Elijah University         

 

How To Pray In Jesus' Name

By: Elijah

___________________

Preamble

 

            All my life I have heard people giving thanks to God, around the table, in prayer meetings, and wherever Christians gathered, they end their prayers by saying, ‘In Jesus Name’.  Of course, I never saw anything the matter with that…seemed the thing to do, but when I became a student of Scripture, I saw that we were NOT praying in Jesus’ name at all.

 

            This short study will show you what it means, to pray in Jesus’ name so that your prayers will have some substance, and not simply bounce off the ceiling.  Because the prayers of traditional Christian have so little effect, those concerned get tired of going through the motions saying the same things over and over, so their prayers become plastic, artificial, humdrum, with no life in them.  Fact is, does not matter how you pray, if your heart is right with God, He will hear you…but so few have their hearts right with God…

________________________

 

What Jesus said…

 

            At the very beginning I am going to show you what it means to ‘pray in Jesus’ name’, so you will know why your prayers have no effect; it is very simple, here:

12Verily, 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 the Father. 13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do. (Jn.14.12-14)

And then, we compare this:

7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (Jn.15.7)

Here in these two texts, we have the same promise, that what we ask will be done for us, but the prerequisites seem to be different…they are not.  In the second place, Jesus says that if we have Jesus’ words in us, and if we are abiding in his words, THEN we will ask and it will be done; just saying the words, ‘in Jesus’ name’ will get you nowhere, because the Word of God is not in you…here:

11And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knows but he himself. 13And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Rev.19.11ff)

Since Jesus is the Word of God, you must have the truth in you and be walking in the truth to have your voice heard…and you will not be heard as long as you are in the church world, nor will you receive anything unless you are obeying God, and if you are obeying God, you will have your heart right with Him…you will be willing to obey and to turn from your old ways, as I explain in the study, How to be Saved.

 

            Of course, you traditional folks will not like me to tell you this, but until you are born again…born of the Spirit, you will not receive your requests to God.  And, if you should say that God answers your prayers, it is only because of His mercy, and you surely will not ward of sickness and evil from Satan unless you are walking in the truth.

 

            Now I will show you a thing; consider:

14If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do. 15If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, 17even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholds him not, neither knows him: ye know him; for he abides with you, and shall be in you. 18I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you. 19Yet a little while, and the world beholds me no more; but ye behold me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. 22Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that you will manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24He that loves me not keeps not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me. (Jn.14.14-24)

Now, notice that the NEXT verse after he says to pray in his name, he says, ‘15If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.  These two verses go together…and he says that if you do keep his commandments that he will ask the Father to give you the Spirit of Truth, which you need to have your prayers answered…but there is more, as he says again in verse 21, ‘21He that hath my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me:’  And again look at the promise, which is that he will MANIFEST himself to you…he will not only open the Word of God to you, but you will feel his presence, then there is yet a third promise in verse 23, ‘If a man love me, he will keep my word…’ then says that the Father will also love you and they BOTH will abide with you!What could we ask the more?!  This is the progression of our relationship with Jesus and the Father when we obey the truth on a continuing basis.  These promises will not happen overnight, but you will immediately begin to have the Word of God opened to you when you become obedient…but here are three great promises!  But then Jesus ends this by saying, that if you do not obey him, you do not love him, and that the Word he has spoken has come from God…

                       

What being in the NAME will bring you

 

            Many Christians I know claim Psalm 91 as their hope, but let me quote it, then point out the salient statement:

1    He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2    I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3    Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4    He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shall thou trust: his truth shall be thy

      shield and buckler.

5    Thou shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6    Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7    A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh

      thee.

8    Only with your eyes shall thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9    Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13  Thou shall tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall thou trample

      under feet.

14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high,

       because he hath known my name.

15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and

      honor him.

16  With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

What is the key phrase here? ‘because he has known my name.’  You cannot claim these promises of deliverance unless you know and understand the Word of God and obey the truth; end of story.  You are going to have to study and come around to God’s point of view, and to realize He takes His Word seriously.  

   

            In the course of this short study, I will show you what to do, but let us find some more evidence…consider what Peter said in Acts 3 after that he has healed a lame man, when the people had ran together to see this phenomenon:

16and on the faith of his name, this one whom ye see and have known, his name made strong, even the faith that is through him did give to him this perfect soundness before you all. (Acts 3.16 YLT)

Conditions were different at Pentecost 

 

            But let me set this up for you, because the same conditions do not exist today even though some look back in the early 1900’s at Azusa Street, thinking that was the same thing…NO WAY.  What happened back then accomplished nothing; it did not help the people in any way, but in fact, deceived many, and some still hope for such a ‘pouring out of the Spirit;’ but it will not happen.

