“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 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.”

So what does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? I know what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that we pray whatever we want to pray and then at the very end of our prayer we quickly attach “in Christ’s name I pray, Amen!” And then zip, boom, bam we have prayed in Jesus’ name. No, no that’s not it.

What is it that we mean to convey or we should mean to convey when we utter the words, “in Jesus’ name I pray?” The text, John 14:12-14, provides three truths that are directly tied to this phrase and that’s a good place for us to start.

1. Prayer in Jesus’ name rests upon and springs from and clings to faith in Christ Himself. Praying in Jesus’ name is a believing in Jesus and clinging to Jesus to do what is far beyond our scope and ability to do. Verse 12 literally says, “whoever is believing in Me” and verse 14 says, “If you ask Me...” The one who is believing in Jesus, is asking Jesus to accomplish the impossible precisely because he does believe in Him and His power!
2. Prayer in Jesus’ name involves praying for the things that God has said He will do. It is to pray in accordance with His will and His purposes. If Jesus promises He will do it, He is not going to answer a prayer in opposition to His will. Therefore, the prayer must be in accordance with it. How do we know how to pray according to His will. We should first ask, “What are some things God has said He will do?” Whatever God has said He will do is most certainly in conformity to His will. Jesus said, “I will build My Church.” Paul said, “I am sure of this that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Praying for the things God has said He will do is the first step towards praying according to His will.
3. Prayer in Jesus’ name has the glory of God as its end. Verse 13 says, “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” God-centered prayer does not have the receiving of the gift or the blessing as its end, but in the reception of God’s grace, praise springs forth to the Son for His sufficiency and grace. As a result, as the Son is exalted, the Father is glorified. The end of all true prayer is the glory of the Father!

Prayer in Jesus’ name is filled with faith in Jesus, in accordance to God’s will, and for the glory of God. I think Christ modeled this kind of praying for us when He said, “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the Evil One. I think Jesus prayed this way for us when He prayed, “Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, but if not, Your will be done.”