Devotional: The Power of a New Name

The Power of a New Name

Opening Prayer

Modeh Ani (Hebrew & English Translation)

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ, מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם, שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ.

"I thank You, living and eternal King, for You have graciously restored my soul within me. Great is Your faithfulness."

The Lord’s Prayer (Aramaic & English Translation)

אָבִין דִּי בִּשְׁמַיָּא, נִתְקַדֵּשׁ שְׁמָךְ. תֵּיתֵי מַלְכוּתָךְ, תְּהֵא רְעוּתָךְ כְּדִי בִשְׁמַיָּא אַף בְּאַרְעָא. הַב לָן לַחְמָא דְּסוּנְקָנַנָא יוֹמָנָא. וּשְׁבַּק לָן חוֹבֵי כְּדִי אַף אֲנַן שְׁבַּקְנָא לְחוֹבֵי דִלָּן. וְלָא תְעַל לָן לְנִסְיוֹנָא, אֶלָּא פָּצֵי לָן מִן בִּישָׁא. מִטּוּל דִּלְךָ הִיא מַלְכוּתָא וְחֵילָא וּתְשׁוּבְחְתָּא לְעָלַם עָלְמִין. אָמֵן.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

The Servant’s Prayer

"Lord, I surrender my old names—my past failures, my doubts, and my fears. Give me a new name, one that reflects who I am in You. Let me walk in my true identity, not the labels the world has placed on me, but the name You have written on my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Introduction: The Name You Answer To

There is power in a name. A name shapes identity, history, and destiny. Names linger in the air, sometimes whispered in love, sometimes hurled in pain. The name you answer to holds weight in your soul.

There was once a child who had learned to flinch at the sound of his own name. It had been spoken over him in anger, in indifference, in dismissal. He had been called many things—"worthless," "mistake," "nuisance." The words clung to him like a second skin, wrapping his heart in the cold steel of rejection.

But one day, someone called him something different. A stranger looked at him with eyes full of warmth and called him Beloved. He recoiled at first. The name did not fit. But the stranger persisted, calling him Beloved again and again. And something strange began to happen. The more he heard it, the more the old names lost their grip. The chains that had bound his identity began to rust and fall away. He became what he had been called.

God has been renaming people since the beginning of time. He takes the broken and calls them healed. He takes the abandoned and calls them chosen. He takes the rejected and calls them His. Today, we step into the power of a new name.

When God Changes a Name, He Changes a Destiny

1. Abram to Abraham – "Father of Many Nations" (Genesis 17:5)
   Abram was just a man. But God called him Abraham—the father of nations—before he ever had a son. God speaks into our future, not just our present.
2. Jacob to Israel – "One Who Wrestles with God" (Genesis 32:28)
   Jacob, the deceiver, wrestled with God all night. In his struggle, he was transformed. He walked away with a limp, but also with a new name—Israel.
3. Simon to Peter – "The Rock" (Matthew 16:18)
   Simon was unstable, impulsive. But Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church." Jesus saw not just who he was, but who he would become.
4. Saul to Paul – "Small Yet Mighty" (Acts 9:1-19)
   Saul, a persecutor of Christians, met Jesus and became Paul—the greatest evangelist of all time. His name change symbolized his transformation from oppressor to disciple-maker.
5. You—From Lost to Found (Isaiah 62:2-4)
   "You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow... No longer will they call you Forsaken, but you will be called My Delight."

Word Study: Understanding Your New Name

1. "Name" (Hebrew: shem - שֵׁם) – More than a title, it represents one’s nature, destiny, and calling.
2. "Redeemed" (Greek: lutroō - λυτρόω) – To be rescued from bondage, set free by payment. You are no longer owned by your past.
3. "Beloved" (Hebrew: yadid - יָדִיד) – Meaning dearly loved, cherished, chosen. This is the name God speaks over you.

Action Plan: Embracing Your New Name

Instead of a time-driven plan, let this be a journey of reflection. Answer these journal prompts as God leads you:

1. What old name have you carried that no longer serves you?
2. What new name is God whispering over your life?
3. How has your past shaped your identity, and what needs to be released?
4. When have you believed a lie about who you are? How does God’s truth rewrite that story?
5. What step can you take today to walk in your new identity?
6. How will knowing your true name change the way you treat others?
7. Who in your life needs to hear a new name spoken over them? How can you be part of their transformation?

Closing Prayer

"Father, I thank You for giving me a new name. No longer am I defined by my past, my failures, or the words spoken over me. I am who You say I am. Help me to walk in this truth and live as the person You created me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question

What old name do you need to release today, and what new name is God calling you to walk in?

May this devotional redefine how you see yourself—not through the lens of the world, but through the eyes of the One who created you.