They are RIGHT; in fact, it would be WRONG to include the name of the Holy Spirit at the end of our prayers. I trust this will be made clear as we examine a few scriptures on this subject.

In John 14:12-14 we read, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ASK IN MY NAME, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I will do it.” These are some of the Lord’s last words to His disciples before His death on the cross. He knew He was going back to the Father in heaven, for He would rise the third day and 40 days later ascend to the Father’s right hand in heaven (see 1st Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:15-21). He knew they would be left in a world that was in rebellion to God and that they would be hated and persecuted for their faith in Him (John 15:18-25). To comfort them He assures them that they can cry out to their heavenly Father in prayer and if their requests to the Father were given “in My name,” He would answer their prayers by giving them what they asked for. It is vital to see that praying “in Jesus’ name” is not a magical formula; in other words, it is not simply “repeating those words” and expecting our prayers to be answered. No, “in Jesus’ name” means that whatever we ask the Father must be “according to His will,” just as Jesus always prayed “according to the will of His Father” (Matthew 26:36-44). The Apostle John was inspired later to write these words, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1st John 5:14-15). When we add those precious words (“in Jesus’ name”) to the end of a prayer, we should be sure that we are asking the Father for something that Jesus Himself would ask, for Jesus always had the will of God the Father in His mind and heart when He prayed.

Jesus continued to emphasize the importance of “praying to the Father in His name.” In John 15:16 Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that WHATEVER YOU ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME He may give it to you.” Later Jesus said, “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24). What a precious promise He has given to every believer! Do we lay hold of this promise and go to the Father in humble dependency, seeking to glorify Him by asking Him to give us the grace to do His will? And do we end our prayers by saying “in Jesus’ name,” knowing that the Father loves His Son and desires to honor that name by giving us our requests? May the love and grace of God compel us to pray in this way.

Regarding the Holy Spirit, there is not one scripture that exhorts us to “pray in His name.” The Holy Spirit has come to indwell believers to give us the power to witness for Christ (Acts 1:8) and to guide us into all truth (John 14:25-26 and 16:13). He has, in grace, taken a low place and His main mission is to glorify Christ, not Himself. I will close by quoting a passage that makes this crystal-clear. Jesus said, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He WILL GLORIFY ME, for He will TAKE OF MINE AND DECLARE IT TO YOU. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:13-15).  (DO)  (574.1)