We are continuing to answer the question, what does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?

PRAYING IN JESUS’ NAME ….

1. It means we have been granted access to the Father.

(SEE MY COMMENTS DATED 8/3/2020)

2. It means the same thing as praying according to the will of God. 

(SEE MY COMMENTS ON YESTERDAY’S THOUGHTS)

3. Should we end our prayers by saying “in Jesus’ name?”

Saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer is not a magic formula. If what we ask for or say in prayer is not for God’s glory and according to His will,  saying “in Jesus’ name” is meaningless. 

Genuinely praying in Jesus’ name and for His glory is what is important, not attaching certain words to the end of a prayer. 

It is not the words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose behind the prayer. Praying for things that are in agreement with God’s will is the essence of praying in Jesus’ name.

If saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers reminds us of whose invitation has allowed us to pray, then this is a fine practice. And if saying “in Jesus’ name” helps us seek Jesus’ own will when we pray, then we ought to say it often. 

But, if we think that saying “in Jesus’ name” is what it means to pray in His name, then we are missing the point. Moreover, if we believe, that “in Jesus’ name” is some sort of magic formula that ensures God will hear our prayers, then we might need to pray without these words, at least until our theology gets a tune up.

SUGGESTION: Try beginning your prayer by acknowledge Jesus as your reason for having access to the Father. You might say something like this, “I come to you Father with confidence that You hear me because Jesus has made this possible by dying for my sins.” Or “Thank you Father for hearing my prayer today because of what Jesus did for me on the cross.”