Charles Hadden Spurgeon (1834-92), noted English Baptist preacher, told this personal
experience.
He was called to the home of an elderly woman who was bedfast.
Malnutrition was about to take her physical life. During his visit, Spurgeon noticed a framed document on the wall. He asked the woman, "Is this yours?"
She said it was, and explained that she had worked as a maid in the household of some of the English nobility. "Before Lady So-and-so died," the woman said, "she gave that to me. I served her for nearly half a century. I've been so proud of it because she gave it to me. I had it framed. It's been hanging on the wall ever since she died 10 years ago."
Mr. Spurgeon asked, "Would you allow me to take it and have it examined more closely?"
"Oh, yes," said the woman, who never learned to read, "just be sure to see I get it back."
Spurgeon took it to the authorities. They had been looking for it. It was a bequest. The English noblewoman had left her maid a home and money.
She lived in a little one-room house built out of wooden boxes and was starving to death—yet she had hanging on the wall a document that authorized her to be well cared for and to live in a fine house. The money was gathering interest. It belonged to her.
Spurgeon helped her get it, but it didn't do her as much good as it could have earlier.
I think that is indicative of what has happened to much of the church world. We live in a little run-down shanty— spiritually speaking—while lying on a table somewhere is the New Covenant. We're proud of it. But we've never taken time to Fmd out what it says belongs to us.
Peter knew what belonged to him when he fastened his eyes upon that life-long cripple at the Gate Beautiful and said, "Si/wr and gold have I none; but SUCH AS I HAVE give I
thee: IN THE NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
"You know, though," some would say, "Peter and John were apostles. The apostles had that kind of power to get the Church started. But when the last apostle died, all that ceased."
How in the world sensible men could think like that is beyond my comprehension. The devil has hoodwinked whole denominations. He doesn't want people to find out about this Name. He's afraid of the Name. He knows Jesus conquered him.
He knows that Name is just as powerful as Jesus the Person. He knows Jesus said, "In my Name they shall cast out devils." (That means they will exercise authority over the devil and
demons,) He knows that. He does not want you to know it. As long as you do not know it, he can continue to dominate you. So, he has hoodwinked the church world. He does not care how religious you get. As long as you don't have any power, you are no threat to him.
You cannot say that a nice home, a good living, and money didn't belong to that poor woman Spurgeon visited. All that belonged to her. It was hers. She had the legal document, signed and sealed, which said it was hers. Why didn't she possess it?
Because she didn't know it.
Thank God, we have the legal document of the New Covenant, the New Testament, sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ. And when He went away, He left us His Name. But we must know what is invested in that Name. We must know what is back of that Name.
- Kenneth E. Hagin. ( The name of Jesus )