By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? Acts 4:7
Revelation is incredible, it never stops; it comes to us in waves. Over the last several months I have been thinking again and again about something I have known for a long time, but has recently become more precious and real to me by revelation from the Holy Spirit. That something is this, when Jesus became a man, He became a man permanently. He is still a man. What is the significance of that? He represents me as a man before the Father and He rules the universe as a man. He has been given the authority that has always been His as the Son of God as the Son of Man; as a result, a man is ruling the universe. Now there is even better news, He has given us authority to live and pray in His Name; absolutely unthinkable. Here are some thoughts from Watchman Nee on this very subject.
“Our eyes must be opened to see the mighty change wrought by the ascension. The name of Jesus certainly establishes the identity of the One in the throne with the Carpenter of Nazareth, but it goes further than that. It represents the power and dominion before which every knee in heaven and earth and beneath the earth must bow. Even the Jewish leaders recognized that there could be this kind of significance in a mere name, when they asked this question of the disciples concerning the lame man’s healing.
Today the name tells us that God has committed all authority to His Son, so that in the very name itself there is power. But further, not only is it His, but it is “given among men.” He has placed that authority in our hands for us to use. In three passages in His last discourse, the Lord Jesus repeats the words “ask in my name.” What confidence He must place in us to say “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do”!”
This is the beauty and power of redemption. Not only has the fallen race of man been forgiven and reconciled to fellowship with God, we have been brought to the unthinkable place of ruling with Christ for eternity. This is surely amazing grace. I have been justified by grace, reconciled into His family, and seated together with Him in heavenly places all to magnify His amazing grace.