Believers’ Authority in the Name of Jesus!
Praying in the name of Jesus is such commonplace that Christians hardly reflect on what it means. What does it mean to do something in somebody’s name? How do we locate our prayers in the proper context to ensure that prayers said in Jesus' name are heard and answered? No doubt we all desire that our prayers are answered.
The reality however is that not all prayers said in Jesus’ name get answered. Why are some prayers answered and some are not?
What is doing something in another’s name?
Put simply, it means doing something under the power and authority of a person— power and authority legitimately earned by the individual. Doing it in his name is doing it for him.
A couple of examples: One: I bought a phone on the internet through Amazon.com. I paid with my debit card the cost of the phone and for it to be delivered to me at my home address. Once the order is made, and my debit card is accepted, Amazon.com is under obligation, indeed legally bound to deliver the phone to me as agreed.
I have the right and authority of ownership over the phone. The Management of Amazon is right in commanding their driver to deliver the phone in my name. It is in my name because the label on the package bears my name.
Two: President Joe Biden is the Commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. Though not a General in the military, he earned the power and authority to command the U.S Army, when he was elected president. Joe Biden earned the people’s mandate to exercise all powers and authority conferred on the president by the American constitution. And although his orders are executed by the military, he is sometimes obligated to obtain clearance from Congress before involving the armed forces in external conflict.
In other words, every action of the executive and the legislative branch of government is rooted in the American constitution. Nothing is left to chance. One who is not recognized by the system cannot operate in the system.
The police and other uniformed law enforcement agencies controlling traffic on the roads do so under the authority of the state, and all road users comply without question. So it is in the spiritual realm.
What authority in the name of Jesus?
- His authority is embedded in the creation of life.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1: 1–4).
2. God the Father calls on humankind to obey His Son.
“Then a cloud appeared and covered them and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7).
3. Jesus confers authority on his disciples with a mission—to bear fruits.
“You are my friend if you do what I command…for everything I learned from my father I have made known to you…You did not choose me but I chose you and I appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last — and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:14–16).
Whatever you ask regarding fruit bearing the Father will give you. Giving is conditional on doing his commands.
4. The sovereignty of Jesus over all: All authority in heaven and on earth!
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go …When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:16–2).
The Mandate:
- Make disciples
2. Teach them to obey all I have commanded.
3. Ask and you will be given— fruitful.
Asking in the Name of Jesus
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matt.11:27).
Believers are called to enter the realm of the One who left his preeminent position in the heavens — the very nature of God — took on mortality — the very nature of a servant in obedience to the Father.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:6–11).
Asking amiss: The unanswered prayers!
“You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.” (James 4:3).
Example: Simon Magus
“Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God” “They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philp everywhere astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. …” (Acts 8:9–13).
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered may your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. You have no part or share in this ministry.” (vv,18–24).
Simon the Magician was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded above. Simon tried to buy his way into the power of the apostles. What the apostles received from God as a gift of the Holy Spirit, Simon wanted by offering money.
Apostolic empowerment is never available in the marketplace!
Interestingly, we live in a monetized world. Many church leaders now specialize not only in asking amiss but in leading scores of their followers into asking with wrong motives. When they do not receive from God, they turn to sorcery and the occult for answers. Rather than stay within the confines of Christ’s command, they engage in long prayers and fasting expecting a material blessing and worldly acclaim. They are consequently entrapped — following in the steps of Simon Magus.
We also see replications of the sons of Sceva in today’s world (Acts 19:13). The sons of Sceva attempted to exorcise a demon from a man in Ephesus by using the name of Jesus as an invocation. It was similar to the Jewish practice of invoking angels to cast out demons — a practice that originated in the Testament of Solomon. Sceva, their father was an itinerant exorcist with an emphasis on healing and spiritual authority.
This is a selling point in today’s world. Christendom is replete with apostles and prophets who have made “healing” and “deliverance” the centerpiece of their ministry.
Deliverance ministry is a subset of the Great Commission. Jesus said:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 17–18)
The signs are not meant to be pursued as a goal; they shall follow believers who obey the command to go and make disciples. No one should go out to intentionally take up serpents, drink a deadly thing, or make a show of healing the sick or casting out demons.
The signs followed the apostles. Simon Magus was stunned and thought he could acquire “the skill” with money. He got it wrong.
Praying in the name of Jesus must be done within the limits of Christ’s teaching and commands. “In the name of Jesus” means total submission to the sovereignty of Christ — God’s will and purpose in creation, and the restoration of humankind to their pristine relations with God, the Creator.
Jesus was emphatic about what the believers should pray about “In his name”: He commands his followers to seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously promising to give them everything they need.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”(Matt. 6:33).
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