THE NAMES

THE NAMES AND TITLES OF

THE TRINITY OF GOD

Therefore my people shall know my name:

Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak:

Behold, it is I. (Isaiah 52:6)

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. (Psalm 91:14)

© Harvestime International Network

http://www.harvestime.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface: What Is His Name? 3

Introductory Section:

Developing Relationship With God 5

Experiencing Intimacy With God 6

The Manifested Presence Of God 8

The Importance Of The Names 10

Understanding The Trinity Of God 15

Power In The Name 17

Power In Prayer 20

Power To Endure 23

Power In Ministry 25

Power To Reign 29

Hallowing The Name 31

Fearing The Name 33

Calling On The Name 35

Praising And Worshiping Using The Names 37

Experiencing The Names 40

Part One: The Names And Titles Of God 43

Part Two: The Names And Titles Of Jesus Christ 234

Part Three: The Names And Titles Of The Holy Spirit 472

Epilogue: New Names 556

Appendices

Appendix One: The Names And Titles Of God 559

Appendix Two: The Names And Titles Of Jesus 563

Appendix Three: The Names And Titles Of The Holy Spirit 572

Appendix Four: Scriptural References To The Name 575

Appendix Five: Journal Template 592

PREFACE

WHAT IS HIS NAME?

A burning bush that was not consumed. It was there that God’s servant, Moses, was mandated by God to deliver His people from Egyptian bondage. Let’s listen in…

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? (Exodus 3:13)

Moses asked, “What is His name?” In answer to his question, God revealed one of His many names. He said…

… I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:13)

“What is His name?” This is the same question multitudes are asking today. They want to know who your God is and what makes Him different from other so-called gods. How will you respond? This study will give you the answers. You will learn the names and titles of God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit and you will come to know them more intimately through the revelation of their names.

In the Introductory section, you will learn about developing intimacy with God through His manifested presence and the importance of studying the names. You will study about the hallowedness of the names, the power that is resident in those names, and how to use these names in prayer, worship, and ministry.

In the remainder of the manual you will study the names and titles of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. References are presented, a revelation based on the Word of God, and an opportunity is given for you to respond and record your own thoughts on each name. The Appendices lists all the names used in this study and Scriptures relating to the word "name" as it references the names of the Trinity of God.

As you begin this study, remember that intellectual understanding is not the same as spiritual understanding:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

(1 Corinthians 2:14)

The purpose of this study of the names is not to disseminate information, but to foster revelation that results in intimacy with God. There is a definite difference between knowing about God and knowing God.

If you are longing to know God rather than just accumulate information about Him, then this study is for you. God reveals Himself through the general revelation of creation and the specific revelation contained in His Word. A vital part of that Word is the continuing revelation of His names which enables us to know Him more intimately.

If the sincere cry of your heart is "That I may know Him", then you are ready to begin this study. One word of caution however...

"Never make the mistake of thinking that you know everything there is to know about Him. It's when you think you know, that you stop knowing...No matter how much you know of Him, you've only just begun." Jonathan Cain

Or as the Apostle Paul said:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

(Romans 11:33,TAB)

DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

His heart-felt cry was "that I may know Him":

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord...That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death...(Philippians 3:8,10)

These words were written by the Apostle Paul, who most likely knew God better than most Believers, yet still had an intense desire to know Him more intimately. He wanted to know Jesus personally. He wanted to experience His resurrection power. He wanted to partner in His suffering and to faithfully persevere in this quest until death.

So how does one come to know God? The first step is to repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior. The Bible says that all are sinners: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 6:23). You cannot become intimate with God while deliberately living in sin.

The end result of sin is spiritual death by separation from God: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). God loves you so much that He provided a way for your sins to be forgiven so that you do not have to reap the wages of sin and you can be restored to intimate fellowship with Him. God's gift includes forgiveness of sin and new life through Christ Jesus:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Acts 4:12 confirms that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Jesus Christ is the answer to your sin problem. He is the only way to God, the only way to be forgiven, and the only way to experience true intimacy with the Trinity of God. (Already you can see the importance of the names, as there is no other name by which you can be saved.)

After conversion to Christ, increasing intimacy with God is fostered through consistent prayer, worship, meditation, and Bible study. As you immerse yourself in the Word of God, you will soon realize that God shares tremendous revelations about Himself through His various names and titles.

That is the subject of this study: The Names.

EXPERIENCING INTIMACY WITH GOD

The Scriptures promise that God is near those who call upon Him in truth, meaning those who call on Him through Jesus Christ who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). God promises: "...ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you" (Jeremiah 29:13-14).

Spiritual intimacy with God results from developing a deeper relationship with Him. But just how do you do this? In the natural world, you become intimate with a person by spending time with them; talking with them; understanding their work; listening to their stories; and embracing their interests. You learn more about them by discovering the heritage of their family name and by learning the titles that define their purposes in life. For example, if their titles are husband, father, son, brother, and businessman, then you have learned details of their relationships and work.

The same is true in the spiritual world. Intimacy with God results from:

Meeting Him through the born-again experience.

Spending time getting to know Him. The first commandment is to love God, not do spiritual warfare, intercede, and minister to others, although these are important callings. A loving relationship with God is the priority.

Talking to Him in prayer, expressing your deep longings, emotions, and thoughts as you would with an intimate friend.

Understanding His work. In intimate friendships, you learn about the life-work of your friend. You learn about the Lord's work by observing His creation, how He worked in times past, and how He is moving in the world today.

Learning His stories. Just as you come to know a friend through their stories, you develop intimacy with God through His stories and teachings recorded in His Word.

Embracing His interests which, as emphasized in His Word, involves reaching the world with the message of salvation.

Learning His names and titles. Each time God manifested Himself in a new way in the Bible, He revealed another one of His names. Knowing the names of each member of the Trinity fosters spiritual intimacy with God’s person, His purposes, and His work in the world. You achieve a better understanding of the functions of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

You can learn about God through what He has done, but true intimacy results from knowing Him, not just knowing about Him.

God has recorded a great deal about Himself, His nature, and the way He works through the revelation of His names. The Bible begins with the name of God (Genesis 1:1) and ends with the name of Jesus (Revelation 22:21). Each name revealed in Scripture is a progressive revelation, adding to what is revealed about the Trinity of God. As your knowledge of the names increases, your relationship with God will deepen.

THE MANIFESTED PRESENCE OF GOD

God is omnipresent, meaning that He is present everywhere. The psalmist proclaimed:

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. (Psalm 139:7-11)

While God is omnipresent, that is not the same as encountering His manifested presence. His manifested presence is an experience, not a theological concept.

The children of Israel witnessed the manifestation of God’s divine presence when the elements of the Tabernacle were set in place:

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

(Exodus 40:34-35)

King Solomon experienced the manifested presence of God at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem:

And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 8:10-11)

David valued God's presence so much that in his prayer of repentance he pleaded: "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11). David knew that fullness of joy and eternal pleasures could only be found in the manifested presence of God:

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

In New Testament times, the presence of God was manifested through the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. His presence was also manifested to the world as the disciples demonstrated the power delegated to them by Jesus as they shared the Gospel, healed the sick, and cast out demons.

Moses had an intimate manifestation of God’s presence when he was preparing to lead Israel to their Promised Land. Moses prayed:

"Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people." And he (God) said, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." And he (Moses) said unto him, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." And the Lord said unto Moses, "I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name." And he (Moses) said, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." (Exodus 33:13-18)

Here is how God revealed Himself to Moses:

And he (God) said, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy....Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live...Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:13-23)

God proclaimed His name as a divine revelation of His manifested presence.

If you feel like you are missing something, if you have no joy and no true pleasure, could it be that it is because the manifested presence of God is absent in your life? If so, in this study you will experience His presence in a new way through the revelation of His names. You will not only come to know about Him, you will come to know Him.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NAMES

Names in biblical times meant more than distinguishing one person from another or tracing family heritage through genealogical research. Names revealed the nature and character of a person. In Bible times, great significance was attached to names. A person’s name was often determined by some circumstance at the time of birth (Genesis 19:22). Sometimes the name expressed a hope or a prophecy (Isaiah 8:1-4; Hosea 1:4).

Because of the importance of names in Bible times, God changed the names of several people. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham saying: "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee" (Genesis 17:5). The name Abraham meant "father of a great multitude" which was to be Abraham's destiny. God also changed in the name of Sarai to Sarah and Jacob to Israel for spiritual reasons. In the New Testament this same pattern continues. Simon is called Peter and Saul becomes Paul. Their names reflected their destinies in God's plan.

Here is a summary of why the names of God are important:

Redemption. Getting to know God through His names assures your eternal destiny, as well as that of those to whom you minister. It is impossible for you or someone to whom you minister to be saved apart from the Name of Jesus:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Revelation. The names of the Godhead reveal much about the character, position, and functions of each member of the Trinity. Our concept of God is often too shallow. He challenges us saying: "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal?" (Isaiah 40:25).

To expand our concept of God, He reveals Himself by giving us His names. It is a progressive revelation. For example, Exodus 6:3 indicates that God revealed Himself as God Almighty to Abraham, but he did not receive the revelation of the name Lord. That name was revealed later in the biblical record, as were many others.

Some religious leaders of modern times claim that Allah, the name used for God in Islam, refers to the same God and that Christians should call Him Allah. That is not true. God has revealed many names in Scripture describing His nature and character, and Allah is not one of them.

Relationship. Imagine two people becoming intimate friends without knowing each other’s names! You develop an intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as you study their names. Names and titles define us so that others can know us better. Knowing the names and their meanings provide a deeper understanding of the Trinity of God:

Therefore My people shall know what My name is and what it means; therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks; behold, I AM! (Isaiah 52:6 , TAB)

Each one of the names permits you to know God more intimately. He has promised.

For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. (1 Samuel 12:22)

Other relationships may fail or come and go, but He will not forsake you. He will remain faithful for His name’s sake.

Relevancy. God is the solution to the challenges of life. Knowing the meaning of His names helps you face specific problems and results in spiritual blessings. Here are some examples:

-Moses learned the name Jehovah Rophe, meaning the God who heals, when healing was needed. God declared:

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26)

-Gideon learned the name Jehovah Shalom, meaning God of peace, at a time when he

was fearful of fulfilling his spiritual destiny as a warrior for God:

Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom.

(Judges 6:24)

-When Israel fought Amalek, they learned the name Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner, meaning that God would protect them in battle:

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi (the Lord our Banner). (Exodus 17:15)

-The nation of Israel was blessed when God’s name was put upon them:

Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. (Numbers 6:23-27)

-Moses learned the name I AM when preparing to deliver Israel from Egypt:

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14)

Just as God revealed to Moses the name I AM, He is saying to you today: “I am________”, and you fill in the blank with the name that is relevant to the current problem or challenge in your life (Exodus 3:14). Knowing the names enables you to look to God in times of crisis and call upon Him using specifics names that are relevant to your needs.

