Name Dropping

And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15)

Have you ever been a “name dropper”? Sometimes people claim a personal relationship with a powerful person they've never even met. We want to be connected with power.
We can suffer great damage being a spiritual name dropper. Many today claim to be “Christian” with no visible difference in their lives than the ones who make no such claim. They suffer the results of sinful lifestyles, knowing nothing of Christ’s prohibitions and principles of Christlike living. They don’t even know what they believe. Sadly, some of these are in the church. Some are church leaders. And the painful trials persist and prevail.
God was about doing His work in the first century church. Many were going around, casting out devils in the spiritual realm. In our passage, the question is posed by the demonic entity to those who were using the name of Jesus without knowing Jesus. The results were devastating. God was glorified.
I. USING THE NAME OF JESUS WITHOUT KNOWING HIM IS POWERLESS. The power of the name is given to those who identify with Jesus. Peter and John were told not to use the name of Jesus. But it was evident to all that the power they possessed was because they had been “with Jesus”.
II. USING THE NAME OF JESUS WITHOUT KNOWING HIM IS DANGEROUS. The spiritual world recognizes spiritual power. And they know when they don’t see it. Engaging spiritual enemies without spiritual weapons is not only foolish, it is dangerous. We are no match for spiritual warfare with the enemy without the Spirit of God. We only receive the Holy Spirit through a personal encounter with Jesus. God will not be conjured up at the whim of people who don't know him. He is not a subservient god.
III. USING THE NAME OF JESUS WITHOUT KNOWING HIM IS HOPELESS. There is no hope for people who are without hope. People without Jesus are without hope. We are defeated and despairing at the hands of a merciless enemy.
IV. USING THE NAME OF JESUS IS SOMETHING THE PEOPLE OF GOD SHOULD TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. His name is holy and never to be used in vain. There is power in the name of Jesus and its power is not to be used for personal gain or self exaltation. God will judge us as to how we ministered in His name.
V. WE ARE NO ONE WITHOUT A NAME. Our identity is fragile and insignificant without a name. No matter what shame is attached to our name, when we are born again into God's kingdom, we are given a new family name. And we can do all things through Christ. What a name. The name above all names!
ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL NAME DROPPER?
USING THE NAME OF JESUS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED CAREFULLY.