Nougat 21

Siblings,

When we read that there’s power in the Name and the Blood of Y’shua, it is for real. You heard the soldiers’ take on that yesterday – they were on the ground whether they believed in Him or not. And they aren’t the only witnesses. There are others, even today. Let’s revisit what happened in that incident with Today’s Holy Nougat

John 18:6 ASV

[6] When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

Tales of the Supernatural 2

A Jamaican balladeer, Ernie Smith, has a very humorous song about meeting, rather being threatened, by an evil force en route a date with a young lady. According the story, the protagonist didn’t stop to determine whether that evil force was human or demonic – he fled! Unlike these soldiers, that young man had the grace to run. The story ends with the discovery that it was neither a ghost nor a thief, but that it was a prank from his date and her friend.

That moment in the Garden with Y’shua and the soldiers was no prank.

There was no evil spirit physically manifesting (though the greatest force of evil had been masterminding that moment), and there were several armed men (I don’t know that guns had yet been invented). It was not just a physically charged moment, it was spiritual. And the outcome of that moment is what gives us confidence about Y’shua’s divine identity.

That those soldiers fell affirms what we’re told in Philippians 2:10,

‘At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow – in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth.’

The Pauline writer’s words suggest that not only did that happen to the soldiers, but it also happened in his era (do you remember Paul’s Damascus road experience?), and assures us to the feasibility today.

I offer you a more recent example

In 2006 or 2007, I was home in Jamaica. It was a Wednesday, and though I was on leave, I intended to attend an ordination service the next day. The word on the street was that there was a gas (fuel) attendants’ strike on Thursday and with the distance I would travel, I needed to ensure I had fuel. The lines at the petrol stations were ridiculously long. By 7:30 pm, I determined that I was wasting my precious fuel in the lines, with zero guarantee of actually getting more fuel, so I returned home.

The manse was the second hose on a cul-de-sac, and I had a nodding relationship with most of the neighbors. I was chatting on my mobile, and didn’t think much about the street lights being off. In fact, I thought it was a power cut. What I did notice was a car in the cul-de-sac, and more annoyingly, a young man whom I’d helped with food or loose change coming up to my driveway. I had already alighted the car to open the gate, and commented to my conversation partner about the young man’s arrogance. Driving through the gate, I once again disembarked, this time to open the garage. By this point, young man was level with me in my driveway.

I was annoyed. He was taking my assistance for granted. Communicating that to my friend, I put the phone down, then opened my mouth to reprimand him, and was faced with a menacing 9mm shotgun!

Siblings, this was a decisive moment. My options were fairly limited. I completely forgot about the open phone line. I also forgot that I had neighbors. Or maybe I thought they weren’t around because of the power cut. The options had actually reduced a bit in my mind, as the young man was visibly armed. My thoughts went in a million directions, including the reality that I lived alone. No one was inside to rescue me.

But remember.

This is a tale of the supernatural!

Suffice it to say, somewhere in the mix of thoughts, I considered,

What if this is a test for me? I am a minister. I wonder how they expect me to react?!

My spiritual instincts kicked in.

I cried out, The Blood of Jesus is against you! just like I’d learned years ago.

I kid you not siblings

The guy reeled backwards at the name of Y’shua! Just like those soldiers in the Garden.

And like the soldiers, the moment afterwards he strengthened his resolve. He caught himself and pointed the gun a second time, this time his finger was visibly on the trigger.

My brain went in a different direction. I caved.

He left with the car. I was left alone, physically unharmed, and trembling on the street. A neighbor helped me past the trauma enough to call the church, to tell them what happened. One of the members who came to console me called the police. For I was too distraught to think of calling them on my own.

The police arrived 30 minutes later (as in: within 30 minutes of being called). While trying to give them the report, we heard the police dispatch – the very same car, or a car that fit the description and license number, was found abandoned 10-15 minutes away! It was unscratched, in fact, somewhere in the get away, a tire had burst. By the time the police reached to it, the spare tire had been installed, and the other tire put behind the passenger seat!

Siblings, our God is real!

Just by saying I AM, a title that connected Him to YHWH, the God Who IS, WAS, and WILL BE FOREVER, something supernatural happened. Those soldiers fell! Yes, Y’shua died after the soldiers fell backwards. But they must have contemplated that incident long after. And remember, Y’shua rose from the grave!

Yes, I didn’t stand firm on my Faith, and the car was stolen.

But the car was found – in tact!

Nothing missing, not the phones, not money I had in a pouch,

Nothing was lost!

That’s the grace of God and the power of Y’shua’s name!

What are your experiences of the Power in the Name and in His Blood? Share it. It may be the source of someone else’s transformation.

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May all we seek be found in Christ