Jesus - What A Powerful Name It Is

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Posted by Pat Elsberry, May 29, 2024

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT)

A few weeks ago, as I picked up my phone, memories from that day popped up on the screen. As I began to scroll through them, it took me back to that day a few years ago when I received a lesson in how powerful the name of Jesus truly is. 

While working remotely from home, I was on a conference call when I felt prompted to get up and walk to the front of our house. When I looked out the window, I noticed that one of our neighbors, who lived about four houses away, had a small grass fire burning by the front of his mailbox. Although I thought this was unusual, he had done some burning a few days before, and I assumed he was starting again. I walked back to the other side of the house and continued with my conference call, but moments later, I felt compelled to get back up again and look out front. When I did, I saw the fire engulfed our neighbor's front yard. After calling 911, I stood and watched the fire jump over the driveway to the next person's front yard. I remember praying a straightforward, short prayer as I paced in front of our home, "Father, please place a hedge of protection over our homes in Jesus' mighty name." 

It wasn't like I stood there pondering what I should pray for at this time. I just know that this scripture came from within, and as I later realized, this simple prayer was from Job 1:10 when Satan, talking about Job, tells God, "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? I especially love the Living Bible version: "You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm." 

It's so important to hide the word of God in our hearts so we may call upon it when needed.

The word of God and the name of Jesus, the name above all names, are mighty and powerful tools.

When all was said and done, the fire had jumped over four driveways and stopped at our next-door neighbor's home. Upon surveying the damage that evening, I immediately noticed that the fire had literally burned up to the walkway but had stopped at the hedges surrounding the circumference of each home. There, indeed, was a hedge of protection around our neighborhood that day. 

For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

Pat Elsberry is an author, speaker, blogger, and a passionate advocate for parents dealing with grief after the loss of a child. Pat created multiple social media groups focused on providing hope to others who are walking the same path, including her blog, Hope During Loss. Pat facilitates an in-person grief share for women who have experienced child loss, and is also a moderator for Team Sharing, a nationwide peer-led support group for parents who have lost children to substance use disorder. Pat is the author of Beautifully Broken: Finding Hope During Loss, and will soon release her first devotional, Comforted by God. Pat and her husband, Fred live outside Atlanta and have a blended family of 7 children and 5 grandchildren. Her favorite things include traveling, cooking, gardening, dark chocolate, and worship music. You can find Pat on her blog, www.hopeduringloss.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @HopeDuringLoss.