Devotional - 31st August 2026

The Salvation Series - 3: Releasing the Power of Salvation

Praise God for another day to be able to share with you! I believe God will grant me the grace to minister to you today. We started this series by introducing what salvation is all about and why we must focus on the spiritual. Today, I want to take it a step further as we discuss how to release the power available to us in salvation.

When a person is born again, he or she is a completely new creature. The term “born again” literally translated from the Greek means “born from above” or “born into the kingdom of heaven”. This reminds me of how many people today desire citizenship in other great nations like the US or the UK. However, those nations are still located in this world and are ultimately limited. Being born into the Kingdom of God means being born into the highest class of citizens in the universe!

Yet, the full reality of what happens to a born-again believer at the point of the salvation of our spirit often cannot be fully comprehended by the human mind. That is why many people miss it at first. In their ignorance, the devil takes advantage and continues to harass them. The scripture says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4).

What makes a person victorious in this life is faith, but no one can believe in what they do not know. The truth is that many Christians try to build their faith without the true foundation: Christ Himself. When we first got born again, we simply believed in Jesus Christ, and that saved us. Along the way, however, many believers lose sight of faith in Christ alone. Until their faith is anchored once more on Jesus Christ—the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)—they will continue to struggle in every other area of salvation. Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39).

The scripture tells us that faith overcomes the world, but it also specifies what our faith must stand upon. It says, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5).

Therefore, it is not just faith in anything that overcomes the world; it is faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is what we did when we were first born again, and that is the mindset we must maintain to the end. Let us not make Christianity overly complex by building on shifting sand. Instead, let us build on the Rock of Ages by maintaining our faith in the name of Jesus Christ.

The way we maintain this focus is by meditating on the name of JESUS. That is the name we need to unleash the power to overcome any situation. Jesus said after His resurrection, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth...” (Matthew 28:18). And if I might add, even in hell! The scripture further says, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10–11).

As a Christian, you should never feel powerless. You have all the power in the universe invested in one name: Jesus. You simply need to truly believe in it to unleash its power. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” — John 14:12

What works did Jesus do? He cast out devils, healed the sick, calmed storms, and multiplied food. And He gave us permission to do greater works than these, based on one simple criterion: BELIEVE IN MY NAME, JESUS. This authority isn't something that kicks in only after years of being born again—it is available immediately when you believe. The scripture says, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” — Mark 16:15–18

The Bible tells us about the seven sons of Sceva, who tried to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus without truly believing in Him (Acts 19:13–17). They said, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.". In other words, in context of today’s church, they were telling the demon, "We command you in the name of the Jesus whom Bishop Oyedepo preaches."

Before beating them and sending them running away naked, the demon replied through the possessed man, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" They were not born again, they had no personal relationship with Jesus, and they lacked faith in His name. They were trying to use Paul as a middleman to access Jesus' power. As a Christian, you must put your faith directly in Jesus—not in a person or a formula. That is the only way it will work for you.

Consider another example that happened before Jesus died and resurrected. A man was casting out devils in Jesus' name, even though he was not following Jesus as one of the main disciples. When the disciples tried to rebuke him, Jesus stopped them, and said, “Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.” (Mark 9:39).

Unlike the sons of Sceva, this man was not relying on a human proxy; he put his faith directly in Jesus Christ. You do not need to rely on a minister or do anything extra after being born again to exercise authority in the name of Jesus. You simply need faith in Him. That is the entire point of salvation: giving everyone direct access to God. However, Christians must grow in holiness to enjoy the fullness of this authority, and that is why God’s stop-gap measure is to give the church ministers, who should help in maturing the Church to this fullness. The Scripture says, “… Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20) .

However, a major problem in the Church today is over-familiarity with the name of Jesus combined with a lack of understanding. Many Christians speak the name of Jesus recklessly without reverence. Doing so is like playing with something more powerful than an atomic bomb! The name of Jesus is the most potent force in the universe, yet many believers fail to tap into even an inch of its power because of unbelief and lack of reverence. Whatever you do not respect will not work for you.

This is why one person can call the name of Jesus once and see immediate results, while another can repeat it a hundred times with no effect—just like the seven sons of Sceva. Even the demon in that story knew the authority in the name of Jesus! Using the name of Jesus works based on your purpose, your faith, your reverence, and the authorization you receive by being born again (John 1:12). It was only after the devil beat the seven sons of Sceva that the people in Ephesus began to treat the name with deep reverence. The Scripture says, “And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” (Acts 19:17).

I pray we learn to reverence the name of Jesus before a crisis forces us to!

So, here is your takeaway: make it your deliberate practice to meditate on the name of Jesus. Let this be your focus and desire as a Christian until your faith is built up. When your faith sees Jesus not only as your Savior, but as your strength and supply of all power, you will exercise authority and take dominion for Christ on this earth. It is your heritage!

Furthermore, believing in the name of Jesus Christ is a commandment—it is essential to staying victorious as a Christian. This is a foundational doctrine we must never overlook. Just as the most advanced computers still run on basic binary code (0s and 1s), the whole of Christianity rests on the foundation of the name of Jesus. The Scripture says, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” (1 John 3:23).

Another key to having confidence in the name of Jesus is obeying Him and walking in love toward others. When we walk in obedience, our conscience is free from condemnation, which strengthens our hearts to believe. But when we live in disobedience, the devil brings accusations and condemnation—and where condemnation mixes with faith, faith cannot function effectively.

Think of it naturally: you would feel hesitant to ask your parents for something if you knew they were displeased with your behavior. You would fear they might say no. While God’s grace is far greater than human parents—and using the name of Jesus is purely by faith, not works—living with a clear conscience gives you bold confidence before God. The Scripture say, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” (1 John 3:20–21).

If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ by being born again, that is your very first step to accessing the power in His name (John 1:12). The Scripture says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God...” (1 John 5:1).

If you want to receive Jesus Christ today, say this simple prayer out loud in faith, believing that He died and rose again for your sins.