Name Above All Names

The beating of drum, gong and cymbals drew me to join a small crowd at the side entrance of Robinsons on the 2nd day of the CNY. I had long associated Robinsons with the western culture and was surprised at the lion dance performance taking place there, in the company of a Chinese "god of fortune", just after the stroke of 12 at noon-time.

According to Chinese tradition, the lion dance is performed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and happiness. Chinese mythodology has a story of the lion fighting and frightening away the 'nian' (a fierce man-eating creature) one year and the villagers doing a dance in lion costume to keep evil away in subsequent years (http://home-1.tiscali.nl/~rlion/llniene.htm).

As a Christian, I was taught by a pastor to rebuke evil spirits in the name of Jesus. There was a period of time when I felt some spiritual disturbance at home. Being home alone, the sensation of such spiritual disturbance was terrifying to me.

It was not so easy to pronounce a rebuke aloud, for my fear of evil spirits then was strong. Somehow, mustering courage, I voiced the simple command in the name of Jesus for whatever spirit that was disturbing me to leave my house.

What happened then? Peace prevailed in my heart and mind. The name of Jesus is mighty, above all names, able to save all the time.

"8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2 : 8 - 11)

While there is healing power in the name of Jesus, we need faith and prayer to receive healing and deliverance. How much faith do we need to have? Faith as small as a mustard seed.

"18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." "
(Matthew 17 : 18 - 20)