One of my favorite songs right now ( I have seasons of favorite songs/hymns) is “Break every chain.” The lyrics start out “There is power in the name of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus, to break every chain.” I love that. I could sing that and declare that for a month and never grow tired of doing it. I love every aspect of those words because it encompasses everything I know to be true. The very name of Jesus, there is power in it. It’s at the name of Jesus that the demons flee. It’s at the name of Jesus that the angels sing. There is no other name given under heaven, whereby a man might be saved. In the first year of my salvation every time I heard even the name of Jesus tears would begin to roll down my cheeks. I would be speaking to people in the church and praying inside, oh lord don’t let them say your name because I knew I would begin to weep and they thought I was emotionally unbalanced. Such was His power and the impact upon my life. I could testify from the highest mountains that He had broken every chain. Oh how sweet the light is to one who had dwelt so long in darkness. The light was luxurious and encompassing. I tell you, I wish now that I would weep every time I hear the name of Jesus.

There is one line from the song that the lady sings that I would like to challenge, and it may seem like a distinction without a difference and it does not stop me listening to the song and being mightily blessed by it. The line goes something like this “just declare this night that your chains are broken.” Now brothers and sisters, if that line were spoken as a testimony then I say praise the Lord and hallelujah. If your chains have been broken then I say declare it to anyone who will listen. If, on the other hand you are still in chains, then you can declare all night long and at the end of that night you will still be in chains. You see, there is no power in our own declarations when they are used as an incantation, for then the power would lie with us. Think of Paul and Silas in the dungeon. They were in stocks and chains. In the midnight hour they began to praise the living God, lifting up the name of Jesus. They were not declaring that their chains were to be broken and the doors were to be open. But look with me at what happens when they praise God in spite of their circumstances.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! (Acts 16:25-27)

Can you see that brothers and sisters? Can you see the great principle in action? There is power in the name of Jesus. When we praise His name, when we lift Him up, not our circumstances, He is glorified and when we are glorifying Jesus then down comes the power of God. The whole building shook, the doors flew open and their chains fell to the floor. Can you hear the chains falling? What are you burdened by today? What bondage do you find yourself in? Can I tell you, there is power in the name of Jesus. If you praise Him this day, if you lift Him up above your circumstances, if you glorify Him then He will glorify Himself in you.Those who have no strength, those who have grown weak He, by His power and by His glory He strengthens them. Even when younger men and women grow faint and grow weary all around you, you who wait upon the Lord, you who glorify the Lord, you who lift up that name which is above every other name, you shall renew your strength in Him and you shall run and not grow weary, you shall keep on walking and you shall not faint and you shall mount up with wings as eagles and dwell with Him in heavenly places.