Let’s listen to the words of the Lord Jesus in John 15:16, “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.” We also have His words in John 16:23, “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.”

Now let’s read Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but THE SPIRIT MAKETH INTERCESSION for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Then, Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

The proper order of prayer is that we pray TO THE FATHER, in the NAME OF THE SON, as led BY THE SPIRIT. When we think of praying in the name of the Son, it literally means that we pray to the Father realizing our approach to Him is through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as our authority to come before Him with our petitions, praises, and worship. While I am very careful to end my prayers by saying something such as “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen”, praying in His name actually means more than that. Those are not magical words that will guarantee an answer agreeable with our prayer. Let’s read Matthew 18:5, “And whoso shall receive one such little child IN MY NAME receiveth me.” This is an incident where we might not say the Lord’s name out loud, but it is when we act under the authority of our blessed savior, that we do it in His name. We need to be very aware that our ability to approach the Father is through the Lord Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us.

If we are to pray in Jesus’ name, then this means our prayers should reflect Jesus’ own principles and purposes. 1 John 5:14 tells us, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” Praying in the Lord Jesus’ name is praying for the things that will honor and glorify Jesus; those things which the Spirit leads us to pray.

May the Lord impress upon us the privilege of prayer…the ability to approach our Father anytime, day or night. We are told in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” We are also told in Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” May we learn to “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) (251.2)