What does it mean to “pray in Jesus name?” For some it is simply tacking on those words at the end of our prayers, but it means more than that. It means to make requests consistent with God’s will and the purposes of His kingdom. We are reminded of Jesus’ model prayer found in Matthew 6:9-10. He starts with “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed by your name.” Prayer should always start with worship, not requests. It is an acknowledgement that it is God who is in control not us. Then it moves to a recognition that God is in control and a submission to surrender our desires to His will, with the statement, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. ” Then we see that our requests are to be that God give to us what we need to fulfill His purpose in our lives, as we read, “Give us this day our daily bread.” If we are going to ask for our needs, then we must be willing to stand between an offended God and an offensive person. It is almost impossible to remain bitter at someone who we are asking God to be merciful to. Here we read, “forgive us our debts, just like we forgive our debtors.” Finally, we are encouraged to ask that we are “not led into temptation, but delivered from the evil one.” Satan’s kingdom is real, and we must pray each day, and every moment to stand against the attacks of our enemy. Praying in Jesus name is a submission to the plan of God, not the demand of a self-serving servant. As we come to God each day, and each moment, may we remember that His answers are based on His love for us, and His knowledge of what is best for us. Trust Him not only with your salvation but your life.
