‘Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, " The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.”’ (Numbers 14:6-8)
There are researches that show that optimism may also be linked to health. The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." (Bible on "Heart Matters": See Genesis 42:38b, 44:34b; 2 Samuel 13:2, 1 Kings 21:4; Proverbs 13:12, 15:13, 15,30, 17:22, 18:14, 4:23)
Do you know someone who seems to always have a smile and a positive thought? Or are you yourself one of those people who is full of optimism? Hardships are seen as ‘learning experiences’ by optimists, and even the most miserable day always holds the promise for them that ‘tomorrow will probably be better.'
Unlike optimal thinking, being optimistic is realistic in nature, in the typical sense of the word, the word ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation. But without God in a man life, this can be very much like self-delusion, self-deception, self-deceit, self-deceived and self-deception can also be self-defeating sometimes. And if you always see the brighter side of things, you may find yourself experiencing more positive events in your life than others despite some bad thing that surround and because you find yourself less stressed and even enjoy greater health benefits because you relaxed!
'Cosmic ordering' however is another name for ‘positive thinking’ renamed by Mohr. In her belief of 'cosmic ordering', the author believes that a person can simply write down their wish list and wait for it to become reality. The idea is somehow linked to New Age Movement and the other concept such as the Law of Attraction. (Wiki)
Biblical Names God Intended
As I understand not all names are the exact translation of the direct language meaning but instead could be pointing to a biblical allusion or part of a literature quote made parallel to certain characters in history or some literary books.
I believe just as we give our children name which we wish they would grow up to be, God also gave Himself a Name by which He wishes to be known as. He is the 'I am who I am' (Exodus 3:14) "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
The Name Jesus, the root covenant Name of God, in Hebrew and an anglicization of the greek word meaning 'Yahweh rescues' or 'The LORD saves', (Psalm 145:8) the Name by which all names on earth and heaven derived from. Now, when we give ourselves a name or when we name our children, we want to identify our names with biblical characters in the bible. But why is it that we don’t see an authentic Christian calling his son or daughter 'Jesus', Name above all names of which the bible says, “every knee should bow.” (Philipians 2:10) and every demons flee? (Luke 10:17)
Now, you can never find two John that are alike in character, neither can you find two Michaels similar in their temperament and likewise, you can never find two Hannahs and two Ruths alike in character. And even if you are not called Emmanuel today, you can be sure that God is still with us when we call out to Him with all our heart. And because Jabez’ mother had given birth to him in pain, his mother gave him the name Jabez, meaning sorrow, trouble, pain. But it was not Jabez’s intention that he should cause pain and trouble to other and the bible tells us, how did God feel about his request.
But Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) Despite time again and again, people called him(Jabez) which means ‘pain’ or ‘he cause pain’, which could be stigmatic and because his parent had given such name to him, Jabez took such firm stand with his God that he thus gained the favour and blessings of God so much that even scribes (are prominent people!) lived at Jabez. (1 Chronicles 2:55) Jabez called on the LORD!
How do you think that by changing a person name, will it transform his character or personality? What will the change in name do in him?
GOD CHANGED JACOB NAME
When God gave me my new name, it took me a long time to accept it. But 'Jacob' could also means conniver but Israel means ‘Prince of God’. Now Jacob should have realized the deliberate change made to his name but yet God had to remind him time again and again, “Hey, you are not a conniver!” but a “Prince of God!” and Jacob continue to call himself Jacob until his returned from Paddan Aram.
So “God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. " So he named him Israel.” (Genesis 35:9-10)
(1)Jacob’s new name enables him to hold a new identity in God and Jacob need to learn how to live out this new name through faith anchored on God. He is no longer to be a conniver but a Prince of God. God changed Jacob's name.
GOD PROMISE TO ABRAM
"So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne." -Genesis 16:15
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. It was a long eleven years when God first called him out of the land of the Chaldeans and it was the also the very first time, 'exalted father' felt his sense of fulfillment (Genesis 17:18) but God told him instead, he should not stop at that, but instead, "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee." (Genesis 17:5)
God reminded Abram that He would be the one who made him Abraham and he, Abraham would be a ‘father of nations’. (2)The name Abraham was God's promise to Abraham and to remind him(Abram) of God’s (faithfulness) work in his life.
NAOMI CHANGED HER NAME
Who was Naomi? Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth and Ruth was the grandmother of King David. The name ‘Naomi’ means ‘sweet’. But ‘Sweet’ and ‘My God is King’ (Elimelech) had to went and live for a while in the land of the Moabites with their two sons to escape famine.
Now, faithfulness is one attribute of God.(2 Timolty 2:13) But Ruth the Moabite found favour in the eyes of God and so true ‘friendship’ or true ‘companionship’ confessed to Naomi, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth confessed Israel as her own people and went with Naomi and The LORD was her God and God accepted her. (Deuteronomy 23:3; Matthew 1:1-6)
Upon her returned to Israel, we see Naomi humbled herself before God and changed her name from Naomi to Mara meaning “bitter”. (Ruth 1:20) God was kind and gracious to Naomi and Naomi now had a son by Ruth and Boaz whom they named Obed and he became her son. (Ruth 4:17) Naomi previously although bitter did not turn away from God but had instead recognize God’s sovereign rights in her life(Ruth 1:20-21) and was made sweet again by the gracious God who saw her contrite heart. (See how Ahab humbled himself before The LORD : 1 Kings 21:27-29)
(3)The change to her name signify Naomi’s humility towards her maker and a repentance heart towards a gracious and compassionate God; and God was indeed compassionate towards Naomi and even gracious to Ruth. (Deuteronomy 23:3)
THE PEOPLE CURSE GIDEON
Now Gideon had cut down the Asherah poles of Baal’s and had demolished the altar. So the men of the town demanded of Joash, his father to hand him (Gideon) over to them and put to death.
Verse 31, But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." (Judges 6:31)
And on that day the peoples cursed him(Gideon) saying, 'Let Baal contend with him' and thus Gideon was also known as 'Jerub-Baal'. But The LORD was with him and Gideon defeated the Midianites and led Israel 40 years.
(4) Man's word without godly conviction are nothing and may instead bring judgment upon themselves but every Word of The LORD will come to pass. (Matthew 12: 37, 24:35; Psalm 109:28, 27:14)
GOD NAMED JOHN THE BAPTIST
“But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” (Luke 1:13)
John The Baptist was born to Zechariah, a priest belonging to the priestly division of Abijah serving before The LORD. And his mother Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. (Luke 1:5)
Not only did John The Baptist received a name totally different from his clan, not found to anyone of his relatives, John the Baptist served a priesthood totally different in the house of His God. The meaning of John is 'The Lord is merciful' and although the King had John beheaded and his head brought on a platter, (Matthew 14:9-11)
(5)The name of John however holds the goodwill of God towards all mankind. It was God intended to make known His purpose beforehand. (Luke 1:14-17) John The Baptist was the one of whom it was said, "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Luke 3:4)
SOMETIMES NAMES ARE JUST NAMES
“May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name —his name is Fool, and folly goes with him.” (1 Samuel 25:25) Now Nabal, the husband of Abigail (before King David), could have implied ‘fool’ (1Samuel 25:25) but he was very rich (1 Sam 25:18-19) and there was no indication that Nabal was stupid. (1 Sam 25:10-11)
The LORD’s angel however did not even bother to give Samson a name but still Samson grew and The LORD blessed him. (Judges 13:24-25) So Samson was called and used by the LORD and he led Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
BIBLICAL NAMES WE GAVE OURSELVES
There are many names which God intended in the bible. But now all sort of peoples now all over the world now called themselves, David, John, Paul, Jacob, Peter, Paul, Ruth, Esther, Hannah and even EmmanuEl, and still it would not implied anything if their life won’t change or if they are not touch and transform by the Power of God.
Sometimes our names may mean something or anything or even nothing but God can still use us. There are many men and women whose name doesn’t carry any significant meaning yet they are all called and used by God. And although names can be just names but when sometimes our parents do not even bother to name us properly, then we can somehow wonder if ‘we do mean anything to them, pa & ma’.
A cat will never become a tiger and a kitten would never turn into a cub and grow up to be as ferocious as a tiger. (Gen 2:20) But simply because the LORD loved him (Solomon), HE sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. (2 Samuel 12:25)
(6) The name that we give to ourselves may mean anything and everything possible under the sun, except but when given by a specific purpose for which it is intended to live out (the will of God in our life), a name is just a name.
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. (Isaiah 59:1) As much as God is a compassionate God who hears us when we cried out to Him, God has eyes who sees and even are ears that hears when mankind speak against Him. The LORD heard what the ten spies and the peoples were saying….
Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites:
“The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." (Numbers 14:11) And there God hear the every word that we say. (Ezekiel 11:2-4; Proverbs 18:21, 12:13-14, 13:2-3, 10:14)
Jephthab was a mighty warrior and he vowed to The LORD, “And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." (Judges 11:30-31) Jephthab vowed and God hears us when we vow. (Ecclesiastes 5:1)
(7) God listened to every word that men said, whether they honour him or if they despise Him and God kept watch over every Word of His to make sure all His every Word come to pass. (Jeremiah 1:11-12; Proverbs 6:2-3, 16:33, 16:1-4)
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
We used to have a neighour. She had no brother and so her mum named her "brother followed" and soon enough they had a baby brother. The other relatives followed suit but yield no same result. Someone can say this was either a coincidence or mere superstition but people born to those time can be very superstitious because they were all born in an era full of spiritual strongholds and full of superstitions.
But the name 'Joseph' in the bible is one good name, “May The Lord Adds”. Like Naomi, seek God first and may we do not forget God like Rachel did. (Genesis 30:22,25; 31:34;35:19)
(8) Spiritual warfare and demonic curses are different from normal man curses (2 Sam 16:13) and because they are demonic and real. The devil is the temporal king of this world, there are demonic curses which must break and can only be broken in the Name of Jesus alone. (Psalm 109:28; Numbers 22:12, 23:23, 23:20,23)
"Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned his face towards the desert." (Numbers 24:1) So God forbids, Balaam's sorcery against Israel failed to take place as Balak's planned. (Numbers 22:6)
And because God acts as judge between the House of Gideon whom they also called Jerub-Baal meaning "let Baal contend with him" The bible says, and God stirred up animosity between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem so that they acted treacherously against Abimelek. And God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelek and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
(9) It was God who allow/made the curse of Jotham, son of Gideon came true on Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem. (Judges 9)
JESUS NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES
When I was little, I used to hear adults and children testified to this, ‘The moon cuts your ear if you ever point to it’, supposing because we are not to be disrespectful to the moon. In the earlier days, most peoples have idols at home. Most old folks reject Christianity, churches were few and the demonic thresholds were very strong. In this 'cutting', one of the man or woman or child's ear will rot and these peoples really receive a clearly visible cut on their ear as it does rot a little and can be painful. But when I believed in Jesus, so even though I was doubtful, I pointed at the moon, once, twice and twice. That whole night until the next day, nothing happened. And now when I feel like it, I just point to the moon and say, ‘Ah, this is the moon!’ (Ephesians 2:2, Numbers 22:12, 18)
We have to be careful of what we believe in simply because we are mould by our conviction and we can be harmed by our conviction when it is not built on the foundation of God Word! The ten spies and the peoples were harmed by the conviction of their hearts. (Numbers 13:31,33) For they were convicted that God is not able (Numbers 14:11) and they were convicted that God brought them out only to be fall by the sword and wives and children taken as plunders. (Numbers 14:3; Genesis 35:18, 48:17-19)
There are many covenant Names of God. The devil fell because it wanted to be as great as God. (Ezekiel 28:11-17) Today, there are people insisting on calling themeselves Jesus but most importantly, the bible say, God's Word is Spirit and they are life!
Today if your parent have given you the name, 'weak', Tell the Lord, 'Make me strong'. Today if your name is 'stupid', Tell the Lord, 'Grant me your kind of godly wisdom'. And Today, if your name is 'poor', Tell the Lord, 'Prosper me O'Father and make me rich in The Lord!' It's all in the Name of Jesus. Tell The LORD!
I was very much convicted that God is the sole source of a man’s strength. His Word alone works wonder and there is a God who hears us when we pray and call out to him. The Spirit of God searches the heart of men. Faith has to anchor on the Word of God and we place our faith on God and God alone. But God is not a robot but in His own image, has He created all mankind. Power, wisdom, counsel and victory belong to Him and Him alone. Amen and Amen.
“What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you, You false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree!” –Psalm 120:3-4
The real Power lies not in our word or in the calling out of names but there is Provocative power when a man uses his tongue without restrain. (James 3:5, Proverbs 15:1; Genesis 39:19; 2 kings 2:23; Jeremiah 18:19, 23:17; 1 Peter 3:15)
'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' -Jeremiah 33:3
Please read: Keys To The Kingdom Of Heaven
