GOoD Life Precepts By: KeviJ
Let me start with the truth: my name has the word evil hidden inside of it. For years, I thought that meant something about me was marked, broken, or destined for struggle. But here’s what I know now—the devil doesn’t own my name. God hid it from every person I’ve met; nobody in all my life has pointed out that they recognized the word in my name until I pointed it out. We’ve all heard of the “prayer of Jabez”; Though his name meant pain, God transformed it into a name of blessing and honor. And what about Peter? There didn’t appear to be anything inherently wrong with his name, yet Jesus still chose to rename him—as God did Jacob—signaling destiny-shaping transformation. So what’s in a name? Well, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. When Jesus speaks my name, every lie, every shadow, and every label must bow. My name isn’t a curse—it’s a canvas for God’s redemption.
Mark 5:9 “What’s your name?”
Luke 8:30-35
Change is imminent when Jesus calls you by name.
Names may reveal nature, but they will never define destiny. In our study on “The Chronicles of Joseph,” where Jacob wrestled with the angel, the first question Jacob asked was, “What’s your name?” It revealed he understood there was power in knowing a person’s name. The first job God gave Adam was to name the animals, and whatever Adam called them, that was their name, because God knows the power in being able to name things. As parents, we have the privilege of naming whatever we bring into the world, whether a child or a pet. Some of us even name our cars, recognizing that a name is significant. When Jacob’s name was changed after wrestling with the angel, it signified a new season and a new nature for him, symbolizing transformation from a trickster to someone who wrestled with both man and God—and won.
If you’ve ever wondered about God, what do I call Him? You’re not alone. God never wants to leave us in the dark about His identity. This was proven in the case of Moses, one day he was bold enough to go to God and ask, “Who should I say you are? What’s your name?” God declared, “I AM WHO I AM!”—a blank check, revealing He is beyond anything we could imagine or hope for. Jesus confronts a man at the tombs and forces the demon to reveal his identity because He would prove He has authority over every name, label, or title a person can be given.
The man who was possessed by a legion of demons had a name, and Jesus did not need anyone to reveal their name; He already knew it. Whatever labels this man had been given over his lifetime that have been tied to these multitudes of demons residing in him was about to change. The demons could have come in as depression, anxiety, fear, etc. Some demons travel in packs, but Jesus was about to shift this man’s identity, and it would all begin with exposure. It was exposure for the sake of deliverance.
Although the demon answered when Jesus was talking to the man, Jesus confronted the false identity of the labels placed on him with his true identity, and change was imminent. Culture may name us according to our trauma, failure, or even sin, but Jesus calls us by who we are in Him. Jesus was not any more intimidated by the numbers this demon implied than He was by the storm He’d just calmed. He didn’t just have power over nature, but also the spiritual realm. The objective was to restore the man’s identity and teach us that whether we’ve been bound by addictions, rejection, shame, or destructive cycles, He is on a freedom mission to restore us to our original position in Him. We no longer have to be identified by our bondage; we can live in freedom.
Time of Reflection:
** When Jesus asked the man his name, it wasn’t to affirm his bondage but to expose it—what had been hidden in darkness was now brought into the light. Reflection: God still exposes false labels today so that we can step into our true identity.
** Legion tried to define the man by what oppressed him, but Jesus restored him to who he really was. So it is with us, undefined by past chains, we only recognize Jesus’ redeeming word over our lives.
Heart-Probe:
What names or labels have I allowed to cling to me and define me that Jesus has already broken off?
References
Scripture References (NASB/ESV):
- Mark 5:9
- Luke 8:30–35
- Matthew 8:28–34
- Philippians 2:9–11 (authority in the Name of Jesus)
- Isaiah 43:1 (“I have called you by name; you are Mine!”)
- Revelation 2:17 (new name given by God)
Genesis 32:27–28 — Jacob → Israel. New name, new destiny. - Exodus 3:13-15 — God revealing His name brings identity to Moses’ calling.
- Philippians 2:9–10 — The name above every name reshapes the world.
Chronological Bible Placement:
- Question #27 — Mark 5:9 (parallel in Luke 8:30, Matthew 8:28–34)
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK):
- For Mark 5:9: cross-references to Luke 8:30, Matthew 8:29, Revelation 12:7–9 (demons cast out), Isaiah 65:15 (naming and identity).
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You call us by name, not by our chains. Thank You for exposing the lies that try to define us and for restoring our true identity in You. Where fear, shame, or past failures once named us, let Your voice speak louder. Anchor our faith in Your authority so that no storm, no bondage, and no false label can stand against who You say we are. May our lives bear witness that freedom is found only in You. Amen.
