer will heal the sick and address the sin now all sickness is not due to sin but a lot of sickness is he says the prayer of faith he says in the name of the Lord so he brings the name in will heal the sick and it will deal with the sin what God is saying is if I could ever get to the spiritual we could do a lot better with the physical see most of our prayers wants we want God to change stuff in the physical give me more money give me better health give me a new car give me a new house give me nice clothes give me know yeah we want God to do something in the physical and and that's not there's nothing wrong with that but we often want him to do stuff in the physical without touching the spiritual don't touch my sin but give me my blessing don't touch my Rebellion but give me my blessing no he doesn't mind changing the physical but he wants to address the spiritual and that brings in a monster Authority Kingdom Authority" [09:00:04]

"the name of Jesus gives you power over the devil because much of what we deal with has come from him or through him or by him in Luke 10: 17- 19 he told his disciples he he's having a conversation with his disciples and he says you have authority over the devil in my name you tread among the demons you Tread On Top of the Demons instead of the devil and the demons walking on you you walking on them tread means to walk on when's the last time you walked on the devil just just walk oh devil let me walk on you yeah rather than him walking over you he says I give you Authority he uses the word authority to tread on the devil and his demonic scorpions why because many of the issues we have are demonically exacerbated" [10:22:00]

"so Jesus's name is not a name to be played with nor is it is it dice is it magic you just throw out there uh-uh this is a person behind the name and if you don't know the person submitted to the person intimate with the person following the person yielding to the person submitted to the person don't expect the power power comes from a person" [13:32:00]

"when you when you get on your knees to pray and you go to your heavenly father and say father I want this I need this help me over here deliver me over there God has a question show me your ID upon what right and Authority do you have right now to come to my throne and to make this request and to expect me to let you in to my holy Throne where is your ID and all if you understand the name of Jesus you got an Ida just like when it comes time to go to heaven and if the Peter would say on what ground should I let you in glory I hope you don't say my good works I hope you don't say I was a member of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship I hope you don't say I'm a nice person cuz that'll get you booted out of Heaven there's only one thing that's going to get you in the glory and that is I have somebody who died on the cross for my sins who was my personal substitute who I placed my eternal Destiny in the hands of for the gift of eternal life that's your ID for Glory" [14:12:00]

"but while you on your way there and you go to God for answered prayer and the father says what's your ID all you got to do is tell him I come in the name of the Lord Jesus who I've submitted my life to who rules over my life who controls my life who I'm not ashamed to be identif with or as the words of the Apostle Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes anybody wants some power anybody wants some victory anybody wants some Deliverance anybody want to see some Heaven well then give God the glory by giving Jesus the honor" [15:21:00]

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