Debtor_40 day journey_header
DAY 14: Potentate                                                                             June 14, 2015

 
"He who is the blessed and only Potentate,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality,
dwelling in unapproachable light,
whom no man has seen or can see,
to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen."
 
(1 Timothy 6:15b, 16,  NKJV)

MORNING DEVOTION - "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)
 
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:14-15
 
When we meet a new person, the first thing we typically do is exchange names.  Our name identifies who we are.  The mere mention of a person's name is all it takes for our mind to be filled with the impression or characteristics of a particular person.  In the Old Testament the name a child was given when he was born held great significance.  "When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb...his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heal; so he was named Jacob" (meaning "he deceives"; Genesis 25:24,26a)   When the Lord set Abram apart for Himself, He attached His own name to Abram's: "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations" (Genesis 17:5); and the Lord did the same for his wife Sarai, who became Sarah (reference Genesis 17:15-16). A person's name could be a great blessing or a terrible curse that one carried with them throughout life.
 
We have all been given a name or names that were either family names or had a significant meaning to our parents when we were born.  But we are also called more than our first name because of the many positions or functions we fulfill: father, brother, son, mother, wife, sister, friend, teacher, doctor, lawyer, athlete, even nicknames.  Every name describes a different characteristic of who we are or what we do.  How we identify ourselves to people helps them to understand more about us.  This holds true even more so for our God, Who has revealed Himself by more than one thousand names and titles throughout His holy Word.  Of particular importance is the name chosen for God's Son: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). His name was a common name for the time, but the meaning behind His name identifies the purpose for which He came into the world: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
 
Every time we uncover another name, characteristic, or aspect of our God, as we dig into His Word, the more our understanding and knowledge of Him grows, and the more intimate our relationship with Him becomes.  There is no greater knowledge than the knowledge of God. From the very beginning of their relationship, Moses wanted to know Who it was that he was talking with, hearing from, and being obedient to.  God gave Him the name that showed Moses he could trust Him:  "I Am Who I Am...This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation" (Exodus 3:14a, 15b).
 
When we pray to the Heavenly Father, as Jesus has taught us to pray, we are calling upon, and identifying with, the One from whom all good things come.  "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Proverbs 18:10).  When we pray in Jesus' name we tap into the authority and power of the One who is interceding for us at the right hand of the Father and who will supply all that we need to accomplish the Father's business on earth.  "Then the Father will give whatever you ask in My name" (John 15:16b).  Praying in Jesus' name means we are praying with a desire to see the purposes for which Jesus was sent fulfilled: the salvation of mankind.  Jesus hears and answers these prayers to the glory of the Father.
 
Heavenly Father, 
Hallowed be Your name.
"O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!"
(Psalm 8:1)
"I will praise Your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise You
and extol Your name for ever and ever."
(Psalm 145:1b, 2)
"Let all who take refuge in You be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread Your protection over them,
that those who love Your name may 
rejoice in You."  (Psalm 5:11)
   In the wonderful and powerful name of Jesus. Amen.
 
 
Simply tagging "in Jesus' name" to our prayers does not provide a magic formula for answered prayer.  When we pray in Jesus' name we are literally praying "according to His nature."  The core of His nature is love; this is the motivation behind His creative and redemptive work throughout history. "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and ever tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11). May our prayers be motivated by a loving response to the  Lord's command to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and an earnest desire to be so filled with His love that we can touch and impact the lives of those around us.  There is power in the name of Jesus.  May His great Name continue through all generations because we, like Moses, want everyone to know Who has called us, Who is leading us, and Who desires to save and deliver them.  
_______________________________________________________________________
AFTERNOON DEVOTION - "Evening, and morning, and noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17, KJV).
 

Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:14
  
 
When we become God's children, we are given the privilege of bearing the name of Jesus Christ.  We are the sons and daughters of God.  "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:18).  We bear the name of our Heavenly Father, as much, or maybe more so, as we do the name of our earthly father.  When we became His children we gave up our old life and exchanged it, as well as our name, for a glorious new life that includes the wonderful blessings of utilizing His more powerful, all-sufficient name.  "...the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9b). 
 
As His children, we, who are "called by His name" have been given every right, privilege, power and authority that comes with bearing His holy name. He is entrusting us with the use of His name.  Everything that He has done, which His name represents, He has confidence that we will carry forward as we call upon His name to receive the help we need to fulfill the work of the Father.  This requires a close union with our Lord, because of the power He is placing at our disposal. His power is exercised in love, and only those who are whole-heartedly devoted and wholly consecrated to the Lord, are able to ask in a way that will achieve His good purposes on this earth. "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing, He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:12, 13).
 
