Everyone knows that a Christian prays. One of the hallmarks of a Christian pray is to end with the words, "In Jesus' name." This comes from a command of the Lord Jesus in John 14 where he tells his disciples to ask in His name.
And whatever you ask in My name, that 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
What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name and why do Christians say it at the end of every prayer?
The concept is actually quite simple. If you are to ask for something in the name of someone else, you are asking on behalf of that other person. You are representing that person. Although you are not that person, you are asking in their place. For all intents and purposes, you asking is the same as the person you're representing asking.
This same meaning carries over to asking in Jesus' name. Though we are not Jesus, we ask on His behalf, praying what is on His heart for the accomplishing of His will. To truly ask in Jesus' name, we must be one with Him, knowing the desires of His heart. If we're not one with Him, then our prayer or asking is really in our own name, representing ourselves—our own thoughts and desires.
The apostle John follows up in his first epistle with a verse to clarify this thought:
This same meaning carries over to asking in Jesus' name. Though we are not Jesus, we ask on His behalf, praying what is on His heart for the accomplishing of His will. To truly ask in Jesus' name, we must be one with Him, knowing the desires of His heart. If we're not one with Him, then our prayer or asking is really in our own name, representing ourselves—our own thoughts and desires.
The apostle John follows up in his first epistle with a verse to clarify this thought:
And this is the boldness which we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
-1 John 5:14
To ask anything according to Jesus' will is to ask in Jesus' name. It's through our close, personal fellowship with the Lord, abiding and remaining in His presence that we can know the thoughts and intents of His will. Then through that abiding we can ask in His name.
It's a good habit to end prayer with a reminder that true prayer is in Jesus' name. Let's remember to be sure that "In Jesus' name" an accurate description of our prayer, rather than just a few words we tack on at the end out of habit.
It's a good habit to end prayer with a reminder that true prayer is in Jesus' name. Let's remember to be sure that "In Jesus' name" an accurate description of our prayer, rather than just a few words we tack on at the end out of habit.
Too often when we say a phrase over and over again, it starts to lose its freshness and sometimes even its meaning. To help get out of the routine or tradition of ending with, "In Jesus' name," I like to say different things. One time I may say, "In Your precious name we pray." Other times I may end with, "We pray all this in Your sweet name." I may have even said once, "Lord, we love Your name! In Your wonderful name we pray." The point is to avoid turning it into a mindless ritual. Be fresh, living, and, most of all, real in your prayer!