Hunter goes on to summarize, “the shortest and perhaps the best answer is simply: Jesus prayed according to the will of God. And that, ultimately, is what it means for you and me to pray in Jesus’ name—to pray according to the will of God.” [iv] This explains why Jesus was so emphatic that whatever we ask in His name, we will receive.
Dr. Randal Roberts, of Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, says, “It is to pray in a manner consistent with His values and purposes… It is to pray with the glorification of God as the supreme motive. It is to pray as Jesus would pray were He in our circumstances. It is to pray as His followers who have been appointed as instruments of fruit-bearing in the outworking of His mission… It is learning to ask for the good things that He delights to give from the devoted heart that He delights to bless.” [v]
Expect Results!
What happens when we pray in Jesus’ name? What is the ultimate purpose and result? According to Jesus’ multiple commands in this Upper Room Discourse, the outcomes of praying in His name are:
- The Father will be glorified in the Son.
- We bear fruit that remains.
- Our joy is full.
How many times has prayer frustrated us rather than fulfilled us? Frustration comes from bombarding heaven with our self-styled ideas of what God should do to accomplish our will in heaven. Fulfillment comes from knowing that His will is being implemented on earth. Deep reward is found in knowing that the Father is glorified by our prayers, and that our relationship with Him is producing the lasting fruit of deep character and spiritual impact. Joy comes from this deep fulfillment.
So next time you pray, follow the example of my friend. Begin all your praying with one primary passion—the person and purposes of Jesus. It will change the way you commune with God and will transform your life.
(This devotional is adapted from Daniel Henderson’s book, Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face. For more information, CLICK HERE.)
Copyright © 2018 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.
[i] Helen H. Lemmel, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, 1922, Public Domain
[ii] Samuel Chadwick, The Path of Prayer (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1936), 52
[iii] W. Bingham Hunter, The God Who Hears (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 198
[iv] Ibid, 198
[v] Randal Roberts, Praying in the Name of Jesus from the book Giving Ourselves to Prayer – An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Terre Haute, IN, PrayerShop Publishing, 2008), 47
This article originally appeared here.
