In the name Jesus Christ, there is abundant power. However, calling upon Him in prayer is not a magic charm to get what we want. Rather, it is a signal that we are laying down our personal desires and our own way of getting things done. In so doing, we commit to follow God and bring honor to Him.
Roger Barrier expands on this idea in his Crosswalk article. “Some misapply this verse (John 14:13-14), thinking that ‘in Jesus’ name’ is much like a magic formula,” Barrier said. “Nothing could be farther from the truth. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying in line with the will of God (1 John 5:14-15). Praying and meditating through the names of Jesus enhance worship, promote spiritual growth, and deepen our intimacy with Jesus.”
Asking in Christ’s name has two meanings.
What Praying in the Name of Jesus Really Means
1. Praying in Jesus’ name reminds us rely on His power and His will.
Believers are welcome to make requests that align with God’s purpose and plan. To do that, we need to ask Him if our prayers match His will. God has several ways of assuring followers that they are on the correct path. For instance:
- He may increase right desires or decrease wrong ones.
- Another possibility is that He will use His Word to redirect a Christian’s steps or confirm that they are going the right way.
God always makes His will plain to the man or woman who seeks to know it. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:13, James 1:5)
2. Praying in Jesus’ name reminds us to glorify Him, not ourselves.
Invoking Christ’s name means that we desire to glorify Him instead of ourselves. James gives this warning: “You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).
To understand that, let’s consider those who are trying to pray their way out of a financial hole. The question is: Does a person want to get out of debt so that they have more for themselves or so that they can use the excess in God-honoring ways?
Motives are apparent to God. He will not offer help until our heart is right.
Taken from “One Big Request” by In Touch Ministries (used by permission).
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