And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, THAT WILL I DO, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I WILL DO IT. (John 14:13-14).
In our opening verse it looks like Jesus is talking about prayer, but if you look at it carefully you’d discover that He is giving instructions to His disciples concerning the ‘use of His Name’, He is actually confaring on them the power of attorney to the use of His Name. The power of attorney is the legal authority to act for another person in certain specified matters. Jesus is giving them the right to use His Name to do greater works than He did when He was on earth (look at verse 12).
He said ” whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will i do” He didn’t say “that will i give you” rather ” that will I DO”; obviously He wasn’t trying to say ” ask me anything in my Name and i will give to you”; that would be absurd, what i mean is that, you can’t come to me in my name, you can’t represent me to me. So Jesus couldn’t be possibly asking us pray to Him in His Name.
In John 16 reading from verse 23, Jesus said “…in that day YE SHALL NOT ASK ME NOTHING” Did you see that? He said you’ll not pray to me in that day. Which day? The day of the Church, the day when the Holy Spirit comes. Let’s read on ” Verily, verily, i say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME, HE WILL GIVE IT YOU. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24). In this passage He was talking about prayer: praying to the Father in His Name, while in John 14:13-14 He
was talking about making demands in His stead, using His Name.
Peter and John where among the disciples when Jesus gave these instructions, they knew exactly what Jesus meant. In Acts chapter three, after Jesus had gone to the Father and the Holy Spirit had come; they were going up together into the temple at the hour of prayer when they met a certain man who had been lame from his mother’s womb and was carried and laid daily at the gate of the temple to asks alms of them that entered into the temple ” who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms” (v3) Peter knowing that he had something to give “…fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. The Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I HAVE GIVE I THEE: In the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH RISE UP AND WALK.” (vv 4-6). That was not prayer! That was using the Name of Jesus, ” And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and uncle bones recieved strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” (vv 7-8). Halleluah! When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they marveld at what had happened. Peter explaining how the miracle happened said ” And his name (the name of Jesus) through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (v16, emphasis mine).
The Name of Jesus healed the lame man, that is what Jesus meant by “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I WILL DO IT.” (John 14:14).
You can use that Name today and make tremendous changes in your world; Heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and do greater works. Glory to God!
Pastor Jack Siame
The Wonder's Revival Impact Team 