PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS
Part3


A. "IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL AND IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU" - JOHN 15:7-16
  1. The fifteenth chapter of John deals with:
    1. The close and intimate relationship between Jesus Christ and those who believe in him
    2. This relationship is comparable to the vine and the branches
  2. Note the inseparable relationship of the vine and the branches:
    1. For the branch to live it must abide in the vine
    2. That is true also of the branches to bear fruit - they must receive the life from the vine, and the vine in turn lives because of the roots communicating the say
B. THIS MAKES GOD'S ANSWERS TO PRAYER TOTALLY CONDITIONAL UPON
  1. My personal relationship to the Son of God:
    1. "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me" - John 14:6; "Then said Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. . . by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" - John 10:1-10
    2. "And this is the record, that God hath giveth to us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life" - I John 5:10-12
  2. My personal attitude toward God's word determines God's answer to my prayer:
    1. Loving obedience to the word of God is paramount to have my prayer heard - even when praying in the name of Jesus Christ; says Jesus, "Why call ye Me., Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say?" - Luke 6:46
    2. One of the great deceptions in the last days will be some will use the name of the Son of God, claiming that they are His; yet will He say unto them, "I never knew you" - Matt. 7:21-22
C. THE SPECIAL BLESSINGS RELATED TO PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
  1. To pray in the name of Jesus indicates:
    1. That He lives and abides in me
    2. "For in Him we live, move, and have our being" - Acts 17:28
  2. Therefore:
    1. My thoughts, my words, and my actions are motivated by His Spirit, dwelling in me
    2. Writes the apostle Paul, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. . . And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and that Father by Him;" - Col. 3:16-17
    3. I, as believer in Jesus Christ, have the mind of Jesus Christ - "we have the mind of Jesus" - 2 Cor. 2:16; Phil 2:5
  3. This heavenly relationship gives me access:
    1. Not only to God the Father
    2. But also to the exceeding riches of His grace - writes Paul, "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" - Eph. 2:18; but this relationship gives us free access to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" - Eph. 3:12-16
    3. Peter states this glorious relationship in these words, "Grace and peace by multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord, according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" - 2 Peter 1:2-10
  4. When we pray in the name of Jesus Christ in the light of these facts:
    1. It gives holy boldness - Heb. 4:15-16
    2. It gives us confidence that our prayers will be answered - I John 3:23-24
    3. It gives us power with God and men to do effective witnessing for God
    4. There is power - wonder-working power in the blessed name of Jesus Christ our Lord
    5. Think what the disciples did in the name of Jesus Christ


Design © John Bryant 2011