In Jesus’ Name

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14 NET

What does it mean to pray “in Jesus’ name?” So often we hear or use this phrase, as a salutation, to conclude a prayer in much the same way we might say “amen,” as a way for others present to declare their agreement with the prayer.

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

—Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

Do we really need Jesus to sign off on our prayers? When we pray, we speak to God with the authority of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus our mediator, to God our Father. All three persons of the Trinity are already present when we pray, so is this salutation really necessary? And is that what Jesus meant here? It seems more likely that Jesus is not telling us to simply #Jesus each of our requests, but rather be aware that we are asking for that which has already been authorized by Him.

If I were a member of the king’s court, and arrive at a village and say, “In the name of the king, I command you to do this or that,” I’m telling my hearers that I am speaking and acting “with the authority” of the king. In other words, the king has authorized me to communicate on his behalf and carry out his commands.

So when Jesus says He’ll “do whatever you ask in my name,” what He’s telling us is that when our prayers are in alignment with His will—when we ask for things that are in accordance with the authority He has already given us—to accomplish the things He’s already tasked us to do, He will do them.

Jesus has pre-approved us to do anything and everything that is in accordance with the two greatest commandments and the Great Commission:

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 NET

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NET

We can pray to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Father directly. He is one God in three persons, though we may certainly follow our desire to focus our requests to one member or the other specifically, that’s quite acceptable. There’s really no right or wrong way to pray, especially when we don’t have any idea how to express our feelings in prayer.

And while we all know someone who seems to be really great at praying, I think God is much more sensitive to those who can’t even find the words.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.Romans 8:26-27

“For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:8

This second passage is followed by Jesus’ own example of, “this then, is how you should pray,” and then shares the Lord’s Prayer as a framework for our requests: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Jesus said this is how we should pray. He didn’t say this is what we should pray. Can we simply recite this prayer? Of course, but it is an impersonal prayer, and does not bring the believer to a place of surrender. Nor does it communicate what is going on in our hearts that brought us to the place of wanting to pray in the first place.

But in the end, I am really just observing the use of the words Jesus chose to communicate to us that He would most certainly do that which we ask of Him, provided that it is in line with the directives He’s already given us.

Because if we’re asking for things that aren’t covered by His commands, then we’re not asking “in His name” at all, even if we tag our prayer with #Jesus. If we’re making requests for that which is outside of His will for us, then we are seeking our will be done, not His.

So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.” John 8:28