"HE IS MY EVERYTHING
-- I GO IN HIS NAME"

March 19, 2000 pm

1Samuel 17:45-51  Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it], and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

The above scriptures note that David came to Goliath in the name of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 18:5  For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
The above verse notes the priests of the temple chosen to stand and minister in the name of the Lord. David told Goliath that he did not come with a sword or spear to defeat him.


"In the name of the Lord," means "in the authority and POWER of the Lord."

The same manner of speaking is found in the New Testament when the statement, "In the name of Jesus Christ" is noted.

I am speaking about true Christianity today.

But there is an element we need to understand. Paul said this to truly saved Christians.

Let me explain the point.

Peter preached about God's plan for Jesus to die and be buried, and how Jesus resurrected from the grave.

Acts 2:23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Notice the term "determinate counsel." And when the people believed Peter's words about this, they manifested faith in it. So, Peter told them that the actions that true believers must do are to repent and to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason for baptism, especially, is that they might truly understand that God considers them AS HAVING DIED WHEN JESUS DIED on the cross. This is what saves us. Notice this: Christ was EVIDENTLY SET FORTH TO THEM, CRUCIFIED AMONG THEM. Paul said that Christ was of no effect to them. According to he context of that last statement, Paul hinted that these people ere supposed to love one another, but they were actually biting and devouring one another. Many people are lie that today in Churches everywhere. Paul also described their plight by contrasting his concept of Christian living against their own
Galatians 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Compare 2:21 with 5:4. Here is how they made Him ineffective.
Galatians 5:1-6  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
If they set out to be circumcised, which was an Old Testament ritual  that inducted a male into the Judaic religion, Paul said that Christ would profit them nothing, or be made ineffective with them. SOMETHING PLEASED GOD. Do you get the picture? Here is what pleases God:
Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
FAITH PLEASES GOD.

DID YOU KNOW THAT ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES IN ITSELF IS NOT PLEASING TO GOD?

But when we come to Church service in order to LEARN and UNDERSTAND more about what it means to be UNITED TO JESUS, and you exert faith in that truth, then THAT pleases God. We cannot please God by a performance of good works.

The reason so many are making Christ ineffective in their living is due to the fact that they DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT CHRIST IS IN THEM, AND THAT HE IS THEIR JUSTIFICATION.

JUSTIFICATION is a big issue that will make a difference when understood. Jesus was killed for OUR OFFENCES. Many look at Jesus as one who took the death penalty to set the convicts free from having to pay the penalty themselves. That is not the same as saying he died so we would not have to. Romans 4:25 says that Christ's resurrection is my JUSTIFICATION.

Jesus was condemned by the world as a false Christ.

The righteousness of one single man made many others righteous. That is why we stress so strongly Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ. What is your hope of glory? Your only hope of glory is CHRIST IN YOU. God sees JESUS CHRIST when He sees you. If you do not see your union to Him, then you WILL INVARIABLY TRY TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF THROUGH GOOD WORKS.

When David ran after Goliath with just a sling and stone, God was portraying to us that man's devices will not conquer the enemy.

When you pray for the sick IN THE NAME OF JESUS, have faith that God looks at you as JESUS CHRIST laying hands on the sick. When the devil attacks your family, run after him in JESUS' NAME, and God sees you as JESUS CHRIST chasing the devil. These people will lay claim on what they did IN HIS NAME as basis to enter heaven. Many read Paul working in JESUS' NAME, but do not understand what Paul understood when he did it in that NAME. Refuse to even CONSIDER adding any good deed to what God did on the cross as your justification. Paul said that if we are going to add one little work to your repertoire of chalk marks on the list of what is taking you to glory, then leave Christ altogether and go back under the law entirely. I do good works because I am already saved. Replace all the works-oriented thinking and false philosophies and concepts with these truths from the bible.