More Than Just a Tag Phrase

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Joh 14:13 AV)

How many time do we pray and add the phrase, “in Jesus’ name” as a mere tag that had to be included like a password for an email account?  We add that because Jesus clearly teaches that we must pray in his name or our prayers are not heard.  That phrase, however, is not a tag line at the end of our prayer making it official.  There is actually a purpose for it being there.  Yes, the LORD will not answer prayer unless we pray in Jesus’ name.  There is another significant purpose for adding this at the end of the prayer which is far greater than gaining the answer which we seek.  We add the phrase “in Jesus’ name’ so that the Father is glorified in the Son.

The key to this verse is the definition of the phrase “that will I do.”  This phrase means to cause.  Not to accomplish.  We are to pray to the Father.  However, when we pray in the name of Jesus we are including the active participation of Christ in our prayer.  In other words, when we ask in the name of Jesus, we are not giving someone a phrase that gets us into the throne of God.  What we are really doing is inviting the LORD Jesus Christ to be our active intercessor the cause the outcome of the prayer by the active asking with and on our part!  What an awesome thought!

I have several older brothers.  I am sure there were times when I desired something from my dad which I knew would get shot down just because of my age or lack of experience.  It was in those times I might ask my oldest brother to come with me as I ask for that which I desired.  He would some with me and testify that it was a reasonable request and that he would either take responsibility or that he had done due diligence investigating my worthiness of that for which I was petitioning.  It was the pleas of my older brother that granted the request.

When we are praying is Jesus’ name, what we are actually doing is as the word of God describes.  Heb 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”  GLORY!