How do We Pray In Jesus Name?

On January 21, 2001 Rev. Franklin Graham created controversy when he ended his prayer for the newly inaugurated President George W. Bush with the words, "in Jesus name I pray." He was excoriated by many Christians, and even some evangelicals, who felt the phrase disrespected those of other faiths or who have no faith. Some Christians who work in interfaith environments, chaplains, people who serve in social and helping profession, or who pray at a government meetings, are feeling backlash when they conclude their prayer with those powerful words "in Jesus name I pray." Some Christian chaplains in the military or serving in organizations or training programs associated with Association of Professional Chaplains are prohibited from using the phrase "in Jesus name" in their public ministries. Former military chaplain Rev. Gordon James Klinginschmitt has created an organization to preserve the First Amendment right of Christian chaplains to use the phrase. 

This author believes that religious people have the right to express their faith in the public arena. An Imam has every right to pray "Allahu Akbar" in public and a Christian to say "in Jesus name I pray." They are defining statements of who we are. The question for this installment of Elisha's Ax-head is how do we understand the promise Jesus made to answer prayers offered in his name, What kind of prayer request does Jesus grant: 

'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it; (John 14:12-14 ESV)

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you; (John 15:16 ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. (John 16:23 ESV)"?

Did Jesus teach that verbalizing "in Jesus name" at the close of our prayers legitimizes them as Christian prayers and assures that God will grant our request? Are the words "in Jesus name" a formula that assures that we will receive whatever we are seeking. Many Christians close their prayers in His name, yet we sometimes fail to receive what we have requested. Either the promise is false, meaning Jesus would be a false prophet and a liar; there is something about our words or actions that disqualifies us from the promise, or we have misunderstood the meaning or significance of Jesus promise! What does it mean and what is the promise associated with prayer "in Jesus name?"

In the three quotations from the Upper Room Discourse Jesus connects effectiveness of prayer the use of his name. However, the phrase is used in a variety of situations. In Mark 9:37 along with Matthew 18:5 and Luke 9:48 Jesus says that some who comes"in my name" represents his authority and power:

And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name [italics mine] receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward."(Mark 9:33-41 ESV cf Matthew 18:5; Luke 9:48)

When we use Jesus name we are speaking an acting in his moral authority in the same way an ambassador speaks for her nations chief executive, and are held accountable to him for those words an action.

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:18-20 ESV)

When we are using his name we are claiming to be lead by Him:

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. (Matthew 24:5 ESV) And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. (Luke 21:8 ESV)

The three passages in the Upper Room Discourse make clear that it is not the three words -- "in his name" -- that empowers our prayers. It is the condition of our heart and lives.When Jesus speaks of using his name in prayer he is speaking in his final words (John 13-17) to his disciples preceding his death. He instructs them how to continue to live a Christian life and extend the gospel in his absence. Living  or acting in Jesus name is more than a verbal formula it is the reality of discovering his presence, power and purpose for our lives:

'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it; (John 14:12-14 ESV)

This is one of the most amazing yet misunderstood of Jesus promise. The key to understanding it is coming to grips with what Jesus' meant by "greater works," The disciples are scared and confused by his statements. They are unable to imagine that anything good can come out of his departure. Yet Jesus points out that as long as he lives on the earth in a human body his work is limited to time and space. But when he leaves the Spirit will come and whoever believes in him will do greater works.

How are the works of the disciples (including those of us living today) greater than the work of Jesus'? Are our works more spectacular? What could me more spectacular than raising yourself from the dead. Yes, Jesus rose people from the dead and so did the disciples, it's one thing to call Lazarus from the tomb; it is something else to walk out of your own. No one can top that. Does greater mean, more in number? Although there have been times in church history when miracles have occurred and periods in history when they have seemed prevalent , most scholars of church history recognized that the 1st Century was a unique time in terms of frequency of miracles. So how are our works greater than his? Jesus ministry was limited in time and space to three years in Israel. At Pentecost many
nationalities heard the gospel. The disciples carried the gospel to every corner of the earth and yes there have been miracles have happened throughout history and around the world. When Jesus left and the Spirit came the scope of his mission expanded. The scope of his mission is the context for his promise of answered prayers in his name. When we are carrying out his purposes in our lives and communities then the Father is glorified in the Son. When we are living and asking for his purpose to be fulfilled for his greater work to be done, and believing it will be accomplished that request will be granted. Praying is Jesus name is living and praying according to his purposes.

This is similar to his next prayer promise:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you; (John 15:16 ESV)

In John 15 Jesus is talking about how we "abide" in him.  How we live by faith, read the word, obey and love one another to experience the reality of His presence. He says he has appointed us to "bear fruit," which means to continue to live in His presence as disciples even though He is no longer physically present. So "asking in the name of the Jesus" involves asking from a condition of abiding in Him, living in His presence. When we ask for those things that will draw us into His presence, we can be sure we will receive them. Asking in Jesus name means our prayers come out of lives shaped by his presence.

The last promise give credence to our understanding of the phrase "in Jesus name:"

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. (John 16:23 ESV)"?

In this context Jesus is talking about the reality of persecution and the hardships of life in the last days. He is leading to his final prayer for the disciples and His church to know the power to live the Christian life in an increasingly depraved culture. In this context he says whenyou ask God to give you power to live the Christian life, to do what you can not do on your own power and strength God will answer.

So praying in Jesus' name is more than words at the end of prayer. Praying in Jesus' name means our lives and our prayers are in accord with His purpose, in the reality of His presence, and in the strength of His power. It is not the verbalization of the words themselves that attaches Jesus name to our prayers it is the spiritual condition of our hearts and lives. It  is possible to pray an eloquent inspirational prayer ending with the words "in Jesus name," and the prayer be vacant or hypocritical. On the other hand it is possible for you to pray "God help me," at a tragic accident and receives God's help, because when you are living for his purposes in his presence by his power you are in his name.. Praying in Jesus name is not a formula to get what we want. It is a statement that our lives and desires are for God's purposes to be achieved, His presence to be realized and His power to be experienced. That prayer request will always be granted.