Speaking the Name of God
Speaking the name of God is powerful. It changes us. It recenters us on the main thing and what is most important.
I don’t know about you, but my anxiety is rough. It rears its ugly head and can go from 0 to 60mph in seconds. Often taking me on an adventure I don’t really want to go on. Maybe you understand.
I’ve found myself lately in nerve-wracking situations where I have no choice but to rely on my faith to lead me. To trust that God is good and faithful. My circumstances may stay difficult, but I, myself, have changed. My focus on God has carried me. He has never once let me down.
One of the best things I have done during these challenging seasons (that seem never to end) has been to remind myself of who God is. In times of greatest overwhelm, just speaking the name of God has calmed my anxiety-ridden soul. The storm around me may continue to rage, but I can still stand knowing the God of the universe is holding me close and providing a sense of peace to calm even the most tired soul.
I’ll share a few names I’ve been clinging to these days. I hope they will encourage you in whatever circumstance you may be walking through.
Elohim = God
It’s interesting to me that in the Hebrew Bible, we see the mention of Elohim/God in the very first verse of Scripture.
Genesis 1:1 (NKJV) - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God is a majestic ruler, going before us, beside us, and behind us. This reference to God is used another 2598 times in the Bible. He’s mighty. This reminder gives me peace and security when things are out of my control. The God I serve is higher and greater than any other god, and nothing or no one will change this.
Jehovah Jireh = The Lord Will Provide
I don’t know about you, but I need God to come through in a lot of ways for me as I sit and write these words. There are so many pieces of my puzzle of life that seem out of sorts, and only God can piece them together as they should be. It’s only by God’s strength and power in my life that I can lift my head and continue, because some days are a lot.
Jireh means to see or provide. We know this name mentioned for God in the story of Abraham and Isaac. When Abraham was devoted to the Lord and trusted that God would provide a lamb for the sacrifice to save Isaac, God came through for him at just the right time. I’m comforted in challenging seasons, knowing that Elohim is Jehovah Jireh, perfectly arranging all the pieces of my life. I know that one day I will look back and see His Hand so evident in every facet. I hope you will, too.
Genesis 22: 10-14 (NLT) - And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Jehovah Raah = The Lord Is My Shepherd
The well-known Psalm 23 radiates this name of God. It’s also mentioned in Genesis 48-49 and Psalm 80. A shepherd cares for his sheep. Often spending long days herding them and protecting them from danger, and seeing that their needs are met. A sheep cannot figure out life on its own. Our Heavenly Father protects us. He provides us with wisdom and discernment as well as meeting our basic needs - water, food, and shelter. I’m comforted to know that our God is a Shepherd to us. No matter what the season, He is leading us to still waters where we can find rest and nourishment to continue life’s journey. God knows this world is full of evil and sin, yet He gives us the strength we need to continue, one moment at a time, when we are following closely beside Him. I cannot handle this life on my own. I’m sure there are days when you, too, feel as if you cannot handle anything more. It’s in those moments that we have a Shepherd to lean on.
Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT) - The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.
We were never promised a life without battles, only that the Good Shepherd would never leave us in the middle of the fight, regardless of who the enemy is. (Author unknown.)
I don’t know what your circumstances are today. I don’t know how deep you feel you are in the mud, or how dark the nights may feel. I do know this: God is with you. In the midst of everything you are feeling, cry out to Him. Speak the name of God over your life. Over your family. Over your circumstance. Over this world. There are so many names of God in the Bible, and they radiate power. The enemy flees when we speak the powerful name. The enemy runs when we mention His Name.
I’ll be honest, there have been a lot of days where I can only speak the name - Elohim or Jehovah Jireh and help. God knows my heart, and He knows yours, too. He knows that there are hard days and times, and He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. As you go about this week, speak the name of God and claim His power over your life. We have no time for the enemy or his schemes.
Sources: NLT Bible, newcreations.org
