I know that many people have at least one memory of praying to God for a miracle and the miracle did not happen. The hardest, in my opinion is when praying for healing, especially in children, and it does not happen. We know that God does not have sickness and death in his Kingdom. The words of Jesus, in the Bible, lead us to believe that we can pray for anything in Jesus name and we will receive it.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name and I will do it!” John 14:12
I ask for things using the name of Jesus name all the time, and he does not give them to me. Therefore, either Jesus lied, OR I am not actually asking in Jesus name. What exactly does it mean to ask for something in His name?
Clearly the name of Jesus is not an “abracadabra, get whatever I want,” magical phrase. I know that from experience; and we see that in the following scripture:
“Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.” Acts 19:13-16
Praying in Jesus name is more than just speaking out the English name ‘Jesus’ with our mouths (or the Hebrew or Greek name for that matter). Praying in Jesus name is to embody the identity of Christ, praying and living in the fullness of God. Just as Jesus was praying and thanking God for giving him His name, so we should expect that God puts that name or identity, or fullness on us. Abiding in Him.
Jesus said, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in the world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me Your name, now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.”
“During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.” John 17:11-12
Jesus is inviting us into the royal family. Let us think of ‘name’ more as a ‘surname’, but I still think it is so much more. When we die to our life here on earth and choose to follow Christ, we then take on His name, his identity, his roll on earth. Like the charge from Paul to the Colossians:
“Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, give thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17
Wow! Thinking of myself as a representative of Christ is an incredible charge! When I got married, I chose to give up my surname, ‘Dollar’, and take on my husband’s name ‘Clements’. Now, wherever I go and whatever I do, if my name is noted, they will see the Clements name, not the Dollar name. I now represent the Clements family.
How is life in Christ any different? When we choose to accept Jesus and follow him, we are taking on his identity. We are acting as his representative. We are being ‘Jesus’ to the world. Jesus gave his disciples this charge.
“If any of you want to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul.” Matthew 16:24-28
We are faced with a decision to follow Christ. Following Christ means denying yourself, your name, your ambitions, your plans, your life as you know it, which sounds terrifying—it sounds like dying.
Imagine a scenario where your child gets to meet the President of the United States, but your child goes without you, you don’t get to be there to dress them in their finest and style their hair neatly, and coach them on their “yes ma’ams” and “yes sirs”. How would you feel about him or her heading into the White House in their ill-fitting athletic shorts, dirty tennis shoes, and disheveled hair? Furthermore, what if he or she were disrespectful and out of line. Do you feel as though that would reflect on you somehow? Would you feel an attack on your own reputation? Indeed!
Think on your life. How are you representing Christ your Lord? Are you living as if he actually were your Lord, or boss? Are you aware of his desires for your life or the people around you? Do you act and talk and carry yourself in an honorable way, suitable for calling yourself an ambassador of Christ? Do you prepare yourself by knowing the scriptures and meditating on Him in worship and a practice of listening to his voice and direction? Do you know all of Jesus teachings? If you were following Jesus all day every day, would your life look differently?
Jesus modeled dying to his flesh for us. Jesus’ time in the wilderness exposed that Jesus could be tempted, and he mastered sin by reminding himself of scripture. Jesus also showed that he was dying to himself and his human desires when he prayed in the garden at Gethsemane:
“Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Mark 14:36
Jesus modeled to us how to live in the “Name” when he, as a human, was constantly being led by The Father. Jesus replied, when people surrounded him asking him if he is the Messiah,
“I have already told you, and you don’t believe me, the proof is the work I do in my Father’s name” John 10:25
A couple chapters before that Jesus explained:
“When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him” John 8:28
Jesus saying, “I always do what pleases him,” shows a deep connection in Jesus and the Father, and indwelling of the Spirit, as well as a constant submission on Jesus part. Jesus said confidently that he only does what the father leads him to do.
Jesus was constantly pulling away from the crowd and disciples so he could connect with the Father and nourish the spirit inside him connecting with the Spirit of God. “Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Luke 5:16
I hope, in the deepest part of me that I could experience even one day where I can truly say, I only did what the Father taught me to do—that I only do what pleases him. Jesus invites us into a beautiful connected relationship.
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” John 17: 22-23.
He wants us to be in that deep relationship with him, hearing and knowing his thoughts--abiding in him daily so that we can not only submit to the Father and his will, but actually want what he wants. As we abide in him, he will transform our minds and hearts, and therefor desires. We must allow the spirit to guide us and mentor us into all truth. Jesus said,
“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, “The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.” John 16-12
We have been invited into a beautiful connected relationship with the Creator of the universe, in whom we are formed in His image. In whose Name and Being we are offered connection. We are instructed to forgo our human desires so that we can experience this relationship in which we were created. But we experience separation from that life-giving relationship due to our innate sinfulness--and Jesus said, NO MORE!
“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ ‘s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God! For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:19.
The name in which we are living and asking for things in prayer is the Being of our Father, the Creator. “In Him we live and move and have our being.”
The way He has put His name on us is by allowing His Spirit to dwell in us. His Name means His Spirit. When Ananias was charged to go find and pray for Saul, Jesus said to Ananias in a vision, “[Saul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. Then when Ananias went to baptized Saul, Ananias said, “The Lord Jesus. . . has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”