The Name Of The Lord

1 Samuel 17:45-47 "The David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted." "This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or spear; for the battle is the LORD's and He will give you into our hands"

Of course we know the story. Goliath the giant had challenged the men of Saul's army to a match, and the side of the winner would get all the spoil, and plunder. David had been sent by his father, Jesse, to inquire of his brothers who were in the army.
David agreed to meet this giant of a warrior, and all he took was his staff and his sling. He picked up five smooth stones, although he only needed one. David said that he did not come with weapons of warfare, but that he came in the name of the LORD. In other words, David had faith that God would defeat the army of the Philistines that very day. And yes, God was victorious.

Today we use the phrase "the name of the Lord" to mean His authority. Colossians 3:17 reads: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father". What we do in our worship to God and our daily living is to be by His authority. Anything we attempt to do in God's name or the name of Jesus, must be according to His word which is the Bible. Just like our prayers, these need to be done according to His will.

Let us not take this phrase for granted, but let us do everything in the name of the Lord. By His authority and by His commandments. When we enter our spiritual warfare, let us take the name of the Lord with us, because the battle belongs to the LORD.
By Carey Scott