Monday: In the Name of Jesus
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14, NKJV).
Jesus was not going to be with the disciples much longer. The One who had been their support and encouragement was going to heaven, and the disciples were beginning to feel confused and powerless. But though the disciples would not be able to see Him physically any longer, Jesus gave them a remarkable promise.
Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com
Read John 14:1-14. According to verses 13 and 14, Jesus promises to do for us “anything” that we ask in His name. Because of this, we almost always add onto the end of our prayers, “In Jesus’ name, amen.”
When we say this, what do we normally think it means? What does Jesus mean when He encourages us to pray like this? What clues are there in these verses that help us to understand the point He’s making?
When our request is “in the name of Jesus,” we can be certain that the whole machinery of heaven is at work on our behalf. We may not see the angels working all around us. But they are — sent from the throne of heaven in the name of Jesus, to fulfill our requests.
Sometimes when we pray in the name of Jesus, we open our eyes and expect everything to be different around us — but it all looks the same. However, while the power of God may come with dramatic effect, as when Jesus calmed the storm, it may also come in quietness, unnoticed, as when the power of God sustained Jesus in Gethsemane. Something dramatic may not suddenly happen, but that doesn’t mean that God is not at work for us.
| Read again John 14:1-14. As you read, imagine that Jesus is talking directly to you, face to face. What hope and encouragement can you draw from these promises? At the same time, ask yourself, “What things in my life could be standing in the way of having these promises fulfilled for me? What changes must I purpose in my heart to make?” |
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I have been out of Internet range the last few days so I will do a bit of a catch-up comment today.
Seeing the invisible raises a number of issues.
1) The object of concern exists
2) The viewer wants to see it.
3) There is some mechanism for detecting the object's existence.
As a physicist, I am very much aware of the methods of detecting objects. We use all sorts of devices, telescopes, microscopes, interferometers, spectroscopes, gravity wave detectors and so on to extend our vision. However, there are some things outside of the physical world that we know defy the efforts of our investigation. Love, excitement, anger, hatred and so on are tangible but typically defy quantitative analysis.
When it comes to God, our attempts to show, prove, or measure God's existence falls outside our instrumentation. In our modern world, many folk dismiss the existence of God. While some use the notion that "God does not exist" because they do not want to know he exists, there are many who simply say, there is nothing there at all. We are alone - a bit of organic flotsam is the sea of the cosmos.
There are lots of "proofs" for God's existence, but without going into a lot of detail most of these "proofs" fail. We who believe in God like them because they support our belief, but for a non-believer they are just "more words".
How, then, do we get unbelievers to see the invisible God?
This week's lesson is more or less about how God can or should remain visible to believers. But I think the answer lies in how we project the invisible God to those who do not believe. Seeing is not just for us. It is something we need to transfer to others. I want to explore this idea a lot more this week.
Hi Brother Maurice,
I like your question, and I would like to take your challenge of exploring this idea further.
For me, even though we know that God is invisible to our human eyes; and Jesus is for now invisible to us who did not have the opportunity to walk with Him during His earthly Ministry; however, we, as Believers and visible, are to reflect the image of Jesus to non-Believers by our lifestyle and our character. In doing so, we show the unbelievers the evidence of our invisible Father, and His son, our Lord and Savior.
Briefly, I will use what Jesus' half-brother James said in James 2:18, "But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Here James is not talking about "doing works" to obtain salvation or God's favor, but that your Faith and Works should match. This goes hand in hand with what Paul says about the Fruits of the Spirit, in Galatians 5:19-23:
"19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." NKJV
So, our works, or our fruits, should be the evidence of our Faith in God. People should be able to see that we have the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, or there is something wrong. If you say you are a Believer in Jesus Christ, but you are the most aggregate person on your job, there is something wrong. People are watching and looking for your fruits, your works.
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Faith, sincere Faith, is always transformative; it will change your character in response to whatever you believe in. As believers of Jesus, we are transformed to the image of God, the character of God, through the Holy Spirit. People can see the evidence of the transformation process occurring in us.
As Believers of Jesus, and children of God, our desire should be as Paul continue to say in Galatians 5:24-25:
"24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Crucifying the flesh is an on-going, daily process, as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We must walk and talk with the Holy Spirit daily, and not just on the Sabbath, in order to crucify the flesh, to be "transform by the renewing of our minds". We cannot do this do this on our own; it is impossible without the Holy Spirit. We must pray for the Holy Spirit, and commit our flesh to Him, then we will be able to reflect the character of our invisible Father, and His Son, our Lord and Savior.
God's blessing to you all.
Dear brother Maurice, thank you for the thought.
I believe that as a physicist you can propose that they try non-physical methods. Let them experience the spiritual method. After all, God is spirit, and whoever is spiritual only spiritually discerns that / One who is spiritual.
blessings,
Bruno Barbosa
There are two aspects to what is being talked about in today's lesson.
1) As the lesson notes, according to John 14:13-14 our prayers when offered authentically in Jesus' name will be answered by God - although the answers may come in ways that are less obvious and direct than what we might have been anticipating. This again taps into the point about there being a bigger picture that God is working within than we are able to see from our limited perspective.