The name "Potentate" is defined in Noah Websters 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, as "a person who possesses great power or sway; a prince; a sovereign, an emperor, king or monarch."   He is our all-powerful ruler, who is now seated at the right-hand of the Father, and has placed in our possession all the power attributed with His name to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven.  We have extraordinary power at our disposal, but we must be willing to yield ourselves to the interests and purposes of the Father each day.  The unlimited potential for wielding God's influence and authority on this earth, for the good of mankind and the glory of God, exists for those of us who "are called by [His} name," if we are willing to "humble" ourselves and "pray" and "seek [His] face" and "turn from [our] wicked ways" (2 Chronicles 7:14a). 
 
 
Heavenly Father,
I think of Joseph who was given all the
authority and influence of the position of Pharaoh
to help Your people in a time of great famine.
How desperately we need those wise and faithful servants
who are devoted intercessors, willing to persist in prayer 
in order to 
call down Your power from heaven to provide for the lost
and needy of the world. "We do not make requests of
You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.
O Lord, listen!  O Lord, forgive!  O Lord, hear and act!
For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city
and Your people bear Your name."(Daniel 9:18b, 19)
In Jesus' Name. Amen
 
 
The Lord's most "potent" and powerful work was accomplished through His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins and the victory He achieved over death and the grave.  This same resurrection power is available for us today to accomplish "even greater things" when we ask in His name. We need to learn to not rush through our prayers, as if God is a drive-thru window waiting to dispense everything we ask.  This afternoon let us slow down. The pace we are moving at is just too swift anyway. Let us carve out time for a serious conversation with our heavenly Father, and take the time necessary to exercise the authority He has given to us in His Son's name.  Let us consider the importance of each request and the lives that we hold in our hands, and make bold and specific requests on behalf of those around us who need His strength and power today.
 
 _______________________________________________________________________

EVENING MEDITATION - "...and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2) 

 
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:18 and John 16:24
 
Before Jesus ascended to the Father He left these important words for His disciples:  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (v.18).  Prior to giving them their mission He prefaced their call with the promise of His authority and power.  All the authority and power that they (and we) would have access to as they stepped onto the mission field and carried forth the good news of the gospel to the world.  "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20a).  We have been given authority to go forward with the mission of Jesus Christ with full access to the power that Jesus Himself had while fulfilling the work of the Father on this earth.  We are to carry forth His work, having now been given direct access to the Father, and given the full rights to the resources of heaven to accomplish that work in Jesus' name.  

The Lord trusts us to use His power to carry the message of salvation to the world. Andrew Murray has said that, "Power with God is the highest attainment of the abiding life."  We have access to His unlimited power because Jesus is ever before the throne making intercession for us, and He has placed His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into the abiding life through which that power is obtained.  May we lay hold of Jesus with such fervency and desire, as the woman who touched the hem of His robe did, and cause Him to ask of us, "Who touched Me?...Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from Me" (Luke 8: 45a, 46).  May we use that power to bless the world and bring glory to His holy name.
 
Heavenly Father,
"No one is like You, O LORD;
You are great, and Your name
is mighty in power." (Jeremiah 10:6)
 "Your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts" (Isaiah 26:8)
Teach us how to better pray in Your name.
May You find trustworthy and faithful servants
who will enlist Your power to accomplish
the greatest good and achieve the utmost
glory for Your name. 
In Jesus' Name. Amen.


 

We have been entrusted by the Lord to conduct His business on this earth, and we have free and unlimited access to draw upon all the resources of heaven to accomplish His kingdom purposes.  May we prayerfully prepare our hearts as we dig deeper into His Word, learning more about His many marvelous names, so that we can be better prepared as we access His power and continue the mission that we have been called to do to bring His glorious message of salvation to the world.  Take time this evening to meditate on some of His many wonderful names:  The Truth, The Light, The Way, The Vine, The Door, The Rock, Redeemer, King of kings, The Word, Lamb of God, Key of David, Prince of Peace, Hope of Israel, The Life, Good Shepherd, Mighty God, Deliverer, Messiah, Bridegroom. "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted" (Isaiah 12:4).
  
______________________________________________________________________________
"The power of prayer and its answer
depends on the right use of the name!"
- Andrew Murray
Thank you for praying with us!

Join the Trumpet and Torch Mailing List HERE!

Click HERE if you have missed any of the previous day's emails.

DEBTOR: Labor of Love 40 Days of Prayer
(c) 2010, Traci A. Alexander.  All Rights Reserved.
Trumpet and Torch Ministries, Inc.