Prayer in many churches seems to reflect embarrassment, a lack of understanding of to whom they pray, or just plain carelessness. I commonly hear prayers that end with “in Your name.” So what’s wrong with that?

Why is it that people seem afraid to declare that we pray in the name, power and authority of Jesus Christ? Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father making our requests and petitions in the name of Jesus (John 16:23-24).

Our prayers are to be addressed to our Father in Heaven. It is to the Father that we make our requests and petitions. Jesus also prayed to the Father. Our God is one God in three persons. So there are times we pray, “Come Holy Spirit, we need You.” Sometimes we offer praise in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But the Scriptures are quite clear that our requests and petitions are addressed to the Father.

We were not instructed to pray in the Name of the Father. So when we pray to the Father and then conclude with “in Your name” it simply does not make sense.

What possible reasons could there be for not wanting to verbalize the Name of Jesus? Perhaps some feel that praying in the Name of Jesus is like a child’s prayer and now it is more sophisticated to pray “in Your name.

Peter makes it clear that those who are born again were redeemed with the blood of Christ – not a perishable blood, but imperishable (1 Peter 1:17-25). Our salvation is offered to us from outside our perishable world by the eternal God through Jesus Christ who was incarnated into creation. Without His act of redemption, we would be permanently lost in sin and destruction. By His resurrection, we are raised with Him to the heavens in spiritual position. We stand before the awesome God to make our requests and petitions and the only thing that keeps us from being destroyed when we approach the throne of God is the standing we have because of Jesus Christ.

Prayers guided by the Holy Spirit who also intercedes for us, addressed to the Father and in the Name of Jesus are certain to be answered. The Holy Spirit will not lead us to pray selfish “prosperity gospel” prayers but rather prayers that are part of the God’s plan. When the prayers are God’s idea, He will answer them.

Remember that the next time you pray.