Daniel Holland considers an age-old battle. Names are powerfully important and often prophesy into our destiny and calling with God.
A fight – to the death
This age-old battle started when Lucifer, (the light bearer), changed his name to Satan, the accuser. He has been seeking to change names ever since. Imagine how difficult it was for Daniel and his three friends in captivity to have their Jewish names expunged and replaced with names of worship to demonic ‘gods’.The devil tried to change Israel from Hephzibah to ichabod and the prodigal from ‘son’ to ‘slave’. Grief caused Naomi to change her name to Mara (bitterness).
God changes names too. Jacob (deceiver)and the Hebrews (slaves) became Israel- prince with God. Famously Abram became Abraham, Saul became Paul, and Simon Peter became Peter (the rock). God gave Isaiah’s children some interesting names! Some of us have had a love/hate relationship with ours. Now I embrace my name and aim to fully inhabit and flesh it out in every possible TFM and Biblical sense.
Name and destiny
If we’re realistic, the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have affected us all far more than we might care to think. In times of pressure, grief, hardship and fear the devil always seeks to change our names, attacking our God-given identity and destiny. We purpose at the start of this year to hold on tenaciously to the name and destiny that God speaks over us. One day Jesus will give the ‘overcomers’ a new name.
To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone (Rev 2 v17)
Until then let’s steadfastly refuse to allow the enemy to change our name, identity or destiny even slightly. Only Jesus and his friends can tell us who we are!
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Daniel Holland is a UK missionary with Through Faith Missions. He wrote “Through The Tunnel – Free at Last” published by PUSH Publishing, as his personal testimony. His second book “Prophetic Evangelism – Kingdom Exploits in the Risk Zone” was reissued in an expanded second edition in August 2021, via Christian Publications International: https://christian-publications-int.com/PropheticEvangelism.html
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Here is a link to a Prophecy Today review of Dan’s recent book: https://prophecytoday.uk/study/resources/item/2076-review-prophetic-evangelism.html
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