Release. The names of God have tremendous inherent power to release spiritual experiences into people’s lives.

-The name of Jesus is the only name by which the lost can be saved:

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given

among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

-The Bible declares that what you ask in the name of Jesus and according to God's will, you will receive:

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

-Signs and wonders are done through the name:

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. (Acts 4:29-30)

-Preaching, teaching, and baptizing are to be done in the name:

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)

-Miracles are done in the name of Jesus. That name causes demons to flee, the sick to be healed, and protection to surround those ministering in His name:

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 16:17-18)

Healing comes through the name:

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14-15)

Trust and confidence are generated through the name:

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not

forsaken them that seek thee. (Psalm 9:10)

Protection comes through the name:

As part of His prayer for His disciples, Jesus prayed they would be kept through His name. The word kept in this passage means to be protected:

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:11-12)

Names are important in the spiritual world, and that is why God often changed a person’s name to reflect their spiritual destiny. An experiential knowledge of the names of God results in trust and confidence in Him because His names reveal His nature.

Knowing the names and their meanings and praying specifically using these names releases God's manifested power in your life and ministry. Everything you do becomes significant when you do it in God’s name:

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:17)

UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY OF GOD

Basic to the study of the names is understanding of the Trinity of God. The one true God is revealed in three distinct personalities of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They are one in essence, but with three distinct natures. The doctrine of the Trinity must be accepted by faith, as it is difficult to grasp with your finite mind.

The first person of the Trinity of God is called the Father. He is the father of:

-Israel: Exodus 4:22

-The angels: Job 38:7

-Jesus Christ: John 17:1

-All true Believers: John 1:12-13

Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit are the other members of the Trinity of God.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for God, "Elohim", is a plural word. The strongest Old Testament reference for the doctrine of the Trinity is:

Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. (Isaiah 48:16)

The Lord states that He was sent by the God and His Spirit, which verifies the Trinity.

In the New Testament, the Father, Son, and Spirit are confirmed to be divine, to do similar works, and to be worshipped. Much is written about the deity of Jesus (examples in John 1:1; Titus 2:13), yet He is distinguished from the Father and the Spirit. The Spirit is also God, but is distinguished from the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 5:3-5).

God has a triune nature with three distinct personalities, yet He is one God:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:4)

There are several Scriptures which confirm this triune nature of God. When Jesus was being baptized by John in the Jordan River, God spoke and the Holy Spirit descended:

And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a

dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo, a voice from Heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17)

Prior to returning to Heaven after His ministry on earth, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit coming from God:

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me. (John 15:26)

The Apostle Peter spoke of the triune nature of God:

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. (1 Peter 4:14)

The Apostle Paul spoke of the Trinity in his writings:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

(Romans 8:2-3)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the

Holy Ghost, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

For through Him (the Son) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

(Ephesians 2:18)

The book of Acts also verifies the triune nature of God:

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He (Jesus) hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)

The Trinity of God is manifested in God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. You will learn more about each member of the Trinity as you study their names.

POWER IN THE NAME

Jesus left His followers with the great mission of reaching the world with the Gospel message. He also left them with power to enable them to fulfill this mandate. He gave them authority to use His name:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

(Matthew 28:18-20)

When a person gives his name to another, it means that the two of them are joined together in unity. An example is when God gave His name to Israel:

The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. (Deuteronomy 28:9-10)

To be sent or to speak in someone's name is to have their authority. One of the greatest keys to spiritual power is the name of Jesus. We often fail in ministry because we depend on our own abilities to help someone. It is not your name, position, or authority that carries the power. Your spiritual power is in the name of Jesus.

Mere chanting of the name over and over is little more than a ritual. It becomes vain repetition similar to that practiced by the Pharisees and Scribes in Bible times. The sons of a man named Sceva tried casting out evil spirits in the name of the “Lord Jesus that Paul preached” and failed miserably because they did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. They had no authority to minister in His name (Acts 19:13-17).

The greatest power in the name of Jesus is the power of salvation from sin. It is only through His name that salvation comes:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins... (Matthew 1:21)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

(John 3:18)

You cannot be forgiven of your sins any other way, only through the name of Jesus. You cannot gain access to God except through Jesus:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Confession of the name of Jesus is essential to salvation:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

The power to become a child of God is through the name of Jesus:

But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. (John 1:12)

Not only are you cleansed from sin and justified through the name of Jesus, you are also sanctified by His name. Sanctification comes through the power of God which continues to work in you after salvation to enable you to live a holy life. In First Corinthians chapter six, Paul speaks of the evils of sin and then proclaims…

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Previously, the Corinthians lived in these sinful practices. Now they lived holy lives by sanctification which came through the name of Jesus. Through the names you are saved, justified, and sanctified. You can experience initial sanctification from past sins, present sanctification enabling you to live a holy life, and complete sanctification when you enter eternity.

The name of Jesus is not some magical phrase. You must have faith in the name. The disciples emphasized this after a powerful healing recorded in Acts 3. Peter said: “...And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong” (Acts 3:16).

We have chanted the name of Jesus like a ritual, but our faith in the name has been weak. How can this be corrected? How can we move beyond mere repetition of the name of Jesus to faith in the name which results in power? The Bible says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Your faith in the name increases by hearing what the Word of God says about His names. Through the Word you can understand the authority of the names and Biblical guidelines for their proper use.

The next few studies focus on the power in the names of the Trinity of God as “… No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power” (Jeremiah 10:6).

POWER IN PRAYER

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, the opening line was: “Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” The name of God the Father should be the first focus of our prayers. When you hallow His name, you declare it is holy and express reverence for it.

We pray to God in the name of Jesus, as the name of Jesus is the key to effective prayer. Jesus said:

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

Hitherto means "up until now." Up until the time Jesus spoke these words, His followers had asked nothing in His name. At this point He established a new relationship with them. He told them to submit their requests to God in His name:

...Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you. (John 16:23)

What a powerful promise! Whatever you ask In His name, you will receive.

But this promise must be taken along with other biblical principles of prayer. We can never isolate one verse on a topic without considering all that is taught on that subject in the Word of God. The Scriptures teach that you cannot ask selfishly:

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:3)

You cannot continue to live in sin and think just because you pray in the name of Jesus that you will be granted your requests. God may graciously do so, but His Word declares that it is the prayers of righteous men and women that avail with God:

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)

If you are abiding in Christ and walking in obedience to God's Word, then you can ask in the name of Jesus and it will be done because your requests will be in harmony with His plans and purposes:

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)

Praying in the name of Jesus is also subject to God’s will. Jesus prayed:

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. (Luke 22:42)

In the weakness of human flesh, Jesus did not want to suffer. He wanted the cup of suffering removed, but He submitted His will to God's will. In some matters clearly defined in Scripture, we know the will of God and exactly how to pray. In other matters we express our will, as Jesus did, and then submit our will to God’s will.

Requests made in the name of Jesus are subject to the sovereign will of God because sometimes we ask according to human reasoning and do not always discern God's higher purposes:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Some Believers think you can ask anything in the name of Jesus and it will be done. When you arrogantly pray without submitting your requests to God’s will, He may answer your demands but it may not be in your best interests. The nation of Israel experienced this when “…He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalms 106:15).

You must also realize that when you ask for something on behalf of another person, their will enters into the equation. Nobody, through prayer in the name of Jesus, can force something on someone which that person does not want. God does not take away the free will of man.

In John 17, Jesus prayed a great prayer concerning His disciples. All these men had received the same training. They saw the same miracles. They received the same Word of God. But yet one of them was lost. Judas had a free will of his own and, despite all he had heard and seen, he rejected God’s Word and His Son.

Jesus spoke of the power of agreeing with others in prayer in His name:

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done of them of my Father which is in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19-20)

As part of prayer, thanks should be given in the name of Jesus: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

You should also give thanks to the name of Jesus: “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

The names and titles of the Trinity of God are essential to powerful, spirit-directed, targeted prayer.

POWER TO ENDURE

There are many challenges and difficulties as you make your journey through life. The power to persevere and endure comes through knowing and applying the names of God.

The name of Jesus is your protection. Jesus said:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name…they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. (Mark 16:17-18)

An example is when the Apostle Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and it did not hurt him (Acts 28).

The name of Jesus gives you power in suffering. Jesus told His disciples:

If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…all these things will they do unto you for My names sake, because they know not Him that sent Me. (John 15:20-21)

When the Disciples suffered because of the Gospel:

...they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:41-42)

The disciples were men who risked their lives for the name of the Lord:

It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 15:25-26)

Although Jesus promised protection while engaged in ministry, it did not mean that the disciples did not experience suffering. Peter, Paul, and Silas were all in prison at times during their ministries. The disciples were stoned and beaten, and Paul was once left for dead by enemies of the Gospel. When their ministries were finished, most of the disciples died as martyrs for the sake of the Gospel. The same Peter who was delivered from prison later died as a martyr.

Hebrews 11 tells the stories of great men and women who were delivered through faith, but it also records the stories of those who died in faith. Peter tells us:

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. (1 Peter 4:14)

You may experience reproach because of your faith, because you bear the name of God on your life, and because you honor His name, but you can rejoice because this means His Spirit rests upon you!

POWER IN MINISTRY

The name of Jesus is the key to effective ministry:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:18-20)

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 16:17-18)

According to these verses, the following ministries are empowered by the name of Jesus:

Signs and wonders. The disciples prayed:

...Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy Word. By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done in the name of thy holy child Jesus. (Acts 4:29-30)

Preaching and teaching. Jesus said all power and authority was given to Him, and through this power He commissioned His followers to preach and teach in His name:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you… (Matthew 28:19-20)

...Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)

Because they recognized the power in the name of Jesus, enemies of the Gospel warned the disciples to...

...speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:17-18)

But Peter answered:

...We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:20)

The Disciples had experienced the power of God during Christ’s earthly ministry. The things they had seen, heard, and witnessed done in the name of Jesus were a powerful motivation for them to fulfill their ministries.