 

            Consider: John the Baptist came preaching repentance, and preparing the way for Jesus, then Jesus came on the scene (see Acts 3.22-30) so that John said of Jesus, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease,’ as he saw his ministry coming to an end.  The point is, that the people first heard John, then they followed Jesus for ten years or so, so that after Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to his disciples (Lk.24.45) and opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures, and admonished them that they should wait in Jerusalem for the promise (Acts 1.4-8) when they would receive power.  Fact is, that is what I now wait for, but there is NO ONE ELSE ready; some are working on it, but none are ready yet.

 

            But here: when Jesus appeared to them and opened their minds so they could understand the Word of God, you have to understand that they had been born and raised in the Word of God as they heard it every Sabbath; these were not people as you would find in our churches, but they were in the truth of Scripture, not in murky morass of denominational teaching, so that when Jesus gave them understanding, they entered the Kingdom of Heaven, being born of the Spirit and were ready for the power when it came at Pentecost.

 

            What I will do, is to prepare a people to be born of the Spirit so they too can understand the Scriptures and thus lay up for themselves an inheritance; of course there will be power associated with this understanding and will increase as one receives more understanding, as they grow in Grace.  This ministry is prepared to give people the opportunity to come to the Table of the Lord to eat and drink of the Word of God; that is what we are about, as I have been chosen to lead the way, as it is written:

 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God. (Rev.19.9)

You may read this in Lk.14.15ff where they were to busy to come eat and drink at the Table of the Lord, and also is the Parable of the Ten Virgins of Mt.25.1ff where the foolish virgins had not prepared themselves, and thus could not enter in to the wedding when the Bride Groom came…but that is for the time to come after the Lord opens the First Seal to begin the Tribulation (which can occur at any moment).

 

            To be ‘in Jesus’ name’ will mean that you will spend a lot of time in the Word of God to bring you to the place where the 120 Jews were at Pentecost; they were prepared and ready to receive the power along with the apostles.  But do not desire the power more than the fact that you will understand the Word of God, which will give you an inheritance as Peter tells you:

5Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; 6and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; 7and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. 8For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he that lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: 11for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Pet.1.5ff)

The power is never mentioned as an inheritance, and something you will take with you at your resurrection.   The reason I make such a to do about this, is that Pentecostals and charismatic’s are big on spiritual manifestations; never mind the wisdom and knowledge of God, they will follow any man that can demonstrate a little power in healing or casting out demons.

 

            Of course, the assemblies we will set up, will be exactly as you my read in Ephesians 4 and in 1 Corinthians 12-14, where power is demonstrated, but the essence of the assembly Paul describes (Eph.4) is for,

11And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: 13till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; 16from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in due measure of each several part, makes the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love. (Eph.4.11-16)

Of course, such an assembly does not yet exist and will not for several years because it will take some time to prepare those who turn to the Lord.

 

            But let’s return to this:

16and on the faith of his name, this one whom ye see and have known, his name made strong, even the faith that is through him did give to him this perfect soundness before you all. (Acts 3.16 YLT)

While Young is close, let me show you what the Greek (out of Berry’s Interlinear) says:

‘…and upon the faith of his name, this (man) whom you behold  and know, his name made strong, and the faith which is through him gave to him this complete soundness before all of you.’ (Acts.3.16)

Since we know that his name is the Word of God, we can easily decipher what is being said, but again, there are pieces of this you will not understand, as ‘faith’; you must know that faith (confidence) comes through obedience to the truth.

 

            This is the essence of the whole matter that you understand that all things come through our obedience to the truth, and for many of you have religious backgrounds, this is going to be difficult, as I know so well when I came out of the church world; confusion reigned when I read the Bible then listened to them; what they were teaching did not make sense yet I was open to them explaining to me the obvious contradictions they were making except they brushed me off as still wet behind the ears, and thus I came out of it so I could study on my own without having to line up with their catechisms.  It was, of course, very difficult for us (Julia and myself) because we had no one to lead us; we had to dig it out on our own, so that it was years before I began to get things straight.  Fact is, when you get it right, there will be no Scriptures that contradict you.

 

            It is not as some teach, that if you can get two or three texts to agree with your thesis, the you are saved to assume you are right; they base this false idea on 2 Cor.13.1 where Paul said,

‘In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.’

 but Paul is not talking about interpreting the Scriptures, but about prophecy, as here:

10For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:  11Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. (Tit.1.10-13)

The prophet gave ‘witness’; these are the ‘witnesses’ Paul speak of in 2 Cor.13.1.

 

            You cannot simply hook a few Scripture texts together like a little choo choo train to prove something; there cannot be any text in the Bible that contradicts you.

 

             But consider the impact the NAME of Jesus had, insomuch that Peter and the others were charged by the Council not to speak in the name of Jesus any more.  Now, let us contrast that today; the ‘name of Jesus’ is proclaimed world over, yet what impact has it had?  Fact is, if it were merely in a word, if it was not more than saying ‘in his name’, or ‘in the name of Jesus’ that worked miracles, then the church world would be showing it, but there is no power when they use the Name of Jesus because their prayers are not answered and there is no truth in those using his Name.

