A Powerful Declaration When You’re All Out of Words to Pray

We’ve all been in a moment of trial or difficulty when it just seems we don’t know what to pray. Maybe you feel like you’ve exhausted everything there is to pray and are all out of words. Or maybe the situation is just so excruciating that you just can’t find the right words—or any words at all.

When I’m in these moments, the Lord showed me something so powerful to declare. And it’s a single word. A single name, actually. I declare the name of “Jesus” over whatever it is that I’m battling.

The declaration of “Jesus” is so powerful because it’s a declaration of who He is. We see the power of this all throughout the New Testament. Follow me here.

The Power of the Presence

According to Jewish sources, even before Jesus, there were “Jewish exorcists.” Basically, these were Old Testament deliverance ministers who would cast out evil spirits in the name of Yahweh, the Most High God.

But when Jesus entered the world, He was able to exorcise demons merely by His presence. Consider the story of when He healed the demoniacs, as told in Matthew 8. When Jesus arrived to the country of Gadarenes, Matthew records that two men possessed with demons came out the tombs, shouting, “What have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God?” Jesus didn’t have to yell or do any theatrics. No, when He said, “Go,” they had to obey the power of His identity, and they left (Matt. 8:28–32).

Delegated Power

Amazingly, Jesus later delegated the power of His presence to His followers. And all that’s necessary to activate it is the mention of His name. “In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues … they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:16–18).

Can you imagine the scandal this aroused in those days? By instructing people to use His name in deliverance, Jesus equated Himself with Yahweh, the Most High God. And much to the Jewish leaders’ distress, His name worked. And it still works today!

The Name above All Names

As the Scripture affirms, “God highly exalted Him [Jesus] and gave Him the name which is above every name” (see Phil. 2:9). That includes the names of circumstances, symptoms and emotions. And so, when you say Jesus, you speak peace to chaos, healing to symptoms, deliverance to bondages and rest to stress. Yes, you speak the power of Almighty God upon whatever it is that’s bothering you.

Just Say, ‘Jesus!’

So, is there something you’re dealing with today? If you don’t know what to pray, activate the power of God’s name against it. Just declare, “Jesus!” After all, His name contains more power than any string of words you or I can put together. {eoa}

Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy’s attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.