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Old 05-26-2011, 11:23 PM   #1
NeitherFirstnorLast
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Join Date: Dec 2010
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Default Prayer According to Christ

Brethren, I was reading this evening from the book of John, and at the words in chapter 14:12-14, I had to pause.

John 14:12-14 "Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes into Me, the works which I do he shall do also; and greater than these shall he do because I am going to the Father. 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."

What does this mean to you?

Has it been your experience, that every prayer which you begin with "Oh Lord Jesus!" or end with "I pray in Jesus Precious name" is one which is answered - even answered just as you asked Him to answer it? This has not been my experience, but it is what I have heard and seen practiced by many Christians everywhere - it is the way, they believe, they ought to pray... but what did He mean, "In My Name"?

The word we have translated as 'Name' in these passages is Strong's word #3686, ὄνομα, which is transliterated "onoma" - and while it can be translated as 'name', it likewise has other meanings: 'Authority', is one. It should be noted that "According to Hebrew notions, a name is inseparable from the person to whom it belongs, i.e. it is something of his essence. Therefore, in the case of the God, it is specially sacred." (Souter).

Reading further in John 14, we come to verse 26 and read "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and remind you of all things that I have said to you."

Should we interpret this to mean that the Father sent the Holy Spirit by calling on the name of Jesus, or that He sent Him in His authority, for did not Jesus say:

Matthew 28:18b "All authority has been given to Me on heaven and on earth." - and did He not also say to the 72 disciples He sent out:

Luke 10:19-20 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven

Christ has Authority, and through Him, we likewise have Authority - and that Authority comes from the Father. Christ Himself likewise said:

John 5:19-20 excerpted “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does."

So if the word we have translated as "name" in John 14 (onoma) is really meaning 'authority', then how do we apply this authority to have our Lord Jesus move heaven and earth to answer our prayers?

The answer is; we submit to the Authority of the Father, through the Spirit, just as He would have us do. It is not by using His name as a "pretty please", or an "abracadabra" to accomplish an end we desire - that is NOT praying 'in His name', it is praying from our flesh. To pray in His name is to pray what is on His heart - and nothing less.

Christ said "The time is coming, and it is now, when the true believers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him." John 4:23

We can do Christ's work through our prayers only by doing Christ's work with our prayers - by surrendering all to Him; presenting ourselves to Him a living sacrifice, our reasonable service, and letting Him pray through us. We are, after all, His Body. Bought and paid for with a price.

Many believe this in principle, and are quick to condemn religious Christians who have bought into the 'prosperity gospel'; those who would name and claim wealth through prayer... but while we might avoid the error of these kinds of fleshly prayers, can we honestly say we haven't been tempted to try to wrest control of a situation from Him by demanding that what we perceive to be our needs in fact get met? If we have an ill friend, or a child of ours is in distress, we are often quick to pray for their health or for their protection - but even these 'selfless' prayers should first be brought before Him, to ascertain His will in the matter, if we are to truly pray with authority.

Consider: perhaps the cancer that is slowly growing in your friend is part of an experience God is using (and if you, dear reader, have such a friend - please do not take offense. I know the pain of losing a loved one to cancer; but Praise the Lord that through it He brought my own mother to Himself, and in so doing I can rest assured that I will see her again!). After all, unless first He comes, we are all destined to die, are we not? But through Him the second death can never touch us...

In the Love of Christ Jesus our Lord,

NeitherFirstnorLast
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