 

            You would suppose there would be enough honesty among them to admit their prayers are not being heard, but if they did confess that, then they would have to answer a whole host of places where God says why He will not hear them, as here:

1Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isa.59.1,2)

All the evil Satan puts upon them could be prevented and those who are walking in the truth enjoy peace without any fear of evil, as God makes it clear here:

20Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets: 21She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying, 22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you… 33But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. (Pro.1.2-22; 33)

These great promises are for those who have the courage to turn from their old ways and to obey the truth…of course, I have left out what will happen to them if they do not…

 

            But as it is, the name of the Lord is used falsely by all the religious would, as here:

24Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith Jehovah. 25I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? 27that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forget my name for Baal. (Jer.23.24ff)

The implication here is obvious; they have all the words in their mouths but they do not understand them and neither do they obey them, so they are in total darkness, as here:

9Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of his holy words. 10For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. And their course is evil, and their might is not right; 11for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah. 12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah. (Jer.23.12)

Nevertheless, God has a plan that He talks about almost continually, a plan to bring shame and reproach on all those teaching lies, as He says, ‘the year of their visitation.’

 

            Now for those of you who watch politics and what fringe groups are doing, but especially in Washington how they have allowed the name of JESUS to be trampled out of existence; they have allowed people like the ACLU and activist judges to do away with the Ten Commandments on court rooms and in public places, and even our Supreme Court has sanctioned it.  I have told you how that the military will not allow their Chaplains to speak the name JESUS in pubic with their uniforms on; they do not want to offend Moslems…well folks, do you realize the ramifications of this?!  Do you suppose God is sitting back and allowing this to go on and on to no end?  I tell you this; I have studied God’s Bible more than any man in this generation, and if there is anything I am sure about it is that God will suddenly and with great prejudice put an end to it.  But not just in the secular world, but in the church world…Jesus’ name has no honor, but is cast about as a worthless penny, as a dirty word, as an expression of contempt, as an object to prove a lie…

 

            I also tell you this, that the days are coming in which every man, woman, and child will reverence the name of Jesus; they will not speak it otherwise, and the Bible which the wicked have outlawed in schools and colleges will be in every class room in this country, and it will be reverenced and read; it will become the standard for what is right.

 

            That is not to say that there will not be opposition, but remember the rider on the White Horse in the First Seal; he goes forth CONQUERING, and his name is THE WORD OF GOD.  You have to realize God is ANGRY, and will avenge His Name!  So, I am going to quote this again; I quote this text in many studies because it is so very appropriate to this generation…it is God’s PLAN, and it not simply a flash, a single event; this will be going on and on for days even years; here it is:

14Wherefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scoffers, that rule this people that is in Jerusalem: 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Hell  are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste. 17And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place. 18And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. 19As often as it passes though, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nothing but terror to understand the message.  (Isa.28.14ff)

First of all, God is going to silence those teaching lies, and those hiding behind the lies are going to be left with no defense, and of course, God promises a ‘Corner Stone,’ and we know that is Jesus, but He also says that if you do not line up to the Word of God…as Jesus is the Word of God and the Corner Stone, you shall be destroyed, as the hail rains down out of the sky, and the tribulation overflows every hiding place…but what I want you to see is this: ‘…for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night: and it shall be nothing but terror to understand the message…’  This ‘overflowing scourge, which is the Tribulation in which all that the prophets have prophesied will begin to come to pass morning by morning, and day after night it will continue, and when folks realize that it is because of their sins that it is coming upon them, they will be terrified.

            I told you rocks were going to fall out of the sky (I have a picture of one that fell in Peru on my main web site) as the earth moves into a cloud of brimstone; some as little as a pea, some as large as a small car, and they will come down all over the earth, destroying bridges and buildings and churches and the infrastructure of cities; the earth will never recover, as even more and more judgments begin.  God is going to vent His anger, so that if I were you, I would be walking very softly.

 

            As for the ministers, and priests, and rabbis that teach lies (and they all do), here is what God is about to do:

15Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.  16Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah. 17They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you. 18For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it? 19Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, even his wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked. 20The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly. 21I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. 22But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. (Jer.23.25-22)

If I were you, I would be reading this very carefully, and not be searching for ways to excuse yourself…read it slowly, and do not say, ‘Well, this is just for Israel…’; you can rest assured that Israel will be a recipient of all this, but it applies to all those who teach from God’s Bible and misuse and abuse it…

 

 ‘I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.’

      Psm.84.10

 

End

__________

Email Here: Elijah@lionofgod.net

 

Mailing Address: Elijah, PO Box 9, Model CO, 81059

 

Main Site: Elijah the Prophet

__________

 

Webmaster

 

 

 Last edited: March 19, 2009