Gems of Knowledge

Today’s One Year Bible Verses: Jeremiah 1:1–2:30 | Philippians 4:1–23 | Psalm 75:1–10 | Proverbs 24:17–20

---

Power In The Name Of Jesus

There is a big difference between simply knowing the name of Jesus and understanding the authority that belongs to His name.

Today’s Gem uses a word we don’t hear very often anymore: wield.

“Wield My name in power and authority against every power of darkness, every injustice you see, every corruption you encounter, every temptation that creeps around, I will cut it all down when you call on me. Amen.”

To wield something means to take hold of it and use it effectively. We might picture someone wielding a sword—gripping it with purpose rather than simply carrying it at their side.

And that’s the picture I immediately see in this Gem.

As followers of Jesus, we aren’t helpless spectators watching darkness operate around us. Jesus has given us His name, and Scripture repeatedly shows that there is authority in that name. But that doesn’t mean His name is a magic phrase we attach to whatever outcome we want. The authority is His. The power is His. We are calling upon Him and coming into agreement with His will.

That distinction matters.

Look at Jeremiah in today’s reading. God called him to confront nations, kingdoms, corruption, and rebellion. Jeremiah immediately saw his own inadequacy:

“O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
—Jeremiah 1:6 NLT

But God never expected Jeremiah to accomplish the assignment through his own power. He told him, “Don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you.” (Jeremiah 1:8 NLT)

Then God described Jeremiah’s assignment with incredibly strong language: he was appointed to “uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10 NLT).

Jeremiah wasn’t powerful because Jeremiah was powerful.

He was powerful because God had sent him.

The same truth should keep us both courageous and humble. When we encounter darkness, injustice, corruption, or temptation, our confidence isn’t supposed to be in our own spiritual strength. We don’t stand there thinking, Look what I can do.

We call upon Jesus.

When temptation creeps in, we can call upon Jesus.

When fear begins taking over our thoughts, we can call upon Jesus.

When we recognize spiritual darkness, we can pray in the name of Jesus.

When we see injustice or corruption, we can ask Jesus to expose what is hidden, defend those being harmed, bring truth into the situation, and show us what part He wants us to play.

Philippians 4 gives us such a practical picture of what this can look like in everyday life. Paul tells us not to worry, but instead to pray about everything. Then he tells us to fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.

That’s spiritual warfare too.

Sometimes we imagine confronting darkness as something dramatic, while overlooking the battle happening quietly in our own minds. Temptation, fear, bitterness, deception, hopelessness, and anxiety can creep in little by little. We don’t have to entertain them simply because they showed up.

We can call upon Jesus and refuse to give darkness a place to remain.

Psalm 75 reminds us who ultimately holds authority: “It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.” (Psalm 75:7 NLT)

We don’t have to become the judge. We don’t have to take revenge. In fact, Proverbs 24 warns us not to rejoice when our enemies fall. Our job isn’t to destroy people. People are not our enemy.

We stand against darkness while still loving the people caught in it.

That may mean praying. It may mean speaking truth. It may mean resisting temptation, defending someone being mistreated, exposing wrongdoing appropriately, forgiving someone, setting a boundary, or simply refusing to participate in something we know is wrong.

But whatever God asks us to confront, we don’t have to confront it alone.

There is power in the name of Jesus because there is power in Jesus Himself.

So don’t leave His name sitting unused like a sword at your side.

Wield it!

Call upon Him. Pray in His name. Stand in His truth. Obey His direction. And when darkness tells you that you are powerless, remember Who stands with you. 💎

---

Action (5 Minutes with God)

Take 5 minutes to be with the Lord today. Ask Him:

• “Lord, what do You want me to know about this personally?”
  • Journal what He gives you through His Holy Spirit.
• Then ask, “What do You want me to do?”
  • Journal what He reveals – then do it!

What darkness are you facing right now? Maybe it’s temptation, fear, injustice, corruption, or something happening in your own thoughts. Instead of trying to fight it entirely in your own strength, deliberately bring it before Jesus today. Ask Him to intervene, show you what He wants you to do, and give you courage to obey.

---

Prayer

Dear Jesus, my Lord, my King, thank You that I don’t have to face darkness in my own strength. Teach me what it means to walk in the authority of Your name without ever forgetting that the power belongs to You. Show me when to pray, when to speak, when to act, and when to simply stand firm. Help me resist temptation, confront darkness with truth, defend what is right, and still love the people around me. May everything I do point back to You and Your power, not mine. In Your mighty name I pray, Jesus, amen.

To read more 5 Minutes with God devotionals click here.