Mensa Otabil - Such As I Have (10/04/2025)
Welcome to day number 14 of our 40 days of power. We’re making progress gradually, and as you know, this week we are talking about taking authority. We go to the book of Acts, chapter 3, verses 6 and 7. Then Peter said, «Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.» And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
This is a remarkable story; it is the first public miracle performed by the disciples of Jesus Christ after Jesus had ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit had come upon them. Now they are presenting themselves. They go to the temple, and Peter boldly and audaciously allows the Lord to use him to work this miracle. The man who asked for the miracle or wanted help from them was more than 40 years old and had been a beggar for a very long time. He asked for alms, and Peter said to him, «I don’t have silver; I don’t have gold, but such as I have.» Every authority that the Christian exhibits is based on what we have. You can’t use it if you don’t have it; if you don’t have authority, you can’t exercise it.
.So Peter starts by saying, «This is what I have,» or as the old King James says, «Such as I have.» What did he have? What did Peter have as his authority? Because what he had is what we also have. He tells us what he has, saying, «In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.» What he had was the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The physical presence of Jesus Christ of Nazareth was not with them; Jesus had resurrected and bodily ascended to heaven. But Jesus was with them. How did they know that Jesus was with them? Because when they called His name, He acted, and that name is still with us. We still have the name of Jesus 2,000 years after Jesus ascended. His name is still with us.
So Peter says, «What I have is the name of Jesus,» and what you and I have as Christians is the name of Jesus. We don’t have amulets, we don’t have talismans, and we don’t have magical potions. All that we have is the name of Jesus. If we can trust the name of Jesus, believe in the name of Jesus, and depend on the name of Jesus, then we will see His power manifested in our lives. The name of Jesus is powerful by itself; it doesn’t need help. The name of Jesus does not require additions; it does not require physical implements. It doesn’t require a handkerchief or some special ornament. The name of Jesus is powerful by itself; it is the key that brings Jesus on the scene and brings His presence. It is the key that unlocks His power.
When Peter used the name of Jesus, he used it with a command for action. He didn’t just say «in the name of Jesus.» The name of Jesus enables something to be done. So he says, «In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.» The name of Jesus must accomplish something, and when we use the name of Jesus, we must give it an assignment; the assignment is «rise up and walk.» Remember, this man had been a beggar for a very long time. So Peter says, «Rise up and walk,» but he is still sitting down.
The Bible says that Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up because the man’s mind couldn’t comprehend that he was healed. Although he was healed, he wasn’t taking the action to actualize his healing. Peter took him by the right hand, and the Bible says immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. The name of Jesus works, but after the name of Jesus has worked, we must take action in correspondence to what the name of Jesus has accomplished in our lives. This man has the testimony to prove that what we have still works today.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, today I walk in the strength of the Lord. I command every broken situation in my life to rise up in Jesus' name. Amen.» I believe that you’re going to see some miracles happen in your life. I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.