We Are the Reminder of Jesus’ Power

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2 5-11, ESV)

Since Megan is in a body image series, I wanted to stay in the same vein this week: the body. Not just our body, but the body we are made in the image of– Jesus.

If you skipped today's key verse, please go back and read it– no judgment, we all do it from time to time– and meditate on it. Really think about what it means; it’s multi-pointed.

First, it describes what Jesus did and the beautiful way He keeps us at the forefront of His mind. Jesus, who is equal with God and shares all the power, wonder, and glory that entails, saw His God-status and held it of no value if He could not have us. Instead of clinging to the privileges and the power connected to that position, he emptied Himself– humbled himself– to take human form. He became like us to serve God and redeem man. He gave up His heavenly body to don one that was completely like ours; one that could bleed, one that could batter, and one that could die. 

He did it gladly. For you.

Second, it shows us that yes, we are the reason for Jesus’ becoming a man to die for our sins. But because he did that– because he chose to die and rose from the dead– God the Father has elevated Jesus’ name above any other name. And that’s no superficial sentiment that means the name is more well-known or more respected than any other name. It means that the name Jesus is more sacred and more powerful than any other name.

It’s not an incantation, it’s not a power to take lightly, and it’s not a power over God. But it does empower us. As children of God, we love Jesus above everything else. We praise Jesus above anything else, and we worship Him for all He’s done. We understand that every day, every breath, and everything we endeavor to do is because Jesus is good and worthy of our every intention and aspiration. We live in reverence of Him.

And because we love Him, we’re given access to the power of His name. All throughout scripture, the power of Jesus’ name is obvious: it heals, it delivers, it saves, it protects, and we are commanded to do everything in His name (Colossians 3:17).

So if His name saves, we are called to tell others about Him so that they might also be saved. If His name protects, then we are supposed to hide ourselves within it and declare it over others. If His name delivers, we are called to deliver those around us through the power of His name; and if it heals, then we are to heal others in the confidence of His name.

And I know what you must be thinking: Well, Cortney, that’s easier said than done, because when you’re looking into the face of a demon and commanding it to get lost, it can be intimidating. Yeah, I get that, but that’s exactly what the devil wants you to fall back on. He wants you to be more confident in the scare-tactics of his demons than the power of the name of Jesus. 

But the funny thing is, even demons will tell you that they have no choice but to submit to the name of the Lord (Luke 10:17). So here’s today’s encouragement, and here’s how it ties into the body: Jesus took on human form and faced the cross so that you could not only be redeemed and reconciled to Him, but so that you could experience His power and His Spirit. You are created in His image. Yes, a lesser form of His image, but a form He gladly took on to save you. And He took great care to ensure that you would have His authority over the powers of hell.

He suffered for every sin, but He also suffered so that you could continue in His love. He suffered so that you could use the power and the magnitude of His name to command any demon to go in the name of Jesus.

So that you could command the spirit of infirmity to leave the sick in the name of Jesus, and they would be healed in body and in mind.

So that you could deliver someone who has been struggling against strongholds for years in the name of Jesus, and they would be able to find peace and refuge.

So that you could minister to someone walking through heavy grief and intercede for them to know the love and the purpose of God in the name of Jesus.

You are made in His image, friend. But not only that, Jesus died, rose, and gave you the right to use His name so that more people would come to know Him. He made you look like Him so that you would never forget the legacy in which you walk. You can’t forget the love in which you life, the purpose in which you walk, and the power that lives in your heart when the very sight of you reminds you whose you are. 

That may be difficult for you to remember every moment of every day– believe me, it is for me, too! But be encouraged today. You don’t need to be afraid of whatever trap the enemy might try to lay out for you, because your arsenal is tried and true. As long as you hide yourself in Jesus, His name will be the never-failing weapon that you can rely on.