A phrase we are probably familiar with is asking in Jesus’ name. This daily devotional looks at what and how we are to pray in Jesus’ name.
Nuggets
- Scriptures confirm we will get answers to prayers, but we have to understand that for which we should ask.
- We get answers to what we ask when we pray in Jesus’ name.
- Asking in Jesus’ name by praying in faith asks Jesus to authorize our requests.
- God expects us to think about what He is telling us so that we can make an informed decision to follow Him.
Devotions in the In Jesus’ Name series
We started looking at Wilkinson’s sermon in the last devotion. We are looking at being commanded to do all in Jesus’ name.
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We ended the discussion by looking at the beginning of John 15: 16. We didn’t look at the end of it. The last part kind of goes along with today’s verses. Let’s talk about asking.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Asking for Whatever
“… I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you” (Jn. 15: 16 CSB).
Scriptures confirm we will get answers to prayers, but we have to understand that for which we should ask.
God’s Will is that we get down to the heart level in following His laws and commandments and changing to have His character. The evidence we show to not be condemned is our belief that Jesus is our Savior, that we genuinely love God and other disciples, and our obedience to His laws and commandments.
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him” (I Jn. 3: 21-22 ESV).
We have to be sincere in our relationship in order to receive what we ask of God. This is not a we-get-what-we-ask for guarantee.
It has everything to do with praying in God’s Will. “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Mt. 21: 22 ESV).
We have to read all the way to the faith part. Faith is a gift from God that enhances the conviction that the doctrines revealed in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them, a belief which impacts our lives and distinguishes us from others.
It isn’t about us getting what we want. Prayer is about worshiping God.
Glossary
It is also about growing our dependence on Him. It’s about becoming like Him.
If we don’t have faith in God — we don’t believe in Him period, we don’t believe He can do this for us — we won’t receive the way we ask.
We know prayer works. We have confirmation in our own lives.
Asking to Know God
“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete” (Jn. 16: 23-24 CSB)
We get answers to what we ask when we pray in Jesus’ name.
Let’s put this into context. Jesus was almost at the end of the Upper Room Discourse. John 17 is the prayer, so Jesus had already admonished them to do better.
Now, Jesus was in the comforting part of His talk. He told them He was going to go away but then come back.
Jesus had already told them that He couldn’t send the Comforter unless He went away. “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (Jn. 16: 7 ESV)
So, “In that day …” (Jn. 16: 23 CSB) refers to the arrival of the Holy Spirit. After the Holy Spirit arrived, He would be the one guiding them.
We won’t have to ask because God is going to reveal Himself to us through the Holy Spirit. It won’t be in parables where the interpretation is delayed.
God will speak directly to us through the Holy Spirit.
Let’s roost there a second. The disciples were a rag-tag bunch of common men. They weren’t the religious leaders. They weren’t the movers and shakers of the day.
They were fishermen, a tax collector — common, everyday people.
When we do have questions to ask, we can go directly to God for the answers. “And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest” (Heb. 8: 11 ESV).
We have to make sure we are using the correct definition of ask here. This isn’t talking about asking to get goodies from God.
This is about asking questions so that we may have a better understanding of Who God is.
Did you see what it says? We can ask God anything about Himself.
We can ask as long as Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer.
I really like what Maclaren said. He wrote, “‘If ye shall ask anything in My name.’ There is the definition of Christian prayer.”
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Let’s put some pieces together.
First, Jesus taught the disciples the model prayer. They really hadn’t prayed before.
Yes, they had done the sacrifices in the past. But if anyone prayed, it would have been the priests, not the common man bringing the sacrifice.
Second, at that point in time, Jesus hadn’t completed the Plan of Salvation yet. His blood hadn’t been shed to pay the penalty for our sins.
So, everything about Who Jesus was and what His mission was hadn’t been totally revealed yet.
Third, in my name carries with it the connotation that we are Jesus’ ambassador or commissioner. Another concept is that we are asking in His Will.
Whatever we are asking is not for our gain. It is so Jesus can gain.
What would be Jesus’ gain? The opportunity to save someone else from their sins.
God isn’t trying to spoil us with things that will lead us down a sinful path. He is trying to strengthen our relationships with Him.
It is all about prayer and communicating with our gracious Father. He wants to supply our needs.
