John 17 (Seven) Which Name Is One (Part Three)

Good day

For as long as it takes we are going to study the gospel of John chapters fourteen to seventeen.

To pick up the topic, you may need to read the one or two postings preceding this one.

This message is a continuation of our previous message.

“And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled,” (John 17:11, 12).

We see that, according to John 17:11 & 12, there is safety in unity and this unity exists in being one with God. The emphasis is on the Lord and on His name. Many little Kingdoms have been built in the past and are being built these days. Satan is subtle and man’s heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). We therefore find that, although things sometimes appear to be in the name of the Lord, if we look carefully the motive of the heart is very much aimed on self and many people get deceived by it.

We really need to be discerning. Two friends of ours went to a meeting in London arranged by a certain great preacher’s ministry. The name of that preacher draw the people to the meeting and thousands turned up. The person who spoke was the financial administrator of that great preacher. He told the congregation of this new special anointing that creates prosperity and riches, which originated in the United States, and of the success it had there. He then encouraged the people to go forward and give £1000.00 to the Lord. Those who did it within the first thirty minutes would receive this special anointing when he prayed for them. He made use of typical sales techniques such as various payment methods and time limits and, according to our friend, people rushed forward in their hundreds. He then reduced the sum to £500.00 for those who could not afford the higher amount and so on.

Based on what Jesus said on various occasions about money and rich people and the fact that His gifts are free, was it possible that it was God’s name that united these people? Was it love for the Lord that united these people? Was these people’s focus on things above or on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-3)? Was it the name of the LORD that united these people or was it the name of the well-known, charismatic prosperity preacher that drew them together? By running after this so-called anointing, were they aiming for a treasure in heaven or a treasure on earth (Matthew 6:19, 20)?

These particular people were united by the well-known name of a man and their love of money. Their focus was on what could make them happy on earth, which is money, and not so much on what awaits them in heaven, and the people who smiled all the way to the bank were those who collected those thousands of £1000.00 donations. One can reason that the money would have been used for God’s Kingdom, but if this was the case, the Lord would have wanted to guide people in their giving voluntary. He would have wanted those in need of the money to depend on Him daily – to wait on Him. He would never make use of sales manipulation techniques to accomplish His purposes.

Can you see that there is much deception within the church? Huge portions of the church are linked to either names of people or names of organisations and these determine how things are to be done within their organisation. Are they really united by the name of the Lord? Is God really their source? I have seen so many times how preachers learn from other preachers how to go about to get power and money out of gullible Christians who only want to please the Lord. Successful prosperity preachers often receive pastors from over the world to learn from them.

The Lord said in Matthew 7:13, 14: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” He was not only talking about the world and their sin in this passage. He referred to anybody who tries to live an easy life whilst maintaining religion on the sideline as a ‘spare wheel’ or an escape gate.

The life in the name of the Lord is a narrow, focused unification with the Name above all names, taking from it the anointing to accomplish God’s will on earth and also the hardship that goes along with it. Jesus suffered because of this Name, all the disciples suffered because of this Name and the real church suffers because of it. Do you really want to be one of the thousands that live on the wide road of a prosperous life here on earth, or do you want to be part of the handful that suffer for the sake of the Lord’s name on earth, but whose real treasure are souls in heaven?

Lord, I really want to be one of the handful entering eternal life.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.