The Name Responds To Relationship

||Rhema for the Week||

“One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’” — Acts 19:15 (NIV)

In the New Covenant, we are introduced to a name unlike any other—the Name of Jesus. This name carries unmatched authority in heaven, on earth, and even in the realm of darkness. It is a name that commands healing, drives out demons, and brings deliverance to the oppressed. Yet Scripture makes it clear: the power of the name responds to relationship.

In Acts 19, the seven sons of Sceva attempted to use the name of Jesus to cast out demons, but they lacked a personal connection to the One whose name they invoked. The evil spirit responded not with fear but with a question: “Who are you?” Their presumption was met with violent resistance. The name did not fail. Their relationship was absent.

Jesus never taught the power of His name to the multitude. He taught it to His disciples—those who walked with Him, believed in Him, and were committed to Him. This teaches us that access to the authority in the name of Jesus is not by knowledge alone, but by covenant relationship. Your intimacy with God is what activates faith and grants you the legal ground to wield His name effectively. The name of Jesus still works. It works powerfully, decisively, and consistently. But it works for those who know Him. Your relationship with Him will not only authorize the use of His name, it will also guide you in knowing when, how, and where to use it for heaven’s purposes.

This week, do not just speak the name. Walk in relationship with the One who owns it. The deeper your walk, the greater your authority.

Further Reading: Phil 2:9–11, John 15:7, Luke 10:17–20, Mark 16:17, Acts 4:13, James 4:7