You are not only to teach in the name of Jesus, you are to teach about that name:

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Acts 8:12)

Baptism. New converts are to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Ghost:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…. (Matthew 28:19)

Casting out devils. Devils (demons) are part of the evil forces of Satan and active on earth. Demons can enter unbelievers and actually possess them. Demonic powers can oppress Believers, but not possess them. Satanic powers are broken in the name of Jesus:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils... (Mark 16:17)

When Paul was confronted with a demon-possessed woman, He declared:

…I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (Acts 16:18)

(Detailed teaching on demons and how to minister deliverance is given in the Harvestime International Institute course, “Spiritual Strategies: A Manual Of Spiritual Warfare”, available free at http://www.harvestime.org)

Ministering in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given as a gift from God in the name of Jesus:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

Speaking with new tongues through the Holy Spirit is used as an example of His various ministries:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name...they shall speak with new tongues... (Mark 16:17)

All the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit operate in the name of Jesus. The gift of tongues is just one of these many spiritual gifts. It is used here as representative of the other ministries of the Holy Spirit since it was the first experienced when the Holy Spirit was given.

Healing. One of the greatest manifestations of the name of Jesus is in ministering healing to those who are sick physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)

Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord... (James 5:14)

Jesus not only suffered for your sin, but through His suffering and death He secured your healing:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

(Isaiah 53:5)

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (Matthew 8:17)

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

Why is it so easy to accept salvation from sin through His name but it is so difficult to believe for healing through His name?

When the Disciples encountered a lame man at the temple gate, Peter said:

...Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)

Peter knew there was power in the name of Jesus. He knew there was healing in that name. He knew he had the authority to use that name. So he declared, “Such as I have!” The power behind that name had been delegated to him by Jesus, as it has been to you also.

Funds are important in the work of the ministry, but lack of funds cannot stop a true ministry endued with the power of God. Peter and John had no silver or gold, yet they continued to minister in power through the name of Jesus. These men had no budget for advertising their ministries in the city of Jerusalem, but the entire city became aware through the demonstration of

the power of God in the name of Jesus. In many modern ministries, more emphasis is placed on fund-raising than on the power of the name of Jesus. Education, ordination, and financial support can enhance your ministry, but it is the power of God manifested through His name that will confirm and extend it.

POWER TO REIGN

Through the name of Jesus, the Son of God, you become part of the Kingdom of God:

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. (Colossians 1:12-13)

As part of the Kingdom of God, you now have an inheritance of power to reign in life:

For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

Romans chapter 5 describes two representative men, Adam and Jesus. The earthly lives of Adam and Jesus are similar in scope in that they affected the whole world, but they are dramatically different because justification in Christ is much more powerful than Adam’s sin. By one man, Adam, sin entered the world and death as a result of sin. But as you read the passage in Romans 5:12-21, note the results of the sacrifice for sin by one man, Jesus Christ:

Offenses vs. grace. “But not as the offence (trespass), so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, has abounded unto many.” The first Adam brought sin, the second brought salvation.

Condemnation vs. justification. “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”

Death vs. life. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one, much more shall they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” God's abundance includes abundant sufficiency (2 Corinthians 9:8); abundant power (Ephesians 3:20); abundant supply (Philippians 4:19); and abundant satisfaction (Psalm 36:8).

Judgment vs. exoneration. “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Disobedience vs. obedience. “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” when they came to faith in Christ.

Law vs. grace. “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” The law demonstrated the need for grace.

Sin vs. righteousness. “As sin has reigned unto death, even so grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Through the power manifested in the name of Jesus Christ you can reign in this life over sin and condemnation, over all the powerful forces of the enemy, and over the power of death (Revelation 22:5).

The Apostle Paul declared:

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. (Colossians 3:17)

When you do everything in the name of Jesus, even a simple task of serving is transformed into a powerful spiritual experience. You can sweep the church floors in the name of Jesus. You can prepare food for your family in the name of Jesus. The good works you do are not as important as how you do them. Is all you do done in the name of Jesus?

HALLOWING THE NAME

The names of God were considered so precious in Old Testament times that a person would not even speak the names of false gods lest they blaspheme God’s name by allowing both names to come out of their mouth (Exodus 23:13 and Joshua 23:7).

Jewish tradition says that when a Scribe copying the Scriptures came to the name of God, he would lay aside his quill and use a new one with which to write it. Then he would break the new quill so that no other name would ever flow from it.

Every name of God revealed in the Bible is holy. The first priority in the prayer pattern Jesus gave His disciples was to hallow God's name, to declare it holy and keep it holy: "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6:9).

One of the ten commandments addresses taking God’s name in vain:

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

In Old Testament times, blaspheming the name of God was punishable by death, that is how serious the offence (Leviticus 24:26).

Taking the name of God in vain is commonly thought of as using it profanely as a swear word, frivolously, or in jest--and it does mean all this. But there are other ways to take His name in vain.

Calling yourself a Believer and not living like one is taking God’s name in vain.

Israel was called to represent God to the nations, but failed to do so because of their idolatrous behavior. God said: “And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name…” (Ezekiel 36:20). Because of this, God scattered them among the nations and poured out judgment upon them. Only because of His name did God eventually forgive and restore them:

Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. (Ezekiel 36:22-23)

Swearing falsely using God's name is taking His name in vain.

And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:12)

Engaging in idolatry blasphemes God’s name.

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. (Leviticus 20:3)

Disrespecting the poor and favoring the rich blasphemes the name by which you are called.

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? (James 2:1-7)

Abominable, sinful living profanes the name.

In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

(Ezekiel 43:8)

The Bible identifies those who take the name in vain as God's enemies: “For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain” (Psalms 139:20).

If you have been dishonoring God’s names through your conversation or behavior, repent and ask forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

FEARING THE NAME

The psalmist wrote: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name “ (Psalm 86:11). When you discern the truth of God, you will walk in His way with an undivided heart and you will fear His name. By studying His names as you are doing, you will go deeper into understanding His way and His truth.

The fear of the Lord and fearing His name is not the spirit of fear that yields terror or a fight or flight response. It is not an emotion of anxious concern. It is an awe and wonder that produces reverence for God and His name. The revelation of each name of God results in increasing awe of an awesome God.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 15:33). Isaiah calls the fear of the Lord a treasure (Isaiah 33:6). As the New Testament Church walked in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they multiplied (Acts 9:31).

Fear of the Lord and His name results in victory over the enemy.

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19)

You will have confidence and a place of refuge in times of trouble.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

(Proverbs 14:26)

The fear of the Lord will keep you from evil.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

(Proverbs 16:6)

The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. (Proverbs 19:23)

You will be blessed.

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

Your days will be prolonged.

The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. (Proverbs 10:27)

You will tap into the fountain of eternal life.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

(Proverbs 14:27)

As you study each name, do so with awe and respect. These are the names of the one true, powerful, and Almighty God.

CALLING ON THE NAME

When you use the name of God in prayer, praise, or as a cry for help, you are releasing the power that is in inherent in that specific name. Each name of God presented in this manual challenges you to respond to that name. Use these examples to formulate your own prayers for each name that you study.

Use His name in affirmation and declaration of Who He is.

“Lord, there is no one like you. You are the great I Am. You are the Most High God. There is nothing too hard for you. You are the Cornerstone of my faith. You are the Way, the Truth, and The Life. You are my Shepherd and my Heavenly Father. You are the God Who Sees Me. You are the Strong Creator God. I acknowledge you as Lord and Master of my life.”

Use His name in spiritual warfare.

“You are the Lord of Hosts. You are the Lord, Strong and Mighty in battle. You are my Shield, My Sword, My Refuge, my High Tower, and My Deliverer in this battle in which I am facing.”

Use His name to proclaim your healing.

“You are my Healer, and by your stripes I am healed.”

Use His name when seeking forgiveness of sin.

“God, I acknowledge my sin, I confess, and repent. I proclaim that you are God, my Righteousness. You are the Lord who sanctifies me. You are the Lord of my Salvation.”

Use His name when seeking wisdom.

“I thank you that you are the only wise God. You are the Ancient of Days and possess all wisdom from the past, the present, and the future. I am asking for the heavenly wisdom that is inherent in your name to be manifested in my life today.”

Use His name when you are requesting something from God.

“Thank you for Your promise that when I ask in the name of Jesus, You will answer. I am asking now in the name of your Son, making a request on based upon that which You have promised.”

Use the names to meet every need.

-When you need provision, declare God as your provider.

-When you need comfort, call upon the Holy Spirit to do His job and come and comfort you.

-When you need peace, thank Jesus that He is the Prince of Peace who will give you supernatural peace in every circumstance.

It is often said regarding media technology, “There’s an App for that”, meaning there is an application for everything you need and or desire to do. In terms of the names of God, “There is a name for that”. Use it!

PRAISING AND WORSHIPING

USING THE NAMES

The Bible is filled with admonitions to praise and worship the name of the Lord.

Praise means commendation. It is being preoccupied with who God is and what He has done, His acts in behalf of His people. Praise includes singing psalms of praise, confessing, blessing, celebrating, boasting about, shouting, and jubilation. You honor God by exalting His name in praise.

Worship means to attribute worth to someone. It is an active response to God whereby you declare His worth, celebrate Him, and ascribe the glory due to His name. The word worship also means to serve, so worship includes ministry by serving. Biblical worship means to reverence, to kiss, do homage towards, revere, stand in awe of, show devotion, bow down, and honor the one true God as revealed in the Bible. Worship is the acknowledgment of God, His nature, His attributes, and His ways.

Just as there was a prescribed way to enter the Old Testament tabernacle, there is a proper way to enter God's presence: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). You move towards the destination of His presence by thanksgiving and praise. As you praise, you build a spiritual place for God to come down and inhabit so you can worship Him in spirit and truth: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3).

There is no set line of demarcation, however. One may flow freely from worship to praise, praise to thanksgiving, thanksgiving back to praise, and praise to worship. Do not be concerned about whether you are praising or worshipping or giving thanks to His name. Just do it and let the Holy Spirit be your guide. Your praise should be continuous:

Through Him (Jesus), therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Here are some biblical admonitions for praising and worshiping the names that you can incorporate into your devotional time as you do this study:

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chronicles 16:29)

I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. (Psalm 145:1-3)

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

(Psalm 69:30-31)

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.

(Psalm 113:1-3)

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. (Psalm 148:1-5)

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. (Psalm 148:13)

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. (Joel 2:26)

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. (Psalm 44:8)

I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.

