Many Christians confess so quickly that they have faith in the Name of Jesus and use the Name of Jesus while they pray. But do they really believe in that Name? Because when you look at their lives and what they do, the faith they confess is nowhere to be found. What does faith in the Name of Jesus mean? What does faith in the Name of Jesus do? But most importantly, how do you develop faith in the Name of Jesus, so that you will walk by faith in power and do all things in the Name of Jesus? Because if you don’t have faith in the Name of Jesus, then you can’t speak the same words as Jesus and can’t do the same works as Jesus.
The lame man asked Peter and John for alms
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up:and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God (toimii 3:1-9)
In Acts 3:1-9, we read about the lame man, who was brought and laid daily at the gate of the temple, to ask for alms. And what better place is there to ask for alms than the temple? People that go to the temple and worship God, are people who care about the poor, isn’t that right? Niin, there wasn’t a better place to ask for alms, than the temple.
About the ninth hour (3 pm) Peter and John were about to go into the temple, when the lame man asked them for alms, just like he asked for alms from other people.
The new man belongs to the generation of faith
But Peter and John weren’t the old creation anymore, they had become Uusi luomus, Jeesuksessa Kristuksessa. They had received God’s nature, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They didn’t belong to the faithless generation anymore, but they belonged to the generation of faith, who walks after the Spirit.
Jesus was the first One of this new creation, who walked after the Spirit and not after the flesh, and Peter, John, and all the other disciples became His followers.
This lame man asked for alms, but he didn’t get what he asked for.
When Peter and John fastened their eyes upon the lame man, Peter commanded the lame man to look at them. The lame man obeyed Peter his commandment, because the lame man thought apparently, that when he obeyed him, he would receive alms. But the lame man didn’t receive, what he expected to receive.
Peter told the lame man, that he didn’t have silver or gold, but that what he had, he would give him, and that was: Life.
Then Peter instructed the man, in the Name of Jesus, to rise up and walk. Peter didn’t wait to see, what would happen, but Peter took the lame man by the right hand and lifted him up
Strength entered the feet and ankle bones of the lame man
At that moment, strength entered his feet and ankle bones, and the lame man leaped up, stood, and walked. The lame man, who was healed, went with John and Peter into the temple, while he was walking, leaping, and praising God.
His body, which was weak (kuolema), had become alive by Jesus Christ, by His power.
Many people say that the lame man was healed, because of his faith. But that isn’t true, because in Acts 3:16 we read why the lame man was healed:
And His Name through faith in His Name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: Kyllä, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all (toimii 3:16).
What does faith in the Name of Jesus do?
Peter had faith in the Name of Jesus. He knew his position in Jesus Christ and the authority (power) that was given to all those, who believe in Jesus Christ and are seated in Him.
When Peter fastened his eyes upon this man, Peter did not look whether the man had enough faith. The lame man had no faith, because the lame man asked for alms and not for healing.
The lame man didn’t ask for mercy in order to be healed (when Jesus walked on the earth, people asked Him for mercy, for healing). Therefore this man had no faith. It never came up in his mind, that his body would become strong and that he could walk again.
Why did Peter fasten his eyes upon the lame man?
Peter fastened his eyes upon the lame man, because at that moment Peter took his position in Jesus Christ and gave him a commandment. The lame man was willing and obeyed him. Because of that Peter, took authority over the spirit of paralysis, which reigned from birth for more than 40 years over his body (Lue myös: How to walk in the dominion that God has given to you?).
The evil spirit in the lame man became subject to the Name of Jesus. When Peter commanded the lame man to rise up and walk and took the lame man by the right hand, the life of Christ entered his body and made that evil spirit flee.
This man wasn’t healed by Peter’s own power, nor by his righteousness, but the lame man was healed by faith in the Name of Jesus.
Peter knew, who Jesus Christ is, and knew his position in Christ. And from that position in Christ, in the Heavenly places, Peter walked as the new creation; in the authority of Jesus Christ on earth. Just like Jesus walked in the power; authority in the Name of God on earth (Lue myös: ‘How to have faith in God?")
'Ole maan suola’
