IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

Three of the most frequently quoted and generally misunderstood words in the modern church world are “in Jesus’ name.” We often hear a prayer finished with the phrase, “In Jesus’ name.” For many, it has become a closing statement that is often used without any real serious mental awareness of what is being said. It has become as common a closing statement as saying, “Have a good day!” which is more of a nice gesture than an actual statement of care.

I have been convicted by my own laxity over the expression. A few weeks ago I received a handwritten note from a friend who had written to wish me well in recovering from surgery. As my friend concluded his note, he apologized for not writing earlier but indicated that his ministry had been going through some struggles. He finished his note triumphantly by saying that they had seen a wonderful victory over the difficulties—“In the name of Jesus!”

It was the simple eloquence of that handwritten note that jarred me and I realized how lax I had become in properly using the power and authority that has been given to us as followers of Jesus Christ. I had allowed the name of Jesus to become a period at the end of my prayers. It had become another way of saying, “Amen,” a kind of verbal filler. A mantra of sorts.

Jesus gave to his disciples and to us a “power of attorney” to use His name when we are carrying out business on His behalf. A very simple definition of “power of attorney” is “an authority by which one person delegates another to act for him or her.”

“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.” (John 14:13-14 NIV)

In Matthew 28:18&19 Jesus said to His disciples,
“All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations.” (Amplified)

The One to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given extends to us the “power of attorney,” the right to act on His behalf.

To put it bluntly, when we pray and ask God to meet the need of someone who is sick or in need, or we ask God to intervene in a personal situation, and we know that we are praying in His will and not out of selfishness or greed, we can be assured that Jesus is backing our prayer.

Prayer is a great privilege. To pray and to appropriately use the “name of Jesus” is a privilege with a power attachment. When we pray and use “the name,” it is because we understand that He is granting us the authority to use His authority. This is not a privilege to be taken lightly.

Let me illustrate what I am trying to say this way. A policeman may pull you over and give you a ticket for speeding (in our family this only happens to my wife and eldest daughter, better known as the scofflaw sisters). The police officer does not have the personal authority to give you that ticket but he is granted the authority by the laws of the land. The policeman is exercising his delegated authority. Likewise, Jesus has delegated authority to us and we bring that into play when we pray, “In Jesus’ name.”

Jesus taught us that we were to use His name as a part of our personal arsenal in facing all that life pushes at us. In Mark 16:17-18 He said:
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (NIV)

I don’t believe Jesus was giving a definitive list of the five things that he would respond to by the use of His name. He was illustrating for us “the power attachment” that would be available to us in all parts of our journey.