John 14:7-27
When we develop a vibrant prayer life, it transforms the way we live and see things. Through prayer, the Lord can change our weakness into His strength, our ignorance into His wisdom, and our emptiness into His fullness. Jesus made an awesome promise: He is committed to accomplishing whatever we ask in His name. But what does this really mean?
Praying in His name means recognizing that Jesus has paved the way for us to have access to the Father. Anyone who believes in Christ's death as full payment for his or her sins and who has received Him as personal Savior can, amazingly, approach the throne of Almighty God (Heb. 4:16).
Praying in His name denotes exercising the authority He has given to each born-again child of God. Jesus, the heir of all things, has made us "fellow heirs" with Him (Rom. 8:14-17). Understanding our position should give us confidence and boldness as we humbly ask and expectantly look for God's awesome answers. We are on a mission that requires us to be people of prayer—always connected with the Holy Spirit's power, always crying out to the Father, always depending on Him as our source.
Praying in the name of Jesus signifies agreement with His will. You are asking the Father to grant your need or desire as Jesus would, were He in your position. When you pray with this attitude, God is going to reveal His will because you want nothing less than what He wants. This is the kind of prayer that changes the world.