(Psalm 54:6)

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2)

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. (Psalm 142:7)

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. (Isaiah 25:1)

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:2)

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. (Psalm 66:4)

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. (Psalm 86:9)

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

(Psalm 95:6)

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

(Psalm 99:5)

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

(Psalm 99:9)

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2)

In the New Testament we are admonished:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:16-17)

Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord, At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. (Psalm 89:15-16)

EXPERIENCING THE NAMES

As you begin your study of the names, realize that each name is a revelation of another aspect of God's being, His nature, and His character. Each name is holy. Each name should be respected, and the knowledge of each name will draw you closer to God:

"George Macdonald wrote that 'The name of the Lord God should be a precious jewel in the cabinet of our heart, to be taken out only at great times, and with loving care.' We would go further and say that all the names used of the Trinity should be taken out at all times, not merely as precious jewels to admire, but as treasure to use for our constant spiritual enrichment." (Herbert Lockyear)

When the nation of Israel was preparing to enter their Promised Land, Moses told them that they were to worship at the place where God would place His name, as that is where He chooses to dwell:

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. (Exodus 20:24)

God placed His name on Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 6:5); on Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 6:6); and on the Ark of the Covenant which was called by His name (2 Samuel 6:2). He also placed His name on His people:

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. (Numbers 6:22-27)

As a Believer, God’s name has been placed on you. You are a Christian, a Christ-follower. Seek understanding of the names of the Trinity of God as you would search for buried treasure and you will grow in your knowledge of God:

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5)

Learning and pronouncing the Hebrew names is not the goal of this study. There are websites and books that can help you with that. The goal of this study is to provide understanding of the names so that you can meditate on them, pray using them, and apply them in your life. Some people get discouraged when studying the Hebrew names of God when they do not see these names in their translation of the Bible. For example, the name for Creator is rendered simply “God” in most English translations instead of the Hebrew word Elohim. This manual simplifies the study by emphasizing the meaning of the names as they appear in the English texts.

Your goal should be that of the Apostle Paul: “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]…” (Philippians 3:10, TAB).

To benefit from this study and truly experience the names:

-Establish a special time each day to study the names.

-Select a time where you are mentally alert. For some, this may be early morning. For others, it may be in the evening, which is actually the beginning of the day to God (Genesis chapter 1).

-Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Orchestrate your surroundings so they will be conducive to study. Silence your phone, the television, and other distractions.

-Keep this manual and basic study supplies in this location including pens or pencils, your Bible, and your journal. If you have access to different versions of the Bible, these are great aids in studying the names as they emphasize different thoughts and words. If you have access to the Internet, many versions are free online.

During your quiet time:

-Open with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to assist you during your meditation time and provide new revelations from God’s Word. That is one of His jobs!

-Study the references and revelation for each name.

-Take time to meditate on each name. Meditation means to ponder something until barriers to understanding have been eliminated and to return repeatedly to a subject to carefully consider it. Both involve dwelling on, thinking on, remembering, and considering the truths of God’s Word. Biblical meditation involves reading, contemplating, personalizing, visualizing, and praying God’s Word. It focuses on a word or phrase, in this case names of the Trinity of God, to examine it from different perspectives. It is like placing the Word under a microscope instead of viewing it through a telescope. If you are not familiar with Biblical Meditation, study the manual by this title available free at http://www.harvestime.org

-Respond to each name in prayer, praise, worship, and personal action.

-Use the lists of names in the appendices to pray the names.

-Record your own thoughts regarding each name in a journal. If you do not have a journal, reproduce copies of the sample journal page in the Appendix of this manual to record additional revelations God gives you as you study this material.

-Most importantly, apply the names in your life remembering that “…whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).

Enjoy mining the hidden treasures of the names as you continue this study. And as you do, remember that the very fact that you are dwelling on this subject means that your name has been entered into God's book of remembrance:

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)

The Lord is taking note that you are thinking upon His name and your name is being inscribed in His book of remembrance because you are doing so.

PART ONE

THE NAMES AND TITLES OF

GOD THE FATHER

Each name of God the Father includes references for that name; biblical revelation concerning it; and an opportunity for response through prayer, praise, declaration, and application using the name. Because every name of God is an inexhaustible study, you are encouraged to record in a journal additional revelations regarding each name. If you are not familiar with the doctrine of God, obtain the Harvestime course entitled “Biblical Theology” available free at:

http://www.harvestime.org

ALMIGHTY GOD

GREAT GOD

MIGHTY ONE OF JACOB

REFERENCE: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. (Genesis 17:12)

REVELATION: This name sets forth the excellence of God and His mighty power and strength. This name was revealed to Abraham when all hope in the natural was gone that he and his wife could bear children. Then God appeared to him and declared, “I am God Almighty” (Genesis 17:1). True to the promise, Isaac, their son of promise, was born and from Abraham came a multitude of descendants.

The name Almighty God conveys unparalleled strength and the ability to provide abundantly and perform the impossible. Almighty God refers to God’s power to triumph over every obstacle and all opposition. God is your all-powerful and all-sufficient sustainer, the God above all gods and Lord over every other lord. Moses declared: “For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God” (Deuteronomy 10:17).

Almighty God in Hebrew is El Shaddai which derives from the word for a woman’s breast (shad) and literally means “many breasted one.” This denotes God as providing, supplying, nourishing, and satisfying His people’s needs as a mother would her child. Isaiah states that God’s love is greater than that of a nursing mother:

But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:14-16)

So the name Almighty God reveals that He is both the strong one who is able to do great miracles and the tender one who nourishes and satisfies you.

The name Almighty God occurs some 48 times in the Old Testament and 12 times in the New Testament, spanning from Genesis to Revelation where the Lord declares: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).

God’s challenge to Believers is to “…. come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 62:17-18). To be a child of Almighty God, you must separate yourself from this sinful world.

God is also called a Great God, the God of gods, and Lord of lords (the latter two titles are dealt with in a later study):

For God Your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. (Deuteronomy 10:17 )

Great means “distinguished, grand, magnificent, and important.” As a Mighty God, He is powerful. As a terrible God, He is just to deal with wickedness.

The Apostle Paul prayed for Believers…

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. (Ephesians 1:17-19)

God is also called The Mighty One of Jacob (Genesis 49:24). As He was mighty in the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and throughout Israel’s history, He remains so today.

RESPONSE: Deuteronomy 10:14-18 testifies of the greatness of Almighty God and details what should be your response to Him:

Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

Nothing is too hard for God. Present your needs to Him and thank Him that He is at work in your life to fulfill every promise.

Remember that when you pray in the name of Almighty God, you are addressing the One for whom nothing is too difficult. You are also addressing a God of loving compassion. Like a child in the arms of a caring father or mother, you need not fear. You know who is holding you as you face the challenges of this day! Rest in His presence (Psalm 91:1).

Make this proclamation: “Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears”

(2 Samuel 7:22).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the names Almighty God, Great God, and Mighty One Of Jacob. Summarize Deuteronomy 10:17-18.

ANCIENT OF DAYS

REFERENCE: I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire…I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed…Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:9,13-14,22)

REVELATION: The name “Ancient of Days” is used three times by the Prophet Daniel in Daniel chapter 7 as we are taken prophetically into the throne room of God and this name is revealed.

In Daniel 7:9, the Ancient of Days is sitting as King upon His throne. He has bright white clothing and hair like wool, both symbols of the purity of God. The wheels refer to His power and ability to move in any direction that He pleases.

Daniel uses this title again in verse 14: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him." The Son of Man presented before the Ancient of Days is a Messianic reference to Jesus Christ.

In verses 21-22, Daniel declared: "As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom." This refers to the time of final judgment after the return of Jesus Christ.

Based on these three passages, the Ancient of Days is a clear reference to God, confirming that He is God "from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 90:2) and that He is "the first and the last" (Isaiah 44:6). The name “Ancient of Days” also refers to the fact that God existed before or prior to the existence of days (Genesis chapter 1).

Because God is the Ancient of Days, He knows each day of your life and will guide you through the maze of this world. The psalmist declares regarding this: “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14).

RESPONSE: God declared: “Yes, from the time of the first existence of day and from this day forth I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand. I will work, and who can hinder or reverse it?“ (Isaiah 43:1, AMP). Ask the Ancient of Days to see you through the challenges you face today. Thank Him that He is in charge, and no one can hinder Him. Acknowledge Him as your guide in the present, in the future, and unto death.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Ancient of Days.

AWESOME

REFERENCE: You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! (Psalm 68:35, NIV)

REVELATION: The King James Version uses the word “terrible” to describe God in some passages, but the word actually means “awesome”. More recent translations use awesome to better reflect the meaning which is to be filled with an overwhelming sense of reverence, admiration, and fear.

We see the responses to our Awesome God in several biblical accounts

-When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and he hid his face and trembled in His presence (Exodus 3:6).

-When Isaiah saw the vision of the throne room and cried out “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).

-When the risen Christ appeared to Saul on the Damascus Road and He fell to the ground (Acts 9:3-4).

-When John saw Jesus in the vision of Revelation, and he responded by falling as dead (Revelation 1:17).

God told Israel not to fear their enemies, declaring “Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God” (Deuteronomy 7:21, NIV).

After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea which finalized their deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the people of Israel sang a great song recorded in Exodus 15. As part of this anthem, they declared:

Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:11-13)

Indeed, we serve an Awesome God who is wondrous, glorious, and holy. In His unfailing love, He is guiding us to our final destination to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

RESPONSE: Declare these lyrics of the song, Our God Is An Awesome God. If you know the tune, sing it to the Lord.

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom power and love
Our God is an awesome God

Try singing Israel’s song of deliverance to our Awesome God as recorded in Exodus 15:11-13.

Join the psalmist in this proclamation: “You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!” (Psalm 68:35, NIV).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Awesome.

BANNER

REFERENCE: And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi.

(Exodus 17:14-15)

REVELATION: In Old Testament times, armies carried standards or banners which served as identification, as flags and banners do today. A banner could be seen from afar and served as a rallying point for troops when they were in battle. If a soldier became separated from his unit during battle, he looked for his army’s banner flying above the conflict. Then he could rally to that point, and not fight alone.

The Amalekites were enemies of Israel, and the first to attack them after their liberation from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 25:17-29). In a battle described in Exodus 17, Joshua led the warriors of Israel and as they battled the enemy in the valley of Rephidim:

And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (Exodus 19:9-11)

Each time Moses held up his hands, the people gained ground. When his hands came down, they lost ground. The hands of Moses, very likely holding the rod of God, provided a visible sign around which the people rallied.

But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (Exodus 17:12-13)

When Moses’s hands became heavy and could no longer hold up the rod, Aaron and Hur supported his hands until the battle was won. Following the victory:

…the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi. (Exodus 17:14-15)

Moses built an altar and the name of The Lord Our Banner was revealed. In Hebrew, “Nissi” means banner, flag, or ensign, so the name was Jehovah Nissi in Hebrew.

