In Jesus Name
Scripture: John 14:13,14 - And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
When we think about how we pray, is there a true awareness and honesty with ourselves that
our truest desires and motives are for the ultimate glory of God in our requests? When our Lord gave this teaching to His disciples, He did not emphasize if the Father’s answers would glorify Himself -- but if His disciples would understand the proper motivation in using His name in our prayers. If I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, then my purpose , motivation, and desires are to be consistent with His. We exist in this world to carry on and reflect His message in our lives as He did with His life. With His own words, we are reminded what He saw as His ultimate goal in this world as He prayed to the Father -- “Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You…I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work You have given me to do” (John 17:1b,4). It would be noble of us to make requests of God and give God permission to answer in any way He sees fit to glorify Himself, but wouldn’t it be great also if we desired to walk in fellowship with Him so that we would know, or at least have a greater sense that our requests reflect a true desire for His glory in our lives?
Let us make sure in our hearts that we are not of those who misapply this verse -- thinking or even teaching others that saying “in Jesus Name” at the end of a prayer results always in getting what we request from God. Some treat this as some magical formula that relegates God to some servant or genie to the authority of Jesus Name to do what we want for our own glory and exaltation apart from Him. God does not honor our requests above His own Word -- filled with promises to us, but He has committed Himself to honor every promise that He makes to us that results in the praise of His glory.
“For all the promises of God in Him (JESUS CHRIST) are YES, and in Him (JESUS CHRIST) Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Praying in Jesus’ name means that we are approaching with His authority to ask God the Father
to act upon our requests that we believe His Word promises, because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying according to the will of God. “This is the confidence we have in coming to God in prayer: that if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, (What He has spoken), He does hear us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). When we pray with Jesus’ authority for the things that God wills in His Word, we are asking for those things in our lives so that we can be a part of glorifying Him in this life He has given us to live for Him. It is not just words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose and motive behind the prayer.
Prayer: Father, grant me what pleases Thee. I know that there are times that my limited vision of my own life makes me pray amiss and with motives that are about me more than Your glory. Help me Holy Spirit to be more Word and Will of God conscious as I come before Your throne with my requests from You. I cannot truly live a fulfilled life of obedience to Your Will without Your guidance in my own heart. Thank You for the confidence that Your Word not only gives us answers for life, but it also is the means to receive answers to prayer, in Jesus Name, Amen.
(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)
When we think about how we pray, is there a true awareness and honesty with ourselves that
our truest desires and motives are for the ultimate glory of God in our requests? When our Lord gave this teaching to His disciples, He did not emphasize if the Father’s answers would glorify Himself -- but if His disciples would understand the proper motivation in using His name in our prayers. If I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, then my purpose , motivation, and desires are to be consistent with His. We exist in this world to carry on and reflect His message in our lives as He did with His life. With His own words, we are reminded what He saw as His ultimate goal in this world as He prayed to the Father -- “Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You…I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work You have given me to do” (John 17:1b,4). It would be noble of us to make requests of God and give God permission to answer in any way He sees fit to glorify Himself, but wouldn’t it be great also if we desired to walk in fellowship with Him so that we would know, or at least have a greater sense that our requests reflect a true desire for His glory in our lives?
Let us make sure in our hearts that we are not of those who misapply this verse -- thinking or even teaching others that saying “in Jesus Name” at the end of a prayer results always in getting what we request from God. Some treat this as some magical formula that relegates God to some servant or genie to the authority of Jesus Name to do what we want for our own glory and exaltation apart from Him. God does not honor our requests above His own Word -- filled with promises to us, but He has committed Himself to honor every promise that He makes to us that results in the praise of His glory.
“For all the promises of God in Him (JESUS CHRIST) are YES, and in Him (JESUS CHRIST) Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Praying in Jesus’ name means that we are approaching with His authority to ask God the Father
to act upon our requests that we believe His Word promises, because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying according to the will of God. “This is the confidence we have in coming to God in prayer: that if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, (What He has spoken), He does hear us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). When we pray with Jesus’ authority for the things that God wills in His Word, we are asking for those things in our lives so that we can be a part of glorifying Him in this life He has given us to live for Him. It is not just words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose and motive behind the prayer.
Prayer: Father, grant me what pleases Thee. I know that there are times that my limited vision of my own life makes me pray amiss and with motives that are about me more than Your glory. Help me Holy Spirit to be more Word and Will of God conscious as I come before Your throne with my requests from You. I cannot truly live a fulfilled life of obedience to Your Will without Your guidance in my own heart. Thank You for the confidence that Your Word not only gives us answers for life, but it also is the means to receive answers to prayer, in Jesus Name, Amen.
(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
5 Comments
Amen and Amen Pastor. Thank you for this clear devotion about praying in Jesus name!
Amen!
Amen & Amen !!
Amen Pastor! Bless the Name of JESUS!!
Amen!!