By Olivia Obijiaku
The Parish Priest of St Mary’s Catholic Church Samaru Zaria, Rev Fr. Augustine Isek recently enjoined Christians not toy with the name of Jesus.
He assured sinners of their redemption in the Name of Jesus. Speaking on ‘The Power in the Name of Jesus,’ at the ongoing parish revival, Monday, January 20, 2025, the priest hinged his message on the story of the man on a stretcher (Mt.9:2, asserting that the Name of Jesus has the potency to transform a sinner to a saint.
He called on participants to use the Holy Name with humility, authority, and with the consciousness of what it can do, so that it may work for them.
“Do not look down on any sinner.” The priest said. “Any sinner can be a saint. You may have been a sinner. You may be a sinner. But you may be a saint tomorrow. Your sin will disappear when you meet Jesus. Sin was the problem of the man on the stretcher. Sins were forgiven when he met Jesus. The Name of Jesus cleanses you anytime you go for confession, because His Name is Saviour. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Do not be afraid of Jesus. He does not condemn. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (Rom. 8:1). He will wipe away your sins.”
“The Name of Jesus works for humble people alone. Humble yourself before you call His Name. Anytime you go in the Name of Jesus, you go not go in your name. Anytime you pray in the Name of Jesus, you are no longer the one praying, it is God talking to God. So learn to pray in the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus works if you have the consciousness of it. Always invoke His Name. It is a weapon. Call His Name without having any alternatives. It will work for you, if you know the meaning. Call it with authority because it carries authority.”
Fr. Isek clarified that using the Name of Jesus also requires good character from them, so that they may be portrayed as those who are connected to the Name of Jesus because, “your character will make you better or worse.”
