NO SUCH THING AS TRUTH!

Why Pray In Jesus' Name?

By Scott E. Smith 

            Have you ever thought, "Why do Christians always end their prayers with IN THE NAME OF JESUS?"  I mean, really, why is His name to be uttered at the end of our prayer aside from the fact that Jesus told us to do it? Is there a reason beyond this, and if so, what is it?

            I have to be honest, for years I wondered why no one really taught on this subject, and I watched as countless Christians, lay people and ministers alike, used this name in prayer almost as if it was a magic password for the appearance of a genie able to grant unlimited wishes. Is His name just some secret word for the privileged few uttered over every whim and request to enact a quick response from heaven? If not, then why do so many act as if it is? These are the questions that I had that led me to do a mini-study on this subject.

After asking several people the real reason for praying in the name of Jesus I swiftly surmised that very few self-professing Christians truly understood why we pray in His name. I have to admit that my own faith was strengthened when I took the time to analyze this question-and, I believe yours will be too.

When I was very young, maybe seven or eight, I can remember praying "IN JESUS' AIM" instead of "in Jesus' name." When my parents heard this they quickly corrected me in the proper way to pray, and while it may seem fairly funny, the correction I received didn't really convey anything of why I was to pray this way-in fact, having grown up in church, I really don't ever recall a reflective sermon on this matter. With that said, I believe that the first step in being an effective prayer warrior is to have an adequate knowledge of why we do some of the monotonous things in our prayers. Although there are many aspects of our prayer life that need examining with explanation I want only to dissect this one element to help us all understand the implications of praying in Jesus' name. 

Hosea 4:6 "My people perish for a lack of knowledge."

STEP ONE

            I want to share a simple illustration that may bring some needed clarity to this issue of why we are to pray in Jesus' name. This is step one of two in this short message:

            Imagine for a few moments that you are an ordinary peasant and you live somewhere in a king's vast kingdom. One day, to your astonishment, the king decides to send out His own son, the heir to the throne, to visit the very village that you live in. While he is visiting he calls all the people into the town square and holds a "round table" meeting. His purpose is to set up a mediator, a governor of sorts, between the ordinary people and the great king to fulfill the plans for his kingdom. He doesn't give much detail but the job sounds interesting and you have always been a loyal servant to the king's laws even though you have never actually seen him. After some contemplative thought you slip up your hand from the back row hoping that in some grand miracle he might just see you and pick you for the job. As soon as you raise your hand the royal son greets you with welcoming words. You are chosen for the position, but unbeknownst to you the king had previously sent out undercover operatives weeks before this meeting to pre-determine who had had a heart for the king and his kingdom among all the tribal peoples. He had seen your heart and desire for righteousness and previously chose you for himself, but he had to wait for you to willingly volunteer your services. The king swore never to violate anyone's will.

            When the royal son comes to you, he places a golden crown on your head emblazoned with places for many jewels. In addition to this superb adornment he also places several pieces of parchment paper into your hands; he claims that on these sheets are the very will and commands of the king and that all of the king's authority has been given to you. He says that your utmost responsibility is to carry out the will of the king. After a few departing words the royal heir vanishes into the dense fog along with several of his knights. That was it; you are now the governor of the land.

            The first month on the job as governor you are slightly apprehensive.  You give your first orders to the people but no one even seems to listen. In fact, things are getting progressively worse for you as you hear of several surrounding villages willing to stage an insurrection against your new position as governor. After all, these tribal factions were not familiar with you and they figured that you were trying to impose undue rules upon them. They could not understand your heart in trying to outline the rules of the king so it would protect, guide and one day lead them into a beautiful and unmatched land that he was preparing for everyone who would embrace him as the only true king-or so it was stated in the parchment.

            As you sit out in the night air pondering what went wrong with your request that the people obey the king's commands, you open up the parchment and read the entire letter. Then it hits you-you get a revelation that you skipped over in your reading. But it may be too late; the enemy tribes have determined to go to battle to take you out.

