11/04/2018
We pray to the Father, the Holy Spirit guides us, and we ask in the name of Jesus. Have you ever felt so loved? Have you ever felt so cared for? In this way, has your joy ever felt so full before? In Jesus, our prayers are now complete as He intercedes for us before the Father. Do you ask in His name when you pray? It is not just a formality, but the grasping hold of His promise.
“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
John 16:23-24 ESV
Have you ever noticed that there is something missing from the prayers that I include as a part of my devotional messages each day? You probably insert it yourself as you finish praying them. Some of you say “Amen”, some say “Amen, Amen, Amen, but others say “in the name of Jesus”, and the follow that with your Amen(s). I close all of my prayers with... “In the name of your Son Jesus Christ I pray, Amen, Amen, Amen.”
I write a prayer each morning at the end of my devotional message, and encourage you to join me in it, but I leave to you to complete them with these very personal closing words. Jesus did the same in the Lord’s Prayer... have you ever noticed? If not, then it is most likely because you insert them automatically. There is no “Amen” recorded in scripture for a couple of reasons... first is that there is no reason to claim agreement, and joint ownership in your own prayer, and if you pray it, then it is yours... secondly it is because those are words that we must always say ourselves to claim the promise in them. If they are read, then they may not be ours.
Directing our prayers in Jesus’ name allows us to claim the promise, and by saying Amen, we claim joint ownership and agreement in the prayer itself. Amen does not mean “The End”, it is a term of joining, and deep seated agreement that allows us to share in the blessing. If you look up the word “Amen” in the dictionary it defines it as meaning “so be it.” Have you ever wondered at the deeper meaning of that expression? When you say this word, are you claiming it to be so with you... joint ownership... joint blessing?
When Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer, He had not instructed them to pray in His name yet, because He had not ascended into heaven, but have you ever considered that when we pray today, it should be closed with “In The name of Jesus, Amen.”, and not simply “Amen?” More often than not we claim the blessing (Amen), but not the promise (in the name of Jesus)because that is how we have been taught in church... not by scripture. Give this some thought today.
Praying in the name of Jesus is more than a suggestion, it gives our prayers power by allowing Him to join in them with us (becoming His Amen), and calling on His intercession before God. Listen to the words of Andrew Murray regarding our prayers offered in Jesus name, and how His amazing power is added...
“To do this, He ever lives to pray, and in His unceasing intercession, He places Himself in living fellowship with the unceasing prayer of His redeemed ones. It is His intercession that shows itself in our prayers and gives them power that they never had before. All this is done through the Holy Spirit.” - Andrew Murray
So as you pray with me today, and each morning, I encourage you to close these prayers by claiming them as your own (Amen), and by grasping hold of the power in the name of Jesus... our great intercessor. As I wrote earlier, my personal closing is “In the name of your Son Jesus Christ I pray, Amen, Amen, Amen.”, and although it is perfect form for you to use these same words as well, they should be made personal to you, by praying them from your heart.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for hearing my prayers, and for the intercession of your Son Jesus Christ as He prays His intercessory prayer alongside mine. I thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides my words when I am at a loss, and quite often brings forth the deepest desires of my heart in groans and utterances. Holy Father, it thrills my soul to know that those requests, thus offered, are being prayed side by side with my own by Jesus Himself, and in my quiet moments of listening, it is as if I can hear His sighs, and groans as He accompanies me. Merciful Father, I pray for all those who join with me in this prayer today, and ask that you bless them fully as they seal it with the word “Amen”, and call on the intercession of Jesus by offering it in His name. Be with us today Lord, and keep each of us safe within your arms as we go about our day. Let you Holy Spirit deal with every heart, and guide us in our prayers when we are at a loss for what to say. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who hears and answers prayer.
Rich Forbes