Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:9-11.

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” - Luke 10:17.

The seventy that had been sent out by Jesus returned and there apparently was some surprise that there was such power in the name of Jesus. We pray in the name of Jesus, but do we really comprehend the tremendous power that is still available to us today through His name? The early church clearly understood this because the name of Jesus is frequently referred to in the New Testament. But what about today? Is the name of Jesus still the name above all names? Is there still power in the name of Jesus? 

Every two or three years we see news reports of someone in a crisis situation using the name of Jesus in order to survive. Sometimes they are in out of the way places and do not even make it to the national media. In December 2000 I cut out an article of such an incident which occurred in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

Barbara Rhodes, the owner of Bobbie’s Outlet Store in Ardmore suddenly came face to face with a robber pointing a gun at her. Barbara’s response was to say, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Several times the robber demanded her purse. Each time Barbara responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” The gun at one point made a click as if he had tried to fire it. Barbara laid the magazine she was holding onto the counter and started walking toward the door. The man fled.

Why did he leave? Barbara says, “It was the Lord that made him take off.” 

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus... (Colossians 3:17).”