 A few months later, on a particular day, you stand peering at the morning mist as it evaporates from the golden grain field where the battle-arrayed tribes have assembled. You send a member from your cabinet to meet the leader of the enemy army to present him with a sealed letter. You have also previously sent a similar letter to the king. When the enemy leader opens the sealed note, he immediately lays down his tactical weaponry and begins to head off over the rugged landscape back to his own village. The rest of the enemy army stands bewildered in disbelief. They wonder what was written in the letter that would make him disarm and retreat. Then off in the distance, you see a sight so grand that it makes you want to cry. Saddled on white horses, and dressed in magnificent imperial apparel, soldiers from the king's royal army grace the crest of the distant hills. Your request has been favorably answered. The enemy has walked away. The king's soldiers have arrived to back you up. What was written in the letter, you ask? Here is your answer: On the parchment the king had inscribed the proper way his governors were to conduct their affairs among the people. If you were to issue a decree or request from the king or to the people, you were to always state by whose authority you were operating. In the letter to the enemy army leader, you simply signed in your own name with the following words:

IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE KING AND HIS SON, THE ROYAL HEIR TO THE THRONE, I HEREBY DECREE THAT YOU CEASE AND DESIST ALL STRATEGIES OF INSURRECTION.

When you signed the letter stating the authority you were operating in, the enemy recognized who they would be up against if they continued on in their revolt-the king himself and his immense military. 

You have understood the power and authority behind the name of the king and his son. Because you were previously ignorant of this authority you were not able to properly fulfill the king's will. But now you have a complete understanding of the authority in his name and how you are to properly use it to fulfill the desires and will of the king.

What does all of this have to do with Christianity? I'm glad you asked.

• First, God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ (the royal heir who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God- Heb. 1:13) to the "village" of the earth to seek out those who would serve Him. In return, and based on any NOW decision, He would declare them predestined as "sons of God" and "joint heirs to the throne." This is, of course, after a person has accepted, by faith, their salvation through Jesus Christ. (John 16:28; Romans 8:14, 17; John 16:27; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 2:8-9)
• Christians (those who have had, and are having, an encounter with the risen King's Son, Jesus Christ) have been given the authority in Jesus' name; when this authority is properly understood and enacted upon in reverence and confidence we can carry out the will of God on the earth. (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 6:10)
• When we pray in Jesus' name, operating in His will (His will and desires are outlined in the Bible), we are exercising the authority given to us by Jesus Christ. We are demonstrating to everyone who would try to rebel against us that we are a liaison for the king and that we stand in His authority-essentially that we are speaking on behalf of Jesus Christ in His absence. (Acts 4:18-20)
• God has given us the parchment, the Bible, to know exactly what He has commanded and to follow His will. (2 Timothy 3:15-17)
• When we pray in the name of Jesus we are praying with the backing of the King of all kings. Do you remember when young David went out to meet Goliath of the Philistines? What was it that David said that ensured his victory? He said, "You come to me with spears, javelins and swords, but I come against you in the name of the Lord." This not only put fear in Goliath, but I'm sure it provoked David's faith as well. (I Sam. 17:45; John 16:23)

STEP TWO

Now that we have knowledge of why we are to pray in the name of Jesus, we also need to know about step two-operating in prayer in confidence (faith in Jesus' name) without fear.

Have you ever heard of a quote that goes something like this: "People and animals can smell fear. If you show your fear you will be defeated." If we pray in the name of Jesus without confidence and trust in His authority, we will not get the desired results; in fact, we will most likely be defeated, and bad.

As the spiritual governors of God, joint heirs with the King of kings, we must stand in the authority that He has given to us. If we don't we will get the "Barney Fife" syndrome. You remember Barney Fife, the sheepish deputy from the Andy Griffith Show. You know, the pathetic lawman that probably weighed not more than a hundred pounds, carried a single bullet in his buttoned shirt pocket, and the person no one ever took seriously-not even the children. Think back, for a moment, to our illustration. If you were to stand on the front lines of battle, trembling, and uttering commands in a crackling voice, what leader, even the most barbaric, would take you seriously?  The answer: NO ONE! It is imperative that we not only understand the why, but that we operate in full confidence that Jesus Christ is at our back with a army dressed in white-that is, if we are praying according to His will and not the selfish, "gotta have material possessions" prayers. So to recap, we must:

1.      Know why we pray in Jesus' name.

2.      Operate with confidence (faith in Jesus' name) and without fear knowing who has our back.

If we want to shake the caverns of hell and defeat the enemy forces of darkness; or if we want to simply walk in the will of God, getting things done in His authority, we must have a complete knowledge of what authority He has given to us-which comes by reading His will, the Bible-and by standing firm and confident in His authority. I pray that you have been blessed by this reading-In Jesus' name.

 Does someone you know need to know why they pray in Jesus' name?

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6 KJV

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. John 16:23 KJV

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16 KJV

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John 14:13-14 KJV