“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
Many times when I contemplate this verse Matthew 7:22 comes to mind, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” These people, in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ cast evil spirits out of people yet were told that they would not be entering into His Kingdom, they were not saved by grace through faith, yet received power to do incredible deeds.
We are told that we do not receive what we ask for because “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3) I ask you, how is the power of God made available to those who do not truly serve Him, but denied to those who do, yet are asking for only themselves?
I am also reminded here of Acts 19:15, “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” The power of God through faith in Jesus Christ cannot be compared to any other power on this earth, it is beyond all powers, and I do not attempt to expose contradictions in the Scriptures here, for there are none, nor is it my desire to cause doubt in any that read this short letter, but I only question what I do not understand, what has yet to be revealed to me as the truths of the Word of God.
The name of Jesus Christ does not have power, it is power, it is the epitome of all power, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3) And His name is never to be used frivolously or with nothing but personal gain in mind, Simon was rebuked for attempting to purchase this power. (Acts 8:18) Yet those who did many wonderful things in His name, even unto the casting out of evil spirits were not followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another verse comes to mind here, and it may be used loosely in context of this poorly written letter, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Tim. 3:5) I do not mean this facetiously, but it seems as if the blessed name of our Lord was used to do miraculous things by people on their way to hell, by the unsaved, and I cannot comprehend how this is so, yet the verse speaks for truth.
When a servant is sent by his master to perform a task, that servant is the representative of his king, when he speaks, it is as if the king is speaking. All the prophets were thus, as were the apostles, as we are, when we are sent by God to do a deed, we are His representatives. Does the Almighty use the wicked for His purposes, of course, was He using these individuals in question, those who cast out devils in His name, and they believed themselves to be servants of the Most High by doing so, yet were deceived in their minds?
When one casts out a foul spirit, one’s mind is not wavering like the sea, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:6) There is a confidence that this will indeed happen, that as we call them, an act of God, a miracle will be performed, and no miracle can happen unless the Almighty causes it to be so. Many do not receive because they ask amiss, these wicked souls asked, and it was done through them.
I confess, there is far more that I do not understand about the ways of the Most High than I can comprehend, I offer only caution then here today, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ holds incredible power, power inconceivable to us, and it is never to be used lightly, never. We have the power within us to cast mountains into the sea, to cast out demons in His name, and if He calls us to do so, it will be done. But please, always recall Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
