"Lord Jesus, cause me to know in my daily experience the glory and sweetness
of Thy name, and then teach me how to use it in my prayer, so that I may
be even like Israel, a prince prevailing with God. Thy name is my passport,
and secures me access; Thy name is my plea, and secures me answer; Thy
name is my honour and secures me glory. Blessed Name, Thou art honey in
my mouth, music in my ear, heaven in my heart, and all in all to my being!"
—C. H. Spurgeon
I shared this particular prayer with you today for a reason... To bring
to your attention that Spurgeon had three great points in His prayer in
regard to Jesus name. Maybe at one time or another you've wondered why
Christians end their prayer most often with the expression, "in Jesus
name, Amen", or "in Christ's name I pray, Amen". It's because we are
told to! Effective prayer is in HIS name.... Jesus Christ Himself taught
us to approach the Father in His name. That is our passport, just as Spurgeon
stated. A passport is defined as a written license from a king or other
proper authority granting permission or safe conduct for one to pass through
it's territories, or to pass from one country to another, or to navigate
a particular sea without hindrance or molestation. It is a license for
importing or exporting goods or movables without paying the usual duties.
It is that which enables one to pass with safety or certainty.
1.) Jesus name secures us access to the Father
God the Father is the King, the authority who through His Son Jesus Christ
grants us permission to approach His presence.
John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
2.) Jesus name secures us an answer to our prayer God the Father is the
King, the authority who through His Son Jesus Christ grants us permission
to pass from earth to heaven and to navigate the seas between both, importing
our cares and exporting answers to them without hindrance or molestation
by the enemies we might encounter.
3.) Jesus name secures us glory. It is in His name that we are able to
make our petitions known both in safety and certainty, for the Bible says
Christ's name is mighty in prayer....
John 14:12-14 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth
on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these
shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask
in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it."
Why did Jesus say in this portion of scripture that anyone who had faith
would do greater works? Because He went unto the Father, that's why!
With His precious blood, Christ has already paid all our duties, we have
"greater works" available to us as God's children - all for free! What
an encouragement this should be to plain old ordinary people like us!
Christ is there at the right hand of God the Father interceding on our
behalf and for our good. Ladies, are you thankful today for the precious
Passport you are carrying in your heart if you are saved?
1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;"
Romans 8:27, "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according
to the will
of God."
The question is, what "greater works" are we Christians doing today??
With the passport we hold in our hands, how much traveling are we doing
between heaven and earth with our requests? How many of our cares and
the needs of others are we importing, how many answers are we exporting
with the passport of Jesus name? Are your works worldwide and affecting
all people?? God help us ladies,
if we are not tapping into what God has made available to us through His
Son!
Why in verse 13 of John chapter 14 (listed above) did Jesus promise that
He would do whatsoever His believers asked in His name? That's quite
a big promise to make, amen? We find in scripture that the answer is
so the Father may be glorified! That is the reason that we have been
given our passport to begin with, that's what Jesus Christ wants to do
through us today - glorify His Father. Are you letting the power of prayer
glorify God in your life, dear lady? That's all Jesus wants of you and
I, just to bring glory to His Father in His Son's name... I don't think
that's too much for Him to ask of us, do you? After all, He went to hell
for us and paid for our sins, amen? It certainly purifies your prayer
life knowing what Christ wants, doesn't it ladies? Sure we can ask Jesus
anything, but is everything we are praying about for the purpose of bringing
glory to God the Father?? Or are we just seeking personal relief from
our stressful situations and problems? Jesus has lovingly shown us what
our motivation should be when we make our requests of Him. We are to
seek the glory of God as His Son does. This is the way to secure an answer
every time!
As we look down in verse 14 of John chapter 14, we find what else Jesus
said that He would do for His followers... Because He stated He would
do anything that would glorify the Father, therefore an answer IS promised
to us. If what we are requesting will glorify God, we'll get a yes answer.
If it won't, we'll get a no answer. If it's not the right time, we'll
get a wait answer - and ladies, our waiting should then glorify the Father
also, amen? Can you trust Christ's choice of answers for you? Are you
bringing glory to the Father by accepting the answers you are getting
today?? Jesus wants to teach us many things through His name, and we
must be willing to learn and understand that if we're going to be praying
in His name, then our purpose and plan must be aligned with His purposes
and plan, amen? Answers to prayer are designed to bring honor and glory
to God, not just relief to you and I!!
In closing, remember, to pray in Jesus name is to ask what Jesus would
ask, what would please Him, and what would bring God the Father glory,
not ourselves glory. Are your desires in agreement with His, dear lady?
Let's not ever forget
the sober responsibility that comes along with using Jesus name in prayer,
amen? Don't just say it flippantly or tag in on to the end of your prayers
like some magical phrase - realize what it really means!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
