On the last night of His life, Jesus transferred His power to His disciples. He told them in John 16:24 NKJV, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” He was saying, “You’ve not used My name before, but from now on, you will.”
It’s like when a businessman leaves the country and wants somebody to take care of his business while he’s gone. He gives that person the power of attorney—the authority to conduct his business exactly as he would if he were there.
Jesus has given us His name to use as our power of attorney. All of His resources and everything that He is are available to us. That means He wants us to act in His place exactly as He would act if He were still on earth. We can take dominion over the devil and his attacks and say, “Devil, take your hands off God’s property—me!”
James 4:7 tells us if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. And Philippians 2:10 says, At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
Once when I had to fly on a stormy day, I wasn’t happy about having to get on a plane. But as I took my seat, I said, “Devil, you take your hands off this plane. I take dominion over you now, in the name of Jesus. The angels are surrounding us, and the weather will not hurt us. The pilots have wisdom, and we’ll make this trip safely.”
We ended up having the smoothest ride imaginable!
No matter what the devil throws at you, you can take authority over it. When you use the name of Jesus, the powers of darkness drop to their knees because Jesus has given you His power of attorney.