What does it mean to ask or to do something in Jesus’ name?
Throughout the Bible a person’s name was synonymous with the person themselves - it characterized who they were…
Adam - God’s blood, Abraham - father of a multitude, Sarah - princess, Israel - strives with God, Miriam - rebel, Yeshua (Jesus) - salvation.
Exodus 3:13, 14
Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
When Moses asked the Lord who he should say was sending him the Lord answered, “I AM WHO I AM”, the most awesome and holy name of God. And Jesus was given the name which is above every name…
Philippians 2:9
For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
Revelation 19:13
He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
Genesis 24 gives the account of when Abraham sent out his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant was the oldest of Abraham’s household and he was in charge of everything Abraham owned. Abraham and the servant knew each other very well. Abraham trusted the servant and the servant’s desire was to please Abraham. The servant yielded his own will totally and completely to the will of Abraham.
When Abraham sent out the servant he sent him out with camels, articles of gold and silver and an angel went on before him. These things symbolized Abraham’s wealth, power and authority. The servant was sent out in Abraham’s name having all of the power and authority of Abraham himself. The servant was acting on behalf of Abraham and for all practical purposes the servant was Abraham.
Abraham’s servant is a picture of Jesus who was sent in the Father’s name…
Isaiah 42:1
“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.”
John 5:43
“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.”
The Father and the Son know each other very well and the Father trusts the Son…
Matthew 3:17
“and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Jesus’ desire is to please the Father…
John 8:29
“And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
Jesus totally and completely yielded His own will to the will of the Father…
John 5:30
“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Jesus was sent to earth with all of the power and authority of the Father which He demonstrated by the words that He spoke and by the miracles that He performed…
Matthew 7:28, 29
When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 9:6-8
“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” And he got up and went home. But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Jesus was sent to earth in the Father’s name having all of the power and authority of the Father Himself. Jesus was acting on behalf of the Father and for all practical purposes Jesus was the Father…
John 10:30
“I and the Father are one.”
John 14:7
“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Throughout the Gospels Jesus says that anything we ask in His name He will do for us…
John 14:13, 14
“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
In order for you and I to ask or do something in Jesus’ name we must know Jesus very well. Jesus must trust us and we must do the things that are pleasing to Him. We must yield our own will totally and completely to the will of the Father. We must go out into the world on behalf of Jesus and through the power of His Holy Spirit we must abide in Jesus…
John 15:4-7
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
It is no small matter to ask or to do something in Jesus’ name. We must know and be as committed to Jesus as Jesus knew and was committed to the Father - as the servant knew and was committed to Abraham.
So…
How well do you know Jesus?
Well enough to ask for something in His name?
How committed are you to Jesus?
Committed enough to do something in His name?
