The Importance of Names!

A name identifies a thing or a person. They are words of which a person or thing is called.

Bearing in mind that what we say is important and what we identify with is important; could this have an impact on what our names are?
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We all know that God always has a purpose of doing something. Could there be a reason why the Lord changed Abram’s name to Abraham?

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Genesis 17; 5 “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee”.

The reason why the Lord changed Abrams name is clear “for a father of many nations have I made thee”. The name “Abraham” means father of many”.

The Lord also changed Sarai’s name.

Genesis 17:  And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

Genesis 32: 28 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed”.
 
We can also see in the scriptures that the Lord Himself set the names of the children before they were born. Could there be a reason for this?

Luke 1: 11- 13 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

1 Chronicles: 22; 9
Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

Genesis 17: 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

And above all; the name of our Lord Jesus Christ was already set:
Luke 1; 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
 
So we have evidence that names are important. Why would the Lord change a person’s name? And why would the Lord give those not yet born names if a name was not important?
We can find one application of names in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 8: 10 – 11
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
 
The impact of the name of the star affected the waters. Wormwood means bitter and the waters became bitter.

So what is the scripture background for this?

We know that life and death are in the power of the tongue. So this will have an impact on what a person is called. Could this be a reason why the Lord changed Abram name to Abraham?
The bible teaches “Calling those things that be not as though they were”. This is the process of faith. Romans 4 : 18 “As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Names have meanings and l believe this is another reason names are important.

Are you currently in a position to give a child a name? I think this is a very important process that could impact the child. A name should be given prayerfully.

We will need the Holy Spirit to guide us and correct us in areas that can impact us regarding names in whatever capacity that is.

Some adults have changed their names when they realised and knew the meaning of the name.

Names are important, and whenever we are in a position to give anything a name; we need to do it prayerfully!.
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Bisi Oladipupo

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