Praying in the Name of Jesus

When we read John 16: 16-24, we see that Jesus, knowing that the end of his public ministry was at

hand, called his disciples over for an intimate discussion.

One of the things that he told them was to pray in his name: ““Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16: 23).The question here is, why do we need to pray in Jesus’ name?

We need to pray in the Name of Jesus for three reasons: 

(1)  He is the mediator and advocate

This means that he stands for us; he defends us; and pleads for us. There is nothing good that we can achieve on our own apart from what Jesus had done for us on the cross. Remember his words on the cross: “It is finished”. He had done it all!

(2)  He is the Only One that paid the price of the New Covenant

In Exodus 20: 1-21, God made a Covenant with his people. But they didn’t obey, they broke the covenant. In Jeremiah 31: 33, God decided to fix this problem: “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people”. On the cross, Jesus paid the price of this deal. 

(3)   Praying in the Name of Jesus glorifies God

Jesus himself declared: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14: 13)”

Here Jesus puts prayer in a radically God-centered context. God is the qualifier and he is the One that receives all our petitions through Jesus.

Peace and blessings!

Fr. Thierry Hakpon 

"For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).