2) What does it actually mean to pray "in Jesus' name". Does it merely mean to ensure you finish your prayer with those special words? You may recall that in scripture, name is representative of character. Hence the name changes of people when they had gone through character-changing experiences: Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul, etc. So what does it mean to pray in the character of Jesus? Three key, inter-related aspects are (a) other-focussed beneficence (John 15:13), (b) submission to God's will (Luke 22:42) and (c) living first and foremost for God's Kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Therefore, when our prayer content and intention aligns with and reflects these three aspects, we are praying "in Jesus' name".
When we pray in accordance with Jesus' character, we can be sure that God will answer our prayer - and that He will answer it in exactly the way we would have wanted it answered if we were able to see all that He sees.
Thank you for expounding on this Phil. I never thought of it that way-“praying in the CHARACTER of Jesus”! Wouw!
Thank you Sibongile. I am glad you can see that concept.
For what it's worth, I believe and find the exact same idea applies to Acts 4:12. There is no other name/character under heaven by which man (anyone) can be saved. Consequently, I believe all who authentically have a Christ-like character will be/are saved. That is to say, anyone whose deepest/true heart's desire and therefore motivation is 'characterised' by other-benefiting love is Christ-like and can only be that way because they are co-operating with the drawing/wooing of the Holy Spirit to this. Some of these people will have been 'fortunate' to have learned/heard about Christ, others won't yet. I believe this concept transcends religious affiliation and even applies to atheists and agnostics. How can I say this? 1 Samuel 14:7 is God's point of view on the matter. Compare this with the heart state of those who perished outside the ark of salvation earlier in huamanity's history - Genesis 6:5).
Great Phil, may I add another important advice. Let God plan for you. A couple of sentences before your quote. A good example of one letting God plan for him was young Samuel. 1Samuel 3:4. I do believe God planning for us puts a stop to failures. Prayers answered in His name. Thank-you for your thoughts and contributions.
Thanks for your contribution John. I agree with your suggestion as it aligns with what I was referring to in 2(b) "submission to God's will".
What you suggest is also consistent with Proverbs 3:5-6 and Proverbs 16:9.
Why is it so? Psalm 127:1 speaks of reality.
Thank you Phil, you've just added more light on top of what I thought was the only meaning to praying in Jesus name. See, majority of us Christians have taken this line “praying in Jesus'name” as a song. There is authority in a name and when we are praying we need to be submissive to the authority of Jesus. Without submitting to the authority of Jesus, we'd just be wasting out time. Hence, apart from just thinking about His character and authority, let's watch the will too.
Study asks:
What does Jesus mean when He encourages us to pray like this? (ASK FOR ANYTHING.. In my name: Jesus)
Jesus is NOT giving us a signed blank check to fill out for whatever!
The meaning of the name JESUS means Yahweh's Salvation.
Jesus is the embodiment of salvation to fallen man.
All our needs for salvation are in Jesus alone.
And
ALL the Father's requirements to be consistant to his divine nature are in Jesus alone.
Praying in Jesus's name is prayer consistant with the divine nature and will of God.
It makes me angry when I see TV evengelicals use Jesus's name in a carnal prosperity gospel (name it and claim it) that insults the true nature of this privileged prayer for the divine will of God.
Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42
Shalom in his nature 🙏
Keep on trucking (meme)
When we look at the context of the LORD's promise to "do anything" we find that He is talking to His disciples about them sharing the Good News, about them doing miracles like He did, about giving glory to the Father like Jesus had done.
Joh 14:12-14 MKJV Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to My Father. (13) And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Desire of Ages pray in Jesus name
Thanks for the reply of what Mrs. White said.
So what point are you trying to make ?
1 Corinthians 3:4-18
Thanks in advance.
Shalom
Larry, in addition to your points, I was adding: When we look at the context of the LORD's promise to "do anything" we find that He is talking to His disciples about them sharing the Good News, about them doing miracles like He did, about giving glory to the Father like Jesus had done.
Correct ..
We must never stray or add, from the original gospel preached to the gentiles by Paul since around 50AD.
Galatians 1:6-24.
Shalom in Christ 🙏
Yes indeed Shirley, I appreciate you bring this forth. Paul is a good example of asking in Christ name, to glorify God. Acts 3:4. And many others asking/doing/preaching/baptizing in Christ Name.
I am sorry the verse and the name was wrong. Peter said in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazarath walk. He took a hold of the man's right hand helped him up and the man could walk. Acts 3:6-7.
All throughout Jesus' ministry, the disciples found themselves tethered to their Master – Jesus. Without Him, they would not be able to understand that which He taught. He had to explain spiritual Truth to them using parables and proverbs.
But a day would come where this would change. John16:22-28 – verses 26-28 ”In that day you will ask in my name (and) I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
Because Jesus sent this Spirit of Truth after His departure to continue the teaching and explaining the Father's Truth, therefore His disciples and all who believe and are filled by the Holy Sprit are to pray in this self-same spirit - His Name - to the Father – John16:22-23.
Now we are spiritually united with our Father through the ‘Name’ of Jesus – the same spirit with which He communed with the Father. Therefore, we are now able to pray to our heavenly Father directly in the name of Jesus – this same spirit now residing in us which resided in our Lord and Savior Jesus which brought Him and now us into the presence of the Father.
If Jesus’ ‘name’ is representative of the Holy Spirit and residing in us, we can ask the Father anything the Holy Spirit places on our heart and He will hear us.