The statement “whatever you ask in my name” is found in John 14:13-14, where Jesus says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” This is a powerful promise that Jesus makes to His disciples, but what exactly does He mean by it? Here is an in-depth look at the meaning behind Jesus’ words.
The context of Jesus’ statement
It’s important to understand the context in which Jesus made this statement. In John 14, Jesus is speaking to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. He has just told them that He will be leaving them soon (John 14:2-4). Naturally, the disciples are troubled by this news, so Jesus begins comforting them with promises of His continued presence and provision for them after He is gone (John 14:1-31). The promise to answer their prayers is part of Jesus larger attempt to reassure the disciples that, although He is leaving, they will not be left alone.
Praying in Jesus’ name
The key phrase in this passage is “in my name.” Jesus stresses two times that whatever His followers ask must be in His name. To pray in Jesus’ name means to pray in accordance with His nature, character, and will. It is not simply tacking “in Jesus’ name” onto the end of a prayer to get what we want. Rather, it is aligning our desires and requests with who Jesus is. As 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Praying in Jesus’ name is praying according to God’s will.
The purpose—to glorify God
Jesus also makes clear that the purpose of praying in His name is to glorify God the Father. Answered prayers are not merely for our own benefit, but to exalt the name of Jesus. As Jesus prays to the Father in John 12:27-28, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” When we pray in Jesus’ name, the goal is not to gratify our own desires, but to bring glory and honor to God.
No selfish or inappropriate requests
Because praying in Jesus’ name involves aligning with God’s will and glorifying Him, it follows that selfish or inappropriate requests do not qualify. Jesus is not giving us a blank check to ask for anything we want. As the apostle James notes, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Requests that do nothonor God cannot be considered praying in Jesus’ name.
Asking for anything within God’s will
With the caveat that we must pray according to God’s character and for His glory, Jesus really does mean we can ask for anything. As the book of Hebrews says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Our Heavenly Father delights to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:9-11). If what we are asking for is within God’s will and for His glory, we can have confidence He will grant the request.
Examples from the early church
The disciples clearly took Jesus at His word and asked boldly for seemingly “impossible” things in the name of Jesus—and God answered in miraculous ways! A few examples:
– Acts 3:1-10: Peter heals a lame beggar in Jesus’ name. The man jumps up, praising God.
– Acts 16:16-26: Paul commands an evil spirit to come out of a slave girl in Jesus’ name. The spirit leaves her immediately.
– James 5:14-15: Sick believers are healed when elders of the church pray over them and anoint them with oil in Jesus’ name.
Jesus’ followers understood that coming to the Father in Jesus’ name meant coming with faith in His power and aligning their wills with His. They prayerfully did mighty works to bring glory to God.
We must abide in Christ
One condition Jesus gives is that we must abide in Him if we want our prayers to be fruitful. He states in John 15:7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” To abide means to remain closely connected to Jesus, following His teachings and walking in obedience. Answered prayers are not a reward for halfhearted followers of Jesus. We must be fully devoted to Him and His ways.
In summary
When Jesus said to ask for anything in His name, He meant that we can boldly approach God with any request that aligns with His character and will, for His glory alone. This requires:
– Intimacy with Jesus (abiding in Him)
– Surrendered desires
– Motives that exalt God’s name
– Obedience to Christ
– Confidence in God’s power and love
Asking in Jesus’ name is not a formula or ritual magic. It is the outflow of a life lived in devoted relationship with Him. When we approach God with humble, faith-filled prayers that seek to lift high the name of Jesus, we can trust God to answer according to His perfect will and timing.