Power of praying in Jesus name

The Bible teaches us there is great power in agreeing with God, His Word, and other Christians. To help you apply this great power to your prayer life try to remember this:

Jesus said, "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John14:13,14). That is a fantastic promise! But it must be understood properly, because simply adding "in Jesus' name" to the end of every prayer doesn't guarantee an answer.

In our legal system we have what is called a "power of attorney." It allows an individual who has money or owns the rights to something to give control over it to someone else. That person has the same authority as the owner, just as if the owner himself were acting. When Jesus promises to do what we ask, He gives us His authority to make requests of the Father. It is as though Jesus Himself were making the request. And so, prayers "in His name" have absolutely awesome power.

When you ask something of God in Jesus' name, it is important for your request to reflect His will, not yours. As you read the Bible, as you pray, as you worship God, speak to Him about your needs and then listen to His answers as He speaks to your spirit. You can then pray with confidence and genuine faith that His revealed will for you be done. You will begin to see real answers!

by Joshua Edward Gates
Corpus Christi, Texas

I had always wanted to settle down in my hometown. A house became available across the street from my childhood home, but I was apprehensive about the Realtor, our former neighbor, Mrs. Knight.
My brother, Guy, and I never could contain our baseball playing to our own property. But we were careful to stay clear of Mrs. Knight’s yard. Her husband had suffered several strokes and whenever he fell out of his wheelchair or bed, Mrs. Knight called us over to help her lift him. Besides that, she kept to herself, and her gardening.
One day Guy threw my brand-new baseball right in Mrs. Knight’s flowers! I tiptoed into her yard only to have her burst onto the porch. “What are you doing?” she demanded. I mumbled something, turned tail and ran.
My guilt came back to me while Mrs. Knight showed me the house for sale. Afterward, she invited me over for lemonade. I politely obliged, hoping she wouldn’t reminisce about the time I ruined her flowers.
In her kitchen, she opened a drawer and pulled out an aged baseball. “I found this in my flower bed years ago,” she said. “When I needed strength I looked at it and remembered the boys who had always been there for my husband and me.” She tossed me the ball. “Always know what a comfort you were.”
I keep that ball on my bookshelf, a reminder that kindness outlives aggravation.