On Sunday, June 22, 2014, my Pastor, Ron Shaw delivered a message on “Power in the Name of Jesus”. His text was taken from Phil 2:10-11. I listened intently and every now and then the people around me probably would hear me say, “right”. He shared that names had meaning during biblical times (and still do). I knew this because when I was naming my daughter I wanted people to speak positive things into her life when they called her name; therefore, she became Keturah (fragrance/sweet aroma) Colette (victorious).
Yet, what truly resonated in my spirit was when he said that we (born again believers) don’t use the power that Jesus’ name gives us. So, I decided I was going to do something different and tap into that power.
Pastor Ron is always asking us “what does that look like”? I pray I can demonstrate in my writing what it looks like and how taking authority has turned some situations around for me and my family.
Below are our (my family and friends) testimonies:
- While Keturah and I were in New York, we walked approximately 20 miles. Keturah literally had blisters on her feet. We made it back to the location where we needed to be to be picked up around 7:15pmbut there was a problem… There seemed to be 500 or more people at the bus stop. A bus had not arrived since 3 o’clock that afternoon and we were scheduled to leave at 8:15. People were milling around asking people “what times does your ticket say”. Then there were rumors that the night before the buses arrived 2 hours late. We sat down and I said, “I will not be here until 10 tonight. Lord, I don’t know what is holding these buses up but you do, In the Name of Jesus, I call everyone one of those buses in. We will not be here until 10 tonight”. It wasn’t 10 minutes before one bus after another began to pull into the pick-up location. At 8:15, we were on the bus getting ready to go to Philly.
- My daughter is obtaining her principal certification. Because it is summer her mentor hours during the first semester were impossible to achieve. She was very distraught. I watched her read, write, and email people for interviews while we were on vacation. On paper, she had earned an A, but on the syllabus it stated, if you don’t complete the mentors hours your grade will be cut one letter grade. I told her this is where you stand on your faith because you have done all that you can do; trust that GOD will make up the difference. When I hung the phone up, I told God, “We need your intervention. I wouldn’t ask if she demonstrated she was lazy and wanting a free ride but I seen her work. In the Name of Jesus, make up the difference in mentor hours”. When her grades posted, can I say two A’s?
- This morning I received a call, “Marilyn I lost my phone”. When you have a truck driver on the road, he needs his phone. Instantly, you could think it’s an IPhone and it is gone. I immediately prayed, “In the Name of Jesus” help Kevin find his phone. From the time I prayed and the time it took me to walk into my kitchen my phone was ringing. I thought, oh, it is Kevin, he found his phone! But when I began to talk it was strange voice. Kevin, not Kevin. It was a nice older gentleman who had found the phone and called me back because I called it earlier. He gave me his address so the phone could be retrieved.
I love the way God works. I was asked to read the book “Draw the Circle” and take the 40 day prayer challenge. It was during this time that Pastor Ron delivered his message on “Power in the Name of Jesus”. It was the icing on the cake for me. You can say what you want. You can call it a coincidence but I call it GOD. I pray the reader of this blog is blessed “IN THE NAME OF JESUS”.
