What does it mean to pray in the name of the Jesus?

John 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.


"I will do whatever you ask" that statement to me is a very exigent proposition. Not because I doubt if Jesus can actually do what he says he will do, but what if it fell into wrong hands. I have been watching "24" TV series lately and the plot is about an "enrich weapon grade" uranium fell into the hands of terrorists. And you can just imagine what will happened. Now, if Jesus choose to deactivate his promise, that would call his faithfulness and integrity into question. The safety pin to the entire "power grid" of that promise are the words or condition that follows. "In my name" . What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name? When my son was about 5, he came to me one day and said " Pa, give me P100.00 " (a hundred pesos Philippine currency.) I just smiled and pretend not to hear him. What will a 5 year old boy do with P100.00? He got into my face and persistently insisted. So, I said "NO". He responded and said "Mama said she needs P100.00" . No question ask, I pulled out my wallet and gave him the P100.00. He took it and gave it to his mother. He came in the name of his mother. And he gave the P100.00 to his mother. 


Jesus said "If you abide in me and my words abide in you..." and if we immersed ourselves in the Word of God, our asking will gradually be in line with and according to the will of God. And when we prayed and said " in Jesus' name" that Jesus actually told us in his word to ask what we are asking from God. Then the condition for Jesus statement to be fulfilled is met. We can have the confidence that God will do it. Remembering that obedience is a condition and not a ground for answered prayer. It removes the obstacle and is not a merit for answered prayer. And when we received what we ask " the Son brings glory to the Father"




¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.