What did Jesus mean when He made the promise that "whatever you ask in My name, that will I do"? Does it simply mean we should end each prayer with, "in Jesus name we pray", or is there more to it than that?
It's important to note that Jesus makes this promise while speaking to His disciples the evening just before his arrest and crucifixion. I believe Jesus, knowing all that was about to transpire, was imparting full authority to them by giving them the power to ask in His name. At that time, to speak in the name of a person meant to fully represent them in all ways.
Therefore, Jesus was promising His disciples that while they were fulfilling their mission; He would do anything they asked Him to do while asking with the authority of His name. In short, He was handing His disciples a great privilege as well as a tremendous responsibility, but what does this promise mean to us?
First and foremost asking in His name is acknowledging His authority- that Jesus is the only way to God's throne of grace. In other words our standing before the Father is based solely on the finished work of Jesus alone. We come to Him in prayer, not through our own merit, but in the name of Jesus. We have been united to Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection, and now through our prayers.
Secondly, we must pray wholly surrendered to His will not ours. How often have we prayed believing we know what the answer should be and were disappointed when the outcome did not turn out as we planed?
Praying according to God’s will is to pray in alignment with his character. It’s seeking to pray for things Christ would desire. It is praying in a way that views life from God’s perspective. And beloved, the better we know our Savior the easier it will be to be assured of His will, and to be able to boldly and confidently approach His throne of grace.
Finally, we should pray always seeking His glory alone, not our own, for that is our sole purpose for being here on this earth.
Keeping these three objectives in mind as we approach God in prayer should make it easier to pray for each of His children, for prayer is a beautiful and precious privilege. It is an honor to be given the right to come before God at any time and in any place, bringing all our petitions before Him. But we must pray in a way that acknowledges Christ and seeks to glorify Him always.
Blessings,
Sue