Martin described prayer in an interesting way. He wrote, “Prayer is not consistent with a perfect state of being. It is the cry of infancy. You will in heaven be men. Prayer is the call of helplessness and the wail of sorrow.”
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Prayer is needed on the Sanctification Road, but it will not be needed in Heaven. As we are growing, we need to keep in close contact with God. Once we get to Heaven, we will have that close contact.
Remember, prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind to do and give us what we want. It is to align us with His Will.
What we gain is joy through receiving that for which we ask. Joy only comes from God.
Asking in His Name
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3: 17 ESV)
Asking in Jesus’ name by praying in faith asks Jesus to authorize our requests.
Isn’t this verse reassuring?
It covers everything we do in Jesus’ name. It doesn’t just talk about our actions. It talks about our manners and how we conduct ourselves.
We are to completely submit our lives to God. We can’t hold anything back.
We are asking Jesus to approve our requests. Buxton equated it with a judge ruling on a legal document.
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This also talks about what our motivations are. We empty ourselves of our notion of being entitled and deserving of rewards to focus on God.
We are only worthy because Jesus has cleansed us from our sins. That means we ask through His merit and intercession.
Hull made an interesting comment. In Elaine-speak, there are times that we are so caught up in the spiritual aspect of our faith that we experience Isaiah 55: 8-9. The thoughts become too much for mere words.
Unfortunately, there are times when our faith is very weak. It really makes it hard to pray then.
Hull also said something else that ties in with what I usually say (only his is a better way to say it). He wrote, “Men were not to pray because they hoped to change God’s plan, but because God’s plan was the wisest and most loving. They were not to pray with the idea of inducing God to become kind, but because He was kind.”
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Prayer isn’t to get God to change His mind. It is to release what He already has in store for us.
Plain Answers
“I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (Jn. 16: 25-27 CSB)
God expects us to think about what He is telling us so that we can make an informed decision to follow Him.
Jesus, many times, taught by using parables. A parable is a story that Jesus told using everyday examples to illustrate spiritual concepts.
It isn’t that God doesn’t want us to not understand what He is trying to teach us. In fact, it is the opposite.
God wants us to really think about what He is saying and decide do we really believe it. Will we really submit our lives to Sovereign God?
On that day — our conversion — when we genuinely ask Jesus to be our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus said He isn’t going to have to talk God into saving us.
God loves us, so He wants to see us saved. He wants to forgive us of our sins.
Does that mean we automatically understand everything in Scriptures? No. There can still be difficult concepts.
We know that God’s thoughts are higher than ours. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55: 8-9 ESV).
What is in Scriptures is the most simplistic and plainest explanation that we are going to get this side of Heaven.
But, wait. Let’s back up a second.
That is what happens with us. What could Jesus have been telling the disciples?
Remember, we said that “in that day …” (Jn. 16: 23 CSB) refers to the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. “On that day …” (Jn. 16: 26 CSB) would refer to the same day.
By Pentecost, the disciples were probably asking for the Comforter. They were probably remembering more and more of what Jesus said. They knew they could rely on Jesus’ word.
The Holy Spirit gives us guidance. He doesn’t talk in parables. He doesn’t give us veiled suggestions.
But think of it this way. When Jesus was still on the earth and the disciples wanted to say something to Him, all they had to do was tap Him on His shoulder and get His attention.
Now, the Holy Spirit was talking to them, prompting them. He is there for us 24/7/365.
Our part of that communication turned into prayer.
Thomas explained what was meant here. He wrote that Jesus seemed to say “that His disciples in this day will pray in His name, and therefore will not require Him to pray for them (ver. 26).”
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But then again, it is more than just prayer. It is that conversation with our Holy Father. The outcome of that conversation is that we can fully feel God’s love.
God is so ready for that conversation to happen! He loves us that much.
Making the Connections
Asking and praying in Jesus’ name brings with it a freedom. We can ask God anything. Because of His love for us, He will hear our prayers.
How Do We Apply This?
- Choose whether you want a sinful, temporary life or an eternal, joyful life.
- Keep praying.
- Choose joy for the future.
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Father God. We can come to You because we have admitted our sinful state, believed in Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer, and confess You as Sovereign Lord. An important way to demonstrate this is to pray to You. We do so in Jesus’ name, not so that He rubber stamps our prayers, but so that He approves so that we are praying in Your Will. May we always focus on You and Your plans. Amen.
What do you think?
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