Bible Study Title: In Jesus' Name

Bible Study
Title: In Jesus' Name
Date: May 18, 2009
Topic(s): Prayer
Scripture: Philippians 2:9-10, Matthew 28:18, Matthew 6:9-10

Ever wonder if God hears your prayer? Have you ever desperately needed the assurance that God was listening when you prayed? The Bible teaches us some great truths about prayer that can bring a sense of confidence.

What Does God Say?
Here, from Jesus, is the first truth: "In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:9, NKJV).

Jesus taught us that we can communicate with God in prayer, just as we would talk with a father who is loving and caring. God is our Heavenly Father. And so, just as a child eagerly comes to his father to share with him, so a Christian may confidently go to God in prayer.
What do you think might be the second truth? Search for it as Jesus continues to teach.
"Hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come.Your will be doneOn earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10 NKJV).

Notice where the emphasis is? Jesus reminds us that the focus of prayer is not us but God. If prayer becomes about us, when God doesn't answer our prayers, we begin to say, "Well, prayer didn't work for me because I didn't get an answer." But the whole point of prayer is not to get answers; the whole point of prayer is to communicate with God.
The last truth has to do with our access to God and the authority by which we pray: I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name" (1 John 2:12, NIV).

We pray in the name of Jesus because it is through Him we can come before God (His shed blood makes it possible for God to forgive our sins.) and by His name we acknowledge the authority God has given Him.
"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth" (Philippians 2:9-10, NASB).
"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth' (Matthew 28:18, NASB).

So, prayer is communicating with the Father in the name of Jesus.

My Thoughts
Has it ever seemed to you like praying in the name of Jesus was just a convenient or traditional way of ending prayers? What is the significance of ending your prayer in Jesus' name?
If prayer is about communicating with God, what is it that you most would like to share with Him?

Sometimes, we experience an urgent or deep need to talk to God. Do you realize that God wants us to talk to Him and wants us to feel privileged and blessed to pray to Him.

My Part
Spend a few minutes in prayer now. Pray, guided by the truths you have learned about praying.
Are there times when you do not feel like praying? The best thing you can do in those moments is to talk to God about how you feel.