As a Believer, God has given you a banner for your own battles of life. That banner is Jesus Christ and the standard is the truth of God’s Word:

Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. (Psalm 60:4)

The banner of truth is God’s Word and Jesus, who is the truth personified. By coming under the banner of God’s Son and His Word, you are identifying with Him. You are placing yourself under His authority. You follow that banner. You do spiritual battle under it. That banner provides hope, spiritual focus, and empowers you to win the battles of life. You have all you need to win in every conflict you face:

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

By remaining under His banner, your petitions are heard and answered:

We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. (Psalm 20:5)

Each day, as you take time to enter into the presence of the Lord, His banner of love is raised over you: “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song Of Solomon 2:4). As you look to your spiritual Banner, every need is met, even as when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and the people were healed:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:14-17)

The prophet Isaiah spoke of this banner which would be an ensign to the people:

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious…And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:10-12)

The banner of the Lord is one to which outcasts and nations of the world assemble. As a Believer, you are part of this great host.

RESPONSE: During your spiritual journey, you will face battles from within as well as externally. What enemy are you facing today? Who might support you in your battle as Aaron and Hur did for Moses? Who might you support?

Whatever your circumstance, when you raise the banner of God over it your victory is assured:

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

(Psalm 20:78)

Although worship banners and flags are not directly mentioned in the Bible, they are elements of worship used in many churches as are instruments, prophetic art, and other emblems. When you worship using a banner, you are declaring that you are strengthened, encouraged, and victorious through the Lord Your Banner.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Banner.

CONSUMING FIRE

REFERENCE: Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of God Your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:23-24)

REVELATION: In Old Testament times, God often manifested Himself through the image of fire as a blazing torch, a burning bush, or a pillar of fire that provided revelation, guidance, or manifested His glory:

And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

(Exodus 24:15-17)

The name Consuming Fire in Deuteronomy 4:23-24 is used in connection with judgment on the unrighteous. As a Believer, you need not fear the consuming fire of God’s wrath because Jesus bore the penalty for your sin at the cross.

In 1 Kings chapter 18, the Prophet Elijah challenged the false prophets declaring:

…call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God… (1 Kings 18:24)

There was no response from the false gods, despite the frenzied appeals of the false prophets. Prophet Elijah rebuilt an altar to the Lord, laid the wood and the sacrifice, and drenched everything in water. Then he prayed:

Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. (1 Kings 18:37-39)

God is the one true God, the God who answers by consuming fire!

RESPONSE: The name Consuming Fire is verified in the New Testament by the declaration in Hebrews 12:29: “For our God is a consuming fire.” Read Acts 2 about the manifestation of fire at the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Ask God to send His consuming fire and burn up any sin in your life. Knowing that Jesus has saved you from the fire of God’s wrath is a great reason to praise Him. Thank Him for His life-changing fire.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the title Consuming Fire.

CREATOR

REFERENCE: In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth…And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:1,26-27)

REVELATION: The fourth word in the beginning of the Bible is the first mention of the name of God, Creator God. If you cannot accept the reality that God is the Creator, then you will not be able to advance beyond this verse in understanding and responding to His Word. You must acknowledge the true God of the Bible before you can receive His message and experience salvation and the inherent power of His names.

The most basic name for God is the Hebrew word “El”, the root which means power, might, and strength. It is rarely used alone and almost always is joined with other Hebrew words that describe God. The Hebrew name for Creator God used in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim. This name is used 35 times in the first two chapters of Genesis in reference to God’s creative power. Elohim is rendered plural in the opening chapters of Genesis, reflecting the Trinity of the Godhead: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:26, God declares “Let us make man in our image…”

The name Elohim, meaning “mighty creator” or “supreme God”, is the name by which God introduces Himself in Genesis 1:1. From this passage we learn that God existed before His creation and He is not limited by time. He is the divine Creator.

To create means “to cause to exist, to bring into being.” Only God can create out of nothing, taking something without form and making it into something of beauty and significance. Elohim hovered over an earth that was without form, void, and dark, and He made it into something good. He can take your broken life and circumstances and recreate them into something beautiful. He can create something out of nothing to meet your need. He can create order out of chaos and peace in the midst of the storms of life.

You are created in God’s image, which makes you a partner in creativity with Him. For example, it is God who gives life to the baby in a mother's womb, but He allows the parents to be part of the creative process. Your gifts and talents are a portion of God’s creativity flowing out through your creative efforts of writing, teaching, art, building, inventions, etc.

The name Creator is used over 2,570 times in Scripture to confirm God’s supernatural power which is available to meet your every need. The prophet Isaiah declares: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding” (Isaiah 40:28).

God is called the Creator of Israel, as He birthed this nation and promised to bless them (Isaiah 43:1-6). God continues to create, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 proclaims: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Our Creator is the God of Heaven and Earth. He is the God of Heaven, not a God of Heaven.

The word Heaven in Hebrew is used in three ways: It is the name of the earth’s atmosphere (Psalm 77:17); it refers to the stars in space (Psalm 8:3); and it is the place where God dwells (Psalm 103:19). As the God of Heaven, He reigns over all three dominions.

God is not only the creator of the earth, according to Genesis 14:19 He is the possessor of heaven and earth (El Elyon in Hebrew). He is called “the Lord of all the earth” in Joshua 3:13. Even the enemies of Israel acknowledged: “…for God Your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). The earth is not spiraling out of control. God is sovereign over its affairs.

Creator is a name that implies intimate relationship. After a revelation from God, Jacob “…built there an altar, and called the place El Bethel: because there God appeared unto him…” (Genesis 35:7). In Genesis 17:18, God declared He would be Elohim to His people, meaning that He would create an everlasting covenant with them. That relationship is established on the basis of the new birth experience described in Christ in John 3.

RESPONSE: Take time to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. Ask for His creativity to flow through you and thank Him for being a partner in creativity with you. Acknowledge that as the mighty Sovereign Creator, He has the power to make you a new creature in Christ, to meet your every need, and bring order to the chaos that surrounds you. Claim the life-sustaining power of the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

The name Creator God occurs 26 times in Hebrew in Psalm 68. Pray through this psalm to gain a fuller understanding of this name:

Verses 1-2: Give thanks that when the Creator arises, the enemy cannot stand before Him but is overcome by His power. Light dispels the darkness just as smoke is driven away and wax melts before a fire.

Verses 3-4: Sing and rejoice that because of Jesus, you are righteous before God.

Verse 5-6: Thank Elohim, Creator God, for His protection and provision.

Verses 7-10: These verses review the history of the Creator’s presence among His people. Meditate on times in the past when His presence was manifested to you.

Verses 11-14: These verses recall the impact of God’s presence in battle. Thank Him for the times He has helped you win spiritual victories.

Verses 15-18: The selection and security of Mt. Zion as the abiding place of God is described in these verses. Thank God that because you are in covenant relationship with Him, you are now His spiritual temple.

Verses 19-20: God is praised for His presence and deliverance in hard times. Thank Him for the times He has been with you in difficult circumstances.

Verses 21-23: This passage describes the calamity that will befall the enemies of God and the enemies of His people. Thank Him for His righteous judgments and that you are secure from such calamities because of your covenant relationship with Him.

Verses 24-27: These verses describe a procession of worshippers. Thank God for the benefits of covenant relationship with Him as described in this passage.

Verses 28-31: This passage challenges the nations to acknowledge the power and majesty of Elohim. Egypt is an example of the nations that will eventually respond positively to the Creator. Take some time to pray for the nations.

Verses 32-35: All nations of the world are invited to recognize the power, majesty, and sovereignty of the Creator and respond by singing praises to Him. Pause and do that right now! Declare the strength, power, and awesomeness that are inherent in His name: Creator.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Creator. Use these passages:

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

DEFENSE

REFERENCE: Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defense.

(Psalm 59:9)

REVELATION: Defense is the act of protecting from or resisting attack.

God is your defense and your defender. Study the Psalmist’s summary of God as his Defense:

My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. (Psalm 7:10)

Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. (Psalm 31:2-3)

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.

(Psalm 59:17)

He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. (Psalm 62:2)

For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. (Psalm 89:18)

But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge. (Psalm 94:22)

RESPONSE: Lift this praise to God, your Defense:

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy. (Psalm 59:16-17)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Defense.

DEFENDER OF WIDOWS

REFERENCE: Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds—his name is the Lord—and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalm 68:4-5)

REVELATION: In ancient Israel, widows were among the most vulnerable and exploited people groups, especially if a woman’s husband died and she had no sons to support her. God is called the Defender of Widows in the NKJV, the Protector of Widows in the RSV, and Champion of Widows in the MSG version.

Exodus 22:23 assures that God will surely hear their cry. In Jeremiah 49:11, God declares: “Let thy widows trust in me” (Jeremiah 49:11). He warned:

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! (Isaiah 10:1-2)

Jesus also spoke woes to those who mistreated widows:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

(Matthew 23:14)

The Word advises that younger widows remarry, but widows indeed--those who remained dedicated to God in their widowhood--were to be provided for:

Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. (1 Timothy 5:3-6)

A summary of pure religion includes caring for widows:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

RESPONSE: Do you know a widow whom you might bless with a financial gift, a visit, or by helping them with a difficult task?

God not only cares about widows, but He loves and cares for you as well. If you feel alone and abandoned, thank Him for being your defender, protector, and champion. Cry out to Him, knowing that He will surely hear your cry.

If you are a widow, make this paraphrased declaration: “I will sing to God and sing praise to His name; I will extol Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the Lord—and rejoice before Him. He is a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows” (Psalm 68:4-5).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Defender Of Widows.

DELIVERER

REFERENCE: The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)

REVELATION: As a Deliverer, God is pictured as a rock, fortress, the horn of salvation, and a high tower. The psalmist proclaimed: “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah” (Psalm 32:7).

The Psalmist David wrote much about deliverance, revealing that God can deliver His people from the enemy, famine, fear, distress, destruction, violence, confusion, fears, falling, and death:

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me…He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. (Psalm 18:17, 19)

He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. (Psalm18:48)

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. (Psalm 22:5)

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (Psalm 33:18-19)

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. (Psalm 107:6)

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

(Psalm 107:20)

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. (Psalm 116:8)

One of the purposes for which God sent Jesus was to deliver the captives. Jesus proclaimed:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus delivered the sick, the demonized, and those captive to sin. God and His Son, Jesus Christ, are your Deliverers in every circumstance of life.

RESPONSE: The nation of Israel was delivered from Egyptian slavery. Joseph, Paul, Silas, and Peter were delivered from prison. David was delivered from murderous King Saul.

Hopefully, your circumstances are not as dramatic as these Bible characters. You may not have been a slave, incarcerated, attacked by an army, or had someone trying to murder you, but we are all threatened by difficult circumstances of life from which we need deliverance. You may need deliverance from an addiction, habit, or a wrong attitude or emotion. You may be in spiritual battle and need God’s deliverance.

