Ask and Receive part 1 for paper

You, as I have on numerous occasions, been in a position where you were praying very earnestly about something. A very sick child, someone who is close whose life is hanging in the balance. Jesus knew his disciples and us would be in these positions many times in our lives. In John 14, 15 and 16 Jesus teaches his disciples and us some powerful lessons about having our prayers answered. In each chapter Jesus tells his disciples they can ask for anything and they will receive it, but there are conditions. I would like to explore these statements of Jesus and the conditions. In this column I will look at chapter 16. The highlighting is mine.

“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete”. John 16: 23, 24

While I have seen God answer prayer many times, getting whatever I ask for does not describe my prayer life, nor does it describe anyone I know of. What is Jesus telling us here? Jesus is not speaking figuratively here. We can receive what we pray for but there are conditions. So the first condition from John 16 is “asking in the name of Jesus”. So, “in the name of”, what does this mean? This combination of words is found 62 times in the bible, 27 of them in the New Testament. In the Gospels we see the term “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” and we are commanded to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. In Acts 9 the newly converted Paul is describes as “preaching fearlessly in the name of Jesus” and “speaking boldly in the name of Jesus”. In Acts we see Paul and even seven sons of a Jewish priest driving out demons “in the name of Jesus”.

James speaks of the OT prophets speaking “in the name of” the Lord and instructs the sick to go to the elders who will pray and anoint with oil “in the name of” the Lord. As in John 16, closely related to “in the name of” we see Jesus use the words “in my name” 17 times in the 4 gospels. In the verses from John 14 to 16 he instructs us to ask for things “in my name” 6 times. It is from these verses we get the common practice of closing our prayers saying “we pray this in the name of Jesus”. Well just what does it mean? If you want to pray “in the name of Jesus” does it mean just adding those words to the end of your prayer -“we ask all this in the name of Jesus”? Is that it? Just add his name to your prayer?

No! It is a whole lot more than that! I can best illustrate what it means by telling you a short parable. Imagine you are in Bethlehem a few years before Jesus is born. The Romans have occupied all of Palestine. Their practice was to assign overall governance on a provincial level to one of their designated leaders, but leave local authorities in place as long as they remained in submission. A contingent of Roman soldiers comes to Bethlehem and arrests some of the local young people. The local authorities are unaware of any reason for this and come and confront the soldiers asking by what authority the soldiers are making these arrests. We come in the name of Caesar is the reply. They are saying that Caesar has authorized their actions. With these words “we come in the name of Caesar” the local authorities are powerless to do anything. The soldiers carry the authority of Caesar, which trumps their authority.

So the words “in the name of” mean “with the authority of”. As you come across these words “in the name of” in your reading try this out. Replace these words with “with the authority of”. You will see the fit is there in almost every instance. In the name of, with the authority of.

Where do Christians get this authority to heal and drive out demons?  Realize that the word in the original Greek for authority and power were the same, and the concept was the same, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; Acts 1: 8 and “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”  Luke 24: 49

The disciples were promised power or authority when they received the Holy Spirit. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit in them through their baptism. Every Christian has been authorized to pray “in the name of Jesus”.  “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons” Mark 16: 17

Those who believe, that’s all of us!! So when we act in the name of Jesus we are acting with the authority he has given us, and it is considerable if we will accept it and use it. When Jesus healed someone he commanded them to be healed. And that is also how the early disciples prayed. “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Acts 3: 6

So the first condition. Take up the authority we have been given when we pray. After understanding this I no longer pray for some who needs healing pleading with God for the person to be healed, rather I take up the authority I have been given and pray as Jesus and the early disciples did saying “Jane  Doe, in the name of Jesus I command you to be healed!” No, not everyone I pray for in this way is healed.  Next column we will examine the other conditions found in John 14 and 15.

Blessings,