"I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may
3. SERVICE
"I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:13) This promise is almost startling in its extent, but it also includes two important limits that we might not notice if we do not think about it. The extent of Jesus' promise is as clear as it is amazing – that he will do whatever we ask if we ask as we should – and it is so clear that we hardly need comment on it. Jesus makes no half promise, but assures us that he will do whatever we ask as a matter of service on our behalf. But all too often sincere believers try to claim this promise without understanding the nature of what Jesus offers us, and the result may be disappointment. This promise was never intended to be a guarantee of divine help in any and all circumstances. It is not a spiritual "vending machine" that promises divine assistance whenever we would like it. But when we understand the true nature of what Jesus promised, we see what an incredible gift it really is. First, we will look at the two limitations Jesus placed on this promise. In His Name The first limitation Jesus places on his promise of assistance is simple enough, but we must be sure that we understand it properly. The words "whatever you ask in my name" do not mean, of course, that the mere use of the formula "In Jesus' name" or "in the name of Jesus" is some kind of magical spell that miraculously makes things happen. The words are not a reminder to God that we have a written guarantee of answered prayer – as many scriptures show (Acts 19:13; 2 Corinthians 12:8–9; etc.). Most Bible readers realize that "in Jesus' name" often means that something is being done with the authority of Jesus or "on Jesus'
behalf." But the expression can also have a number of other, quite different meanings in the New Testament. In fact, "by Jesus' authority" is only one of seven meanings of "in Jesus' name" and it is good to be aware of all seven of the ways the New Testament uses this expression. 1) By Jesus' authority. This is one of the most common meanings the New Testament gives to "in Jesus' name." 2) Proclaiming the Gospel. In the book of Acts we read that the Jewish leaders commanded the disciples using "in the name of Jesus," but they certainly did not speak by his authority. "Then they called [the disciples] ... and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus" (Acts 4:18). This simply means the disciples were told not teach the gospel Jesus taught (see also Acts 5:40). 3) Speaking or acting with the character of Jesus. In biblical times, a person's name was often related to the character of the individual. In this sense, to say or do something in Jesus' name is to do it as Jesus would – as when Paul wrote "In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5 NCV). 4) Doing something as if it were for Jesus. There are verses where "in Jesus' name" means doing something as if we were doing them for Christ – as when Paul wrote: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" (Colossians 3:23). Whatever we do – whether our jobs