Praying in Jesus’ name is not some sort of extraneous spiritual hashtag or mysterious, magical incantation.
“Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20) is the reverent and authorized use of the sweetest and most powerful authority in heaven and earth.
Because of His voluntary role as God’s Lamb and humanity’s Savior, “God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
With His triumphant return to heaven after His ascension, God “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:20-23).
Salvation from sin is only found in the name of Jesus, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The washing, sanctification, and justification of the unrighteous is only found in the name of Jesus. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
All will hail the power of Jesus’ name (Philippians 2:10-11).
Blessed are those who do so in this life.
Cursed are those who don’t.
