The name of Jesus is also for us to be saved. Acts 4:12 says, "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." The name of Jesus has been given to us purposely that we may be saved. The name of Jesus is a saving name.
To the lame man whom he met at the gate of the temple Peter said, "Silver 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" (Acts 3:6). Immediately the man was healed. Then Peter said to the people, "By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth...doth this man stand here before you whole" (Acts 4:10). This testifies that the name of Jesus is also a healing name. We may call on the name of Jesus for healing from any kind of sickness.
The name of Jesus has been given to us so that we may be washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor. 6:11). As defiled persons, we were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit of God. I read 1 Corinthians 6:11 for years without seeing a crucial point: in the name and by the Spirit. The name is closely related to the Person and to the Spirit. If the name of Jesus were an empty name, how could it wash us? How could it sanctify and justify us? This would be impossible. However, this name is linked to the Spirit. The Spirit is the Person of the name and the reality of the name. Therefore the name can wash us, sanctify us, and justify us. The Spirit is one with the name. Jesus is the name of the Lord, and the Spirit is the Person of the Lord. When we call on the name of a real person, that person comes. The name of Jesus is linked with the Person who washes us, sanctifies us, and justifies us. This is not merely doctrine or theory—it is reality. When we believe in the name of Jesus and are put into the name of Jesus, we are placed into a living Person, that is, in the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit washes us, sanctifies us, and justifies us.
The name of Jesus is for us to call upon (Rom. 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:2). I was a Christian for at least thirty-five years before I found the secret of calling on the name of Jesus. I thought that calling on the name of Jesus was the same as praying. Eventually, from the record of the Bible, I discovered that praying is one thing and calling is another. Fifteen years ago, I did a great deal of praying, mostly on my knees. I did not know the secret of calling upon the name of Jesus, nor did I know that calling is different from praying.
Many of us have experienced praying, but with little inspiration. However, when we call on Jesus for five minutes, we are inspired. Try it! Many of us can testify that when we prayed in the old way, we sometimes prayed ourselves to sleep. But calling on the Lord never puts us to sleep. On the contrary, it stirs us up.
Acts 9:14 says that Paul, when he was Saul of Tarsus, tried to damage all the saints. He intended to go from Jerusalem to Damascus to bind all those who called on the name of Jesus. This verse does not say that he was about to bind all those who prayed to Jesus, but all those who called on Jesus. By this one verse we can see that the early Christians were those who called on Jesus. Whenever they prayed, they called. They called upon the name of Jesus, and that became a mark of recognition.
The Bible does not say that whoever prays shall be saved. It says that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:13). Suppose that I am a sinner and I believe in the Lord Jesus. You help me to pray, and I say, "Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. You are my Savior. You love me. You died on the cross for me. Thank you." Although it is good to pray this way, praying like this makes it very difficult for the Spirit to get into us. However, if you would help me to call, "O Lord Jesus," louder and louder, it would make a big difference. When you preach the gospel, do not try so hard to change people's thinking. Instead, help them to open up their being, their heart and their spirit, from deep within and to use their mouths to call upon the name of Jesus. If you help new believers to call on the name of Jesus in this way, the door will be open wide for the Spirit to enter in. There is no need to pray with vain words. After calling on the name of Jesus ten times, you will be in the heavens. Your sins will be forgiven, your burden will be lifted, and you will have life eternal. You will have everything.
Even for a believer of many years, the best way to touch the Lord Jesus, to enjoy the Lord Jesus, to share something of the Lord Jesus, is not to say very much, but to go to the Lord and call, "Jesus! Jesus! Lord Jesus!" Call on the name of Jesus and you will taste something. "The same Lord of all is rich to all who call upon Him" (Rom. 10:12). Many times, our words are too vain. It is better just to call, "Jesus." If you call on His name, you will taste Him and enjoy Him. The name of Jesus is a wonderful name. We all need to call on Him.