Make this proclamation by faith today: “God is MY deliverer.” Join the psalmist in his appeal:

“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (Psalm 40:17).

If you are going through a severe battle, pray this prayer of deliverance:

Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies. (Psalm 69:14-18)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Deliverer.

EVERLASTING GOD

REFERENCE: And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. (Genesis 21:33)

REVELATION: Abraham dug a well to provide for his family and flocks, but interlopers seized it. When he complained to Abimelech, the local leader in the territory, the two came to an agreement for Abraham to retain ownership of the well. So Abraham planted a grove of trees near the well, and called on the name of the Lord as “the Everlasting God.” The word everlasting means “endless, continuous, eternal, and without beginning and end.”

Because God is eternal, His promises endure forever. There is no expiration date. God promised that the world would never again be destroyed by a flood (Genesis 9:11). He made an everlasting covenant with Abraham that his descendants would be blessed forever (Genesis 17:7).

Every promise in God’s Word is enduring and everlasting because God is an everlasting God. His plans and purposes stand firm from the foundation of the earth: “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11).

The psalmist proclaims: “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). The truth of God’s Word reveals that because God is eternal, He wants His people to live eternally. Despite the depth of mankind’s sin, God’s mercy endures forever and He extends this invitation to all people: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Although your body will age and you will face physical death unless the Lord returns first, your soul is eternal and you will receive a glorified body in Heaven and live with the Everlasting God for all eternity. Because He is eternal, you will live eternally.

God always was, He is, and always will be God. Nothing you can ever face will change that because God is unchangeable: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

RESPONSE: As you read through the Bible, underline every promise made to you as a Believer. Thank God that these promises endure forever because your God is the Everlasting God. Claim these promises for your family, your ministry, and yourself.

The Prophet Isaiah declared:

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

If you are weary, call upon the Everlasting God for an infusion of divine strength.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the Everlasting God.

EXCEEDING JOY

REFERENCE: Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. (Psalm 43:4-5)

REVELATION: God is a joyous God and He rejoices over you!

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Because God is joyous, He wants His followers to experience that same joy through the presence of the Holy Spirit: “And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 13:32).

Happiness and joy are two different emotions. Happiness comes from the world around you and is dependent upon your circumstances. Joy is a quality of gladness, delight, and jubilance. Joy originates with the Holy Spirit of God and is not dependent upon outward circumstances. You may not be happy about your circumstances, but you can still be joyous in God and worship Him. For example, you may be sad as you stand by the grave of a loved one who has gone to be with the Lord, but you can rejoice that they are in God’s presence and that you will see them again.

The psalmist declared that God was not only his joy, but his exceeding joy, meaning joy that exceeds all other joys that this world has to offer. In God’s presence is fulness of joy:

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Jesus Christ brought joy at His birth:

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

It is His desire that you have joy:

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11)

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)

Because your joy is spiritual and not dependent on outward circumstances you can rejoice in temptation: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations...”

(James 1:2).

You can also rejoice in difficult times. Paul said: “ ...I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4). You can be longsuffering with supernatural joy: “...longsuffering with joyfulness” (Colossians 1:11).

Joy is a hallmark of the Kingdom of God:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)

RESPONSE: When you feel spiritually or physically weak, rejoice in the Lord because “…The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

The Bible encourages Believers to be joyful and express their joy unto the Lord:

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy...let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalms 5:11)

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise. (Psalm 32:11-33:3

If you are discouraged or depressed today, heed the admonition of the psalmist:

Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. (Psalm 43:4-5)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Exceeding Joy. See

Psalms 35:9; 63:5; 66:1; 81:1; 95:1-2; 149:5; 98:4,6,8; 100:1.

FAITHFUL GOD

REFERENCE: Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

REVELATION: People are not always loyal. Appliances are not as dependable as they should be. Jobs are often insecure, and spouses and friends are sometimes unfaithful. Things of this world are not always reliable. But in Deuteronomy 7:9, Moses referred to the Faithful God, revealing the name of One who is always reliable and trustworthy.

In Deuteronomy chapter seven, Moses rehearsed Israel’s past and encouraged the people to take note of God’s track record. He had never once failed them. Because God was faithful in the past, He would be faithful in the present and in the future. For this reason Moses encouraged the people to be faithful to this faithful God by keeping His commandments and statues (Deuteronomy 7:11).

Joshua later confirmed: “…not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Joshua 23:14).

When tempted to do evil, it is the Faithful God that makes a way of escape:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The Faithful Lord establishes you and keeps you from evil: “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When we sin “…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

(1 John 1:9). Even if you are faithless, God remains faithful: “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). His Word is true and forever settled: “Forever Oh Lord, thy Word is settled in Heaven” (Psalm 119:89). The psalmist declared, “All thy commandments are faithful” (Psalm 119:86) and he confirmed that “Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful” (Psalm 119:138). God is faithful to fulfill His promises: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)…” (Hebrews 10:23).

RESPONSE: Rehearse the times that God has proven faithful to you in the past. Then make a list of the promises for which you are believing God. Thank Him that He is faithful to fulfill His promises (Hebrews 10:23).

Rejoice in this powerful truth: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Make this declaration: “Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord my God spoke concerning me; all are come to pass unto me, and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Joshua 21:45).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Faithful God.

FATHER

ABBA

REFERENCE: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)

REVELATION: Christ’s first recorded words in Scripture are to His parents who came seeking Him after they were separated on a trip to Jerusalem: “And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?’" (Luke 2:49, NKJV). We learn from this statement that God is His Father and the Father’s mission has priority.

Jesus encouraged His followers to refer to God as Father, teaching them to pray to “our Father in Heaven”. Pious Jews never addressed God as Father, as they were aware of the gap between a holy God and sinful human beings. Because of Christ’s teaching about the Father, some of the religious rulers wanted to stone Him because they believed His claim to be God’s Son and address God in this manner was heresy (John 5:18; 10:30-31).

A good father in the natural world gives life to his child. He gives his children access to him, provides guidance, security, provision, and protection. He loves his children and leaves them a godly spiritual inheritance. Your Heavenly Father does all of this for you. And, unlike some earthly fathers, your Heavenly Father will never fail you.

Jesus repeatedly spoke of “Your Father”. The God who is His Father is your Father also when you commit your life to Jesus Christ. He is also “Our Father”, meaning He is the Father of all true Believers (Romans 1:7). It is Jesus who reveals your spiritual Father to you. He declared:

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

“Abba”, as used in Romans 8:15, is an intimate term for father meaning “Daddy-God”. Because God is your Father, you have a spiritual kinship with other Believers in Christ. We are all related to God through the new birth experience:

But as many as received him (Jesus), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

Because we are sons and daughters of God, we can address God as our Abba Father:

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)

We are repeatedly addressed as children of God in the Bible. This designation makes us brothers and sisters of other true Believers because of the spiritual DNA of the blood of Jesus.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1-3)

RESPONSE: The next few studies focus on the wonderful name of Father as it is combined with other titles of God. As you learn more about the Father, remember that if you were blessed with a good father in the natural world, he is representative of your Father in Heaven. If you had a bad relationship or no relationship at all with your father in the natural world, then your Heavenly Father fills that void.

Ask for a new revelation of God as your Father. Pray today using the name Abba to address your Father.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Abba Father.

FATHER IN HEAVEN

HEAVENLY FATHER

REFERENCE: After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)

REVELATION: There is an earthly kingdom in which you live, but as a Believer you also live in a spiritual kingdom. You have an earthly father, and you have a Heavenly Father.

There is one God and one Father in Heaven who is called the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6). He is also called Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:14,26,32; 15:13; 18:35; Luke 11:13) and is addressed as your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16,45,48; John 20:17).

His position as Heavenly Father is confirmed by the title God of Heaven which is used repeatedly in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament in the book of Revelation (Revelation 11:13; 16:11).

The Bible reveals important facts about the Heavenly Father. Your Heavenly Father forgives sin and expects you to do likewise:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:24-25)

You are to conduct yourself as a child of your Heavenly Father:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:44-45)

Your Heavenly Father expects you to let your light shine in this dark world so that others may come to know Him:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Your Heavenly Father rewards you for good that you do in secret:

That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:18)

Your Heavenly Father is your model of perfection: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

You are to pray to your Father in Heaven: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).

Your Father in Heaven stands ready to meet your every need:

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:25-33)

RESPONSE: Jesus said: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7). Whatever your need today, take your request to your Father in Heaven in prayer.

Pray the prayer Jesus taught to your Father in Heaven:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father In Heaven.

FATHER OF ALL

REFERENCE: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6)

REVELATION: There is one God and one Father of all true Believers. He is above us all, in us all, and flows through us all to reach a hurting world:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)

In this passage, the Apostle Paul lists seven unifying factors of the true Church. There is:

-One Body.

-One Spirit.

-One hope of our calling.

-One Lord.

-One faith.

-One baptism.

-One God and Father of all.

Because the Father of All is in us all and flows through us all, Paul also exhorts Believers to “…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).

The Amplified Version translates this verse as “…Living as becomes you with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.”

It further expands the meaning of verse 3, stating that we should “…Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.”

RESPONSE: Are you walking worthy of the vocation to which you are called? Examine your life in terms of the qualities in Ephesians 4:1-3:

-Are you humble?

-Are you meek (unselfish, gentle, mild)?

-Are you patient?

-Is there another Believer with whom you have broken fellowship and with whom you need to restore relationship?

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of All.

FATHER OF MERCIES

REFERENCE: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

REVELATION: The word mercy, as it appears in the Bible, means forgiveness, withholding punishment, and showing compassion to those who are suffering by healing, comforting, alleviating suffering, and caring for those in distress. Mercy is compassion in action, the feeling and response of one who is moved by another person’s suffering.

God is the Father of Mercies. Many examples of Gods’ mercy occur in the Bible, but some of the clearest examples are found in the ministry of Jesus. These include the Canaanite woman who begged for her daughter to be healed (Matthew 15:22); a man who begged for mercy for his demon possessed son (Matthew 17:14-15); and two blind men (Matthew 20:29-30). In each case, the Father demonstrated mercy by healing and delivering through the ministry of Jesus.

As the Father of Mercies God is “…a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5). The psalmist describes the compassion of the Father of Mercies:

As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe]. For He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14. TAB)

As a good father in the natural world, the Father of Mercies provides your needs:

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:28-33)

Every good gift comes from your Heavenly Father of Mercies:

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.

(Matthew 7:11)

God’s mercy is plentiful: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 103:8).

The command to Believers from the Father of Mercies is “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

RESPONSE: If you are in need of mercy for your sins, pray this prayer: “I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee” (Psalm 41:4).

Join the Prophet in this proclamation of hope regarding the mercies of God:

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23)

To whom might you extend mercy today?

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of Mercies. Read Psalm 136 where the phrase “His mercy endures forever” is used repeatedly. For what reasons does the psalmist express gratitude in this psalm?

FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS

REFERENCE: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

REVELATION: Jesus shocked people by declaring that God was His Father. He repeatedly spoke about “my Father”, called God “My Father” (Matthew 7:21), and proclaimed that He and His Father were one (John 10:28-30).

Jesus spoke of many mansions in His Father’s house being prepared for His followers (John 14:2). He made it clear that He came to do His Father’s will (John 5:17). His last prayer was, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Jesus clearly had an intimate spiritual relationship with God His Father.

The Gospels repeatedly call Jesus the Son of God, and the Apostle Paul frequently referred to the Father Of Our Lord Jesus:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…(Ephesians 3:14-15)

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:6)

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

(Colossians 1:3)

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore…

(2 Corinthians 11:31)

It is important to recognize God as Father of our Lord Jesus, as it is a title that is vital to the confirmation of the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

RESPONSE: Bow before the Lord and make this declaration: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” (Ephesians 3:14-15).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of Our Lord Jesus.

FATHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

REFERENCE: And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are…O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. (John 17:11,25)

REVELATION: Righteousness involves being honest, just, accurate, and a person of truth and integrity. This describes our Heavenly Father. As the Father of Righteousness He makes no foolish decisions and commits no sinful acts. Psalm 145:17 declares: “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”

The prophet Isaiah declared:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

(Isaiah 64:6-7)

As a Righteous Father, God requires His children to be holy:

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

Holiness and righteousness are defined as the standards required for us to be acceptable to God, so how can our Righteous Father relate to people who are sinful? Through imputed righteousness. This is not achieved through self-effort. When you place your faith in Jesus as your Savior, then you are made righteous by God through the blood of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul declared: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

RESPONSE: Ask God to search your heart and reveal any unclean things from which you might need to separate. Relationships? Attitudes? Habits? Secret or besetting sins? Ungodly types of entertainment, music, or reading material?

Pray this prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of Righteousness.

FATHER OF SPIRITS

REFERENCE: Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (Hebrews 12:9)

REVELATION: From the first pages of the Bible, we learn that God is a Spirit (Genesis 1:1).

As a Spirit, God is your spiritual father (Hebrews 12:9). The key verse declares that as we have had natural fathers who disciplined us, how much more should we be subject to the Father of Spirits “…for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves and chastises every child whom he accepts” (Hebrews 12:6). Paul explains that…

…they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:10-11)

The purpose of the discipline of the Father of Spirits is to help you mature spiritually and produce the fruit of righteousness in your life. This is possible because the Father of Spirits dwells within your spirit.

In the Old Testament, the Father of Spirits sent His Spirit to dwell on people temporarily to perform certain ministries. For example, it was said of a man named Bezaleel: “…And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 35:31). The Spirit of God came upon the judges, leaders, warriors, and prophets in Old Testament times for specific purposes and set periods of time.

In the New Testament, the Spirit of God was revealed in flesh through His Son, Jesus Christ:

Whereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:2-3)

The presence of the Father of Spirits is recognized by one’s confession regarding Jesus Christ His Son.

When Jesus returned to Heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father of Spirits to dwell permanently in Believers:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16-17)

Because the Father of Spirits sends His Spirit to indwell us, then…

…ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:9-11)

What a marvelous truth that the Father of Spirits indwells you: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

The Apostle Paul declared the glorious truth that…

…as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

(Romans 8:14-17)

Because God is a Spirit, we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Jesus said:

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

For worship to be acceptable to God it must be done in Spirit and in Truth. What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? Jesus told the religious leaders of His time...”Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). The Scriptures refer to worship that is based on the Truth of God’s Word. The power of God refers to worship which is done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

RESPONSE: Meditate on these truths revealed in this study on the Father of Spirits:

-Because God is a spirit, you must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.

-You are led by the Spirit of God. If you need guidance, claim it.

-You no longer walk in the flesh, but you walk in the Spirit. Claim and confess victory over sinful habits and attitudes.

-The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, the Father of Spirits, resides in you.

Stop making excuses. Don’t use the phrase “I can’t.” You can do all things through Christ and the Spirit that raised Him from the dead which dwells in you.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of Spirits.

FATHER OF THE FATHERLESS

REFERENCE: A father of the fatherless… (Psalm 68:5)

REVELATION: Perhaps you have lost your earthly Dad through death or desertion. You may not have known your earthly Dad, or you may not have a positive relationship with him. You may not yet know your Heavenly Father. If any of these statements are true for you, then you are fatherless and God wants to fill that void.

Here is what the Bible says regarding God’s relationship to the fatherless:

The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. (Psalm 146:9)

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. (Proverbs 23:10-11)

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. (Zechariah 7:10)

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

In reality, we are all Fatherless spiritually if we are apart from God. The Father wants you to establish a relationship with Him through repentance and acknowledging Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. When you do this, you are adopted by God into a spiritual family that spans the centuries and circles the globe.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4-7)

RESPONSE: Make this declaration of faith:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

And now… “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH (Jehovah), and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless…” (Psalm 68:4-5).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name Father of the Fatherless.

GOD MY HELP

REFERENCE: Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. (Psalm 33:20)

REVELATION: The English word help means to give assistance or support, to do for someone what they cannot do for themselves. The word “Ezerenu” is the Hebrew noun for helper and refers to divine help. This word for help is used over 21 times in the Old Testament, and most of the occurrences refer to God’s help in times of trouble.

One specific instance was when King Asa faced a formidable army and…

…cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. (2 Chronicles 14:11)

Asa cried out to the God of My Help and look what happened:

So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil.  And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

(2 Chronicles 14:12-14)

You may be in need of help today and find yourself without family, friends, or even a church to aid you. But your help comes from the Lord. Whether you be many or few, you can trust in God your Helper as you go forth to face the battle and, like Asa, you will be victorious.

Listen to the testimony of the psalmist:

Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. (Psalm 94;17-18)

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. (Psalm 40:17)

Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. (Psalm 63:7)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)

The last verse emphasizes the importance of knowing God’s names. David found help in the name of the Lord. You can too!

RESPONSE: Are you facing difficulties today? Are you in deep trouble? Pray theses prayers to God, your help:

Rise up! Come to my help, and deliver me for Your mercy's sake and because of Your steadfast love! (Psalm 44:26, TAB).

O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. (Psalm 71:12)

But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying. (Psalm 70:5)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name God My Help.

GOD OF ALL COMFORT

REFERENCE: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

REVELATION: Where do you turn for comfort? To friends? Sexual relationships? Food? Drugs and alcohol? The Apostle Paul urges you to turn to the God of All Comfort.

The word comfort used in this passage is the same word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. It means “to call alongside”. You are never alone when you face life’s challenges. The God of All Comfort is right there with you, speaking messages of encouragement and truth from His Word. Jesus said:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:16-28)

Jesus prayed to the God of All Comfort to send His comforting Holy Spirit. The Greek word for "comforter" is “paraktetos” which means "called alongside with another." The God of All Comfort sends the Holy Spirit to comfort you in all of your tribulations.

The God of All Comfort promises to give His people “…beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3). God comforts us so that “…we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). The comfort you receive from the God of All Comfort equips you to help others. There is purpose in your pain.

RESPONSE: If you are in need of comfort, heed the Apostle Paul’s admonition and turn to the God of all Comfort. Thank God for the comfort of His Holy Spirit. Watch for opportunities each day where you can share the comfort with which you have been comforted with others who are in need.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name God Of All Comfort.

GOD OF ALL FLESH

REFERENCE: Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27)

REVELATION: The Prophet Jeremiah was sent to the people of Israel to warn them of coming judgment because they had turned away from God and served false gods of the pagan nations around them. His message was rejected, and he was imprisoned by King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 32:1-5).

As Jeremiah prayed there is the dark, damp prison, the word of the Lord came to him saying,

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). God declared that although Judea and Jerusalem were given to the enemy for a time because of the sins of Israel, He was powerful enough to restore His people after their repentance (Jeremiah 32:36-44).

As the God of All Flesh, He reins over every person on the face of the earth. He reigns over the wicked who would shake their fists at Him in anger and unbelief. He reigns over ever enemy. He reigns over His children who rely on Him. The God of All Flesh reigns, and nothing is too hard for Him to accomplish.

Despite the impending destruction that was to come, Jeremiah purchased property at the Lord’s direction as confirmation that Israel would return to their land after the captivity ended (Jeremiah 32:26-44) . God has given us the pledge of His Holy Word that we will safely make it to our Promised Land. The God of All Flesh has spoken. Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing can challenge Him, no force in this world or in the pits of Hell!

RESPONSE: What difficulties are you facing? Sickness? Financial problems? Difficult relationships? Death? A great loss? In the face of your dire circumstances, pray about the problem as Jeremiah did. Close with this declaration of faith: “Nothing is too hard for my God!”

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name God of All Flesh.

GOD OF BETHEL

REFERENCE: I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. (Genesis 31:13)

REVELATION: When Jacob fled from the wrath of his brother Esau after stealing the birthright and blessing, he spent his first night on the road at a place called Bethel. Genesis chapter 28 records what occurred there:

Verse 12: He had a religious experience.

Verse 13-15: He heard voice of God.

Verse 13: He received promises from God, but didn't claim them.

Verse 15: He received a revelation of God’s purposes.

Verse 17,22: He realized was in the house of God, the gate of Heaven.

Verse 20: He made vows.

Verse 22: He paid tithes

Verses 18 and 22: He set up monuments and performed anointing and rituals.

All this, but his life was not changed! He was the same old Jacob. He saw this as an opportunity to make a deal with God to get his own selfish desires. Note his requests in verses 20-21. He asked…

-Bless me.

-Bless my plans.

-Supply my desires.

-Give me peace.

Jacob tried to bargain with God by saying "If you do this, I will serve you." He did not perceive that God already promised that He would do these things. You cannot make a deal with God. Jacob should have repented of his past and determined that he would remain true to God in the future.

God had already promised to do the things Jacob was requesting (verse 15). He wanted to give Jacob above and beyond his desires:

-The land for an inheritance.

-Descendants to fill the world.

-Protection and provision.

Jacob was groveling, begging, and seeking for what God had already promised. Jacob’s flesh was still in control. He experienced religion, but not true spirituality. The potential for a spiritual breakthrough was there, but Jacob did not avail himself of it.

Jacob went on to work for a relative named Laban and married Leah and Rachel. Then one day God declared:

I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. (Genesis 31:13)

Jacob obeyed, and had a life-changing experience when he returned to Bethel:

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. (Genesis 35:9-15)

RESPONSE: Do you need to return to Bethel spiritually speaking? Do you need a fresh experience with God? Do as Jacob did. Bow before the Lord at your spiritual Bethel. Pour out your prayer, praise, and worship. Let Him change your life and renew His promises to you.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name God of Bethel.

GOD OF GLORY

FATHER OF GLORY

REFERENCE: The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. (Psalm 29:3)

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. (Ephesians 1:17)

REVELATION: In Hebrew the word “glory” means the weightiness of His presence, the “Kavod” of God. This biblical word indicates a spiritual weight of splendor, holiness, and majesty that is associated with the God of Glory where a person experiences God’s presence in a tangible way. Our God is the God of Glory (Psalm 29:3) and the Father of Glory (Ephesians 1:17).

God is omnipresent, meaning that He is present everywhere. The psalmist proclaimed:

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. (Psalm 139:7-11)

We can view God’s glory in creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). Jesus said He is present where two or three are gathered in His name: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The Bible states that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5) and that He is always with you (Matthew 28:20).

When we speak of the glory of God it means His manifested presence, an intense awareness that He is present. In reality He is always there, but when God’s manifested glory descends, there is a weight of His spiritual presence that hovers over the atmosphere. It is like He walked into the room. People may respond by falling to their knees or on their faces. They may be so overcome that they are silent. When God manifests His glory in this special way, you know it. Only those who have never experienced the glory of this presence can argue against it.

In Exodus 33, a beautiful worship experience is recorded in response to Moses’ request to behold God’s glory. God said:

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. (Exodus 33:19-23).

Moses experienced the manifested glory of God. So can you! God's manifested glory is not an intellectual pursuit. It is an experience that comes through worship. The first commandment is to love the Lord, not to do spiritual warfare, intercede, or minister to others although these are important parts of your calling. Worship is your highest priority. You can learn about God through what He has done, but true intimacy results from experiencing Him, not just knowing about Him.

When Moses completed the Tabernacle and set its contents in place…

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

(Exodus 40:34-35)

When the Divine pattern for the Tabernacle was in order, God’s presence descended. When Solomon completed the Temple…

…it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 8:10-11)

When you worship according to biblical patterns, His glory will be manifested.

The greatest revelation of God’s glory is found in His Son, Jesus Christ:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Christ’s glory was revealed as He preached the Word, saved, healed, and delivered. Prior to returning to Heaven, Jesus prayed that the same glory that rested upon Him, the glory of God, would be manifested in the lives of His followers. He prayed first for His disciples, then He said…

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

(John 17:20-24)

As the God of Glory, Almighty God reigns. As the Father of Glory, He allows His heirs to share in His glory. Someday soon we shall behold an even greater manifestation of His glory and that of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we enter eternity.

RESPONSE: The same glory that God manifested in the life of Jesus can be manifested in your life, but you must be in God’s presence in order to experience Him as the God of Glory.

Coming into His presence is not something to be done casually. In Old Testament times God’s people were commanded to cleanse themselves from sin before coming to worship. For them, this meant a series of ceremonial washings and abstaining from things that made a person unfit to enter God’s presence (Exodus 19:10,22; Leviticus 11).

As a New Testament Believer, you prepare for worship by asking God to forgive your sins so you can enter His presence through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Claim this promise: “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence” (Psalm 140:13),

Come into His presence the biblical way, by worship:

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. (Psalm 95:2)

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (Psalm 100:2)

Sing to the Lord. Use musical instruments to praise Him. Stand, kneel, and lift your hands in praise. Use your spiritual gifts. Clap, shout, rejoice, and dance before Him. Meditate on Him and wait in silence before Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct your worship.

Meditate on these words by Elmer Towns:

“The effectiveness of worship is not measured by atmosphere. That means the credibility

of true biblical worship is not measured by how fast the songs are sung, or how deeply we meditate in solitude. It is not measured by a new plexiglass pulpit, a split chancel pulpit, or the new trend of using no pulpit at all. It is not measured by raising hands, affirming the Apostle's Creed, or congregational applause. It is not measured by responsive readings from both Old and New Testaments, viewing the Bible projected on the screen, or listening to an expositional sermon based on a proper interpretation of the text. True worship is always measured by the response of the Believer's heart to God…True worship is measured by the transformation of the worshipper because he/she has been in the presence of God.” Elmer Towns

Your study of the names of God is to receive a revelation of His glory, not just intellectual knowledge. Pray this personalized prayer from Scripture:

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. That the eyes of my understanding being enlightened, I may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his power towards me as a Believer, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:17-20)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the names God of Glory and Father of Glory.

GOD OF GODS

LORD OF LORDS, LORD OF KINGS

REFERENCE: For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, the terrible God, Who is not partial and takes no bribe. (Deuteronomy 10:17, TAB)

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. (Daniel 2:47)

REVELATION: There are many false gods and many kings ruling in our world today. But our God is the God of gods, Lord of lords, and Lord of kings. He is above every false idol and every false religion. He is over all those who call themselves lords and kings. The psalmist declared:

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. (Psalm 95:3)

For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

(Psalm 97:9)

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. (Psalm 135:5)

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:3)

Even the godless King Darius recognized that God is the God of gods: “The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret” (Daniel 2:47).

When Jesus returns to this world with His Heavenly army, He will do so clearly identified as the Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). The forces of evil “…shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

RESPONSE: Join the psalmist in giving praise to the God of gods and Lord of lords:

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:2-3)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the names God of gods, Lord of lords, and Lord of kings.

GOD OF HOPE

HOPE OF ISRAEL

REFERENCE: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)

O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. (Jeremiah 17:13-14)

REVELATION: God is called the God of Hope in Romans 15:13, and in Jeremiah 17:13-14 He is revealed specifically as the Hope of Israel. He is the Hope of His chosen people, and He is also your hope. He is your hope of salvation and for healing of your soul, spirit, mind, and body.

The definition of hope is “to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.” Biblical hope is supernatural hope, like that of Abraham who despite the condition of his physical body “…against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be” (Romans 4:18).

Biblical hope is rooted in God and based upon the promises in His Word: “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm 130:5). This hope is generated by the power of the Holy Spirit: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13). The Word of God fosters hope:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Hope is an anchor for your soul in turbulent times:

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. (Hebrews 6:17-19)

You are saved by grace through the hope of salvation by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus:

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24-25)

We have hope in Christ’s promise of eternal life: “…In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2). This hope of eternal life in the presence of the Lord motivates you to live a holy life:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

God manifested Himself as the God of Hope through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and in His promised return because “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). Thus, we are “…Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

RESPONSE: Are there situations in your life about which you feel hopeless? Declare this Word about the God Of Hope over every circumstance: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance” (Psalm 42:5).

Tell the Lord “You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust from my youth and the source of my confidence” (Psalm 71:5).

Read these promises to those who hope in the Lord:

..my flesh shall rest in hope. (Psalm 16:9)

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24)

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (Psalm 33:18-19)

Emulate the hope demonstrated by Abraham…

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4:18-21)

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the names God Of Hope and the Hope Of Israel.

GOD OF ISRAEL

GOD OF ABRAHAM, FEAR OF ISAAC,

GOD OF JERUSALEM, GOD OF JESHURUN

REFERENCE: And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it Elohe Israel (meaning the God of Israel). (Genesis 33:18-20)

REVELATION: This name, God Of Israel, was first used by Jacob, after his experience with God at Peniel and his reunion with his brother, Esau. Jacob build an altar at a place called Shechem and called it the God of Israel. This name identified God as being in intimate relationship with His covenant people of Israel. It also identified His personal relationship with Jacob, as Jacob was given the name “Israel” at Peniel:

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Genesis 32:24-30)

Jacob also referred to the God as the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac saying…

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty…(Genesis 31:42)

The Fear of Isaac was a title for the God whom he served in reverential fear.

God is also called the God of Jeshurun, which is a symbolic name of Israel meaning “Upright One” . That is how God viewed Israel, despite their many failures (Deuteronomy 33:26-27; Isaiah 44:2). That is how He views you, despite your past or present failures.

God is also referred to as the God of Jerusalem (Ezra 7:19) because Jerusalem was the city that God chose to place His name (Psalm 132:13-14; 2 Kings 21:7).

As the God of Israel, the Fear of Isaac, the God of Abraham, and the God Of Jeshurun and Jerusalem, our Heavenly Father demonstrates His desire to have a relationship with His people. He wants to be with them, not just rule over them. And He wants to be with you and live within you.

RESPONSE: When King Solomon was dedicating the Jerusalem Temple to God, the Lord spoke and said:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. (2 Chronicles 7:14-16)

God declared Himself to be the God of the Temple, although the actual term is not used. The New Testament declares that Believers are now His temple, the place where He has chosen to place His Spirit: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

As you pray today, know that God hears from heaven, forgives your sin, and sends His healing power. He is attentive to your prayers because He has placed His name upon you, and His eyes and heart are always upon you. The God of Israel is your God and He views you as Jeshurun, an “upright one”.

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the names God of Israel, Fear of Isaac, God of Abraham, God of Jerusalem, and God of Jeshurun.

GOD OF MY GOODNESS

REFERENCE: Blessed be the Lord my strength…My goodness…(Psalm 144:1-2)

REVELATION: David acknowledged God as “God of My Goodness”, recognizing that God is good and does good things for His people. When God revealed the name “I Am” to Moses, He said:

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. (Exodus 33:19)

God was revealing who He is. He is an abundantly good God.

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6)

God is the source of all goodness: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

David proclaimed:

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! (Psalm 31:19).

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

(Psalm 34:8)

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. (Psalm 73:1)

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Psalm 86:5)

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

(Psalm 100:5)

Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 106:1)

Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. (Psalm 119:68)

The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalm 145:9)

RESPONSE: Whatever has come to steal, kill, or destroy is from the enemy: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10a). Rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus.

Claim this promise of Jesus: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John10:10b).

Take time to “Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant” (Psalm 135:3).

Record in your journal additional revelations regarding the name God of My Goodness.

GOD OF MY PRAISE

REFERENCE: Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise… (Psalm 109:1)

REVELATION: God is given a title that clearly reveals that He is to be the object of the Believer’s praise. He is the God of our praise. The Scriptures declare:

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his

wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Praise means commendation. It is preoccupation with who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He has promised to do. Praise includes singing psalms of praise, confessing, blessing, celebrating, boasting, shouting, and jubilation.

David declared: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth”

(Psalm 34:1). Even in difficult times, David declared: “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing” (Psalm 107:22).