what it means to pray in JESUS’ name…

the fifth condition for answered prayer:  you must pray in JESUS’ name.    

john 14.13-14 (niv), and I will do whatever you ask in MY name so that the SON may bring glory to the FATHER.  you may ask ME for anything in MY name and I will do it. 

john 16.24 (niv), HE says the same thing.  you’ve not asked anything in MY name.  ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. 

what is so special about JESUS’ name?  honestly, for a long time, i had no idea.  i’d hear everybody pray and they’d end their prayers, “in jesus' name.  amen.”  i kind of thought it was a signal that the prayer was about to end.  like a SPIRITual sign off.  cb sign off – “ten-four, good buddy.”  the walter cronkite of prayer, “and that's the way it is.”  kind of a cut off. 

some people think “in JESUS’ name” is kind of a mystical password that gets you into GOD.  like the secret word.  “here are all my requests.  by the way – codeword:  in JESUS’ name.” 

what in the world does it mean to pray “in JESUS’ name”?  what does it mean?

i heard a story once that illustrates it.  a pastor took his young son and about fourteen of his son’s friends to the carnival for a birthday party.  he bought a roll of tickets and he’d stand at the front of every ride and as the kids came by – his son and the fourteen friends – he gave everybody a ticket. he was just handing them out.  all of a sudden he looked up and realized there was a little boy with his hand out asking for a ticket that he’d never seen in his life.  he stopped and said, “son, are you with my son’s party?”  “no.”  “why should i give you a ticket?”  the young boy turned around and pointed to the man’s son and said, “your son said you’d give me one.”  so he gave him one.

here’s the point.  i don’t have any right to get any answered prayers from GOD.  what makes me think i should get my prayers to be answered?  GOD doesn’t owe me anything.  i owe him a lot but HE doesn't owe me anything.  when i come and pray and ask GOD for requests, i don’t ask on my own merit but i come on the merit of CHRIST.  i come and say, “FATHER, i’m coming to you because YOUr SON said so.  i’m coming because of what JESUS CHRIST has already done for me on the cross and HE’s promised and HE said i can ask in HIS name.  GOD, i’m coming in JESUS’ name.

just a thought from the front porch…