Have you ever been in a courtroom or watched a movie that depicted a courtroom setting? At the conclusion of the trial, everyone is anxiously awaiting the outcome of the judge’s deliberations, poised expectantly on the edge of their seats for what the verdict might be. During the time that John wrote the book of Revelation a white stone was equivalent with innocence. If you were to be tried for a crime; a white stone signifying acquittal, and a black stone signifying guilt would be placed in a jar anonymously. To receive a white stone meant that you were judged as innocent and you are free from condemnation. You had been tried and had been found not guilty and worthy of freedom. In Revelation 2:17 it says “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
Your white stone may come to you as an actual physical name, or as your new identity or perhaps, both. Despite the form of revelation, it will be personal and very real to you. This new name refers to your transformed nature. When we are born again, and given a new identity, we get to discover, through an intimate relationship with Jesus for the rest of our lives, what that new identity (new name) is. The white stone that Jesus gives you may have several names on it or just one, but something that seems to be overlooked in this verse is...“no one knows except him who receives it.” This doesn’t mean you can’t share it with anyone, but it does means the revelation will be more powerful and empowering for the receiver of the name than for anyone else. This is because empowerment and belief come from within, which occurs in the deepest of relational intimacy between you and Jesus! He gives you a rhema word which inbirths the reality of your new name. That is how we are motivated to walk out this new identity of who and what God has called us to be and do. It becomes a real and true revelation of your white stone name! A friend of mine, Clay Powell, wrote this out one day after him hearing me share some of this revelation and I absolutely love it! “When I respond to the names He calls me, I’m in practice of the family traits, the very nature of I Am. When He gives me His names to face my situations with, He shows me His nature is provisional, revealing His abilities to be what I need Him to be situationally. I am…(fill in the name)! He reveals these names for me, named by Him, so that I can remind myself of who He says I am situationally! When “life” tries to cause me to “feel” unloved or average, I can remind my circumstances that I have been called beloved, chosen, hand-formed, gifted uniquely for ministry in my Father’s Kingdom, selected, called out for purpose, etc…”
What if I don’t know the “right name”? What if I think it’s the name Jesus is calling me, but I am not positive? Let me speak to you a word of encouragement concerning this. In October of 2017 Jesus began to speak my new names to me - His identities. I began a list of them in my prayer journal. He added to them occasionally and would remind me often to go back and read them. Eight months later He told me to get 2 clear bowls, fill them with white stones and begin to write the names He has given me on them. I was to keep one bowl by my bed and one on my desk at the office. When I needed to be reminded of the truth about myself I was to take them out and read them. I carried around a glass bowl full of white stones, back and forth, between work and home, for over a month in my backpack! I wanted to be positive - these were the names He has given ME, not just generic names, but they were names that He had spoken, saying, “Gretchen Rachelle, you are ____.” I was crippled by the fear that my intellect had gotten in the way, or that I had thought, “Oh yeah, that’s a cool name! I will pick that name.” The evening that I finally shut those voices up I sat on my living room floor with the bowl of stones in front of me He had had me gather weeks prior. I had filled my hands with an undetermined, uncounted number of stones and put them in the bowl. I didn’t know how many names were in my journal, I didn’t know how many stones were in my bowl. I only knew that I was to write one name on each white stone in black. When I finished, I had not one white stone left and not one name left on the list. I even doubled checked the stones and the list. The Lord spoke to me “They are from Me. It is not something you created. I gave you those names!”
Jesus has a name for you. Let Him call you by name. As He speaks those names and identities to you write them down! Jesus has more than one name, He will likely give you more than one!
The struggles we have, and the voices of the enemy speaking lies to us can be so crippling, but when Jesus calls us by name we are motivated and empowered to walk out the identity of that name! Let Jesus say to you in this moment, “This is who you are!” Let it be personal and intimate. I pray you have your white stone revelation in whatever form of revelation He chooses specifically for you; through scripture or a rhema word. I want to urge you, continually seek Him for that fresh manna, your now word, the new thing He has for you! It will change your life. This identity He bestows on you is so real because it comes personally from Jesus to you!
Here are some questions you can ask Jesus as you seek the name(s) He has for you.
Who do You say that I am?
What new identities are You bestowing on me?
What new name(s) do You have for me?