IN THE NAME OF JESUS

Three of the most frequently quoted and generally misunderstood words in the contemporary church are, “In Jesus’ name.” We often hear a prayer finished with these words and for many it has become a closing statement often used without serious 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 verbal gesture than an actual statement of caring.

I have been convicted by my own carelessness over the expression. Several years ago I received a handwritten note from a friend who wanted to wish me well in recovering from hip surgery. My friend concluded by apologizing for not writing earlier but indicated that he 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 mere period at the end of my prayers, just another way of saying, “Amen.”

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, 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, ESV).

A very simple definition of “power of attorney” is “an authority by which one person delegates another to act for him or her.”

Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus met with His disciples and formally gave them the “power of attorney” to be His ambassadors and to carry out their ministry in His name using His authority. We also have “power of attorney” to use His name when we are carrying out business on His behalf.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said to the 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, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the close and consummation of the age” (AMP).

The extending of the “power of attorney” was not just to the apostles and those who would initially establish the Church during the apostolic age. Jesus was clear when He said that His authority would be ours through the end of the age. In other words, when we pray and ask God to meet the need of someone who is sick or in poverty, or we ask God to intervene in a personal situation (assured 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. Praying and appropriately using the “name of Jesus” is a privilege with a power attachment. When we pray and use “the name,” we do so because we understand that He has granted us the authority to do so. This is not a privilege to be taken lightly.

Let me illustrate what I am trying to say in this way. A policeman may pull you over and give you a ticket for speeding (in our family this only happens to Carol and our daughter Barb). The police officer does not have the personal authority to give you that ticket but he is granted 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 are 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 cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (ESV).

I don’t believe Jesus was giving a list of the only things that He would respond when His followers use it during prayer. He was illustrating for us “the power attachment” that would be available to us in all parts of our journey.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17, ESV).