And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18
Prayer is directed to the Father in Jesus’ name. In the above scripture, Jesus is giving us the authority to use His name. Therefore, we pray in His name. We deal with the devil in His name. In His name is where we get results.
…they shall cast out demons…
In Luke 10:17, the disciples returned after Jesus had sent them out to preach the gospel. They were elated that the devils submitted to them in Jesus’ name.
Paul cast an evil spirit out of a girl in the name of Jesus in Acts 16:16-18, “But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.” If Paul cast evil spirits out, you can too.
…they will speak with new tongues…
Every believer has the right to speak in tongues. Tongues isn’t for a select group of people. Tongues is for every Christian so that they may be empowered for the service of the Lord.
…they will take up serpents…
On one occasion, Paul had come to shore in Melita after a long dangerous trip on the sea. He and the people he was with were gathering sticks for a fire when a snake jumped out of the sticks and bit Paul. The Bible says , “But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ” Acts 28:5. He was bitten by a poisonous snake and it didn’t phase him one bit. Why? He knew that he had the right to use the name of Jesus.
…if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them…
With so many contaminants in food, it is vital that we have something to stand on when deciding what to eat. Many times meats are recalled. It is reported by health specialists that so much of what we eat is not good for us. I’ve studied healthy eating so much that the available information has begun to contradict itself. I believe God knew what would happen with our food. That is one of the reasons that we have Mark 16:17.
Of course, that does not mean that we can deliberately eat anything we want. But, when we unknowingly consume something that is harmful to our health, we can claim immunity to it. Indeed, if a person is informed that their diet is destroying their body, they are responsible for changing their eating habits. It is not faith to continue doing the same thing and expecting different results. When information comes, change with it, and continue meditating the word of God, your life source.
A family member of mine developed high blood pressure. As a result, his doctor gave him a list of foods that he could eat to reduce his blood pressure in lieu of taking medication. He changed his diet accordingly, and his blood pressure is now normal.
‘… they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover ‘.
Clearly, healing is God’s will. Therefore, there is no need to lay hands on someone and say, “If it be thy will…” When you see it expressly written in the word of God, it is God’s will. In Mark 16:18, Jesus gave believers authority to use His name where healing is concerned. In obedience to the word of God, we lay hands on the sick in Jesus’ name and God heals them.
You have the authority to use the name of Jesus. That authority covers those things that are vital to living a healthy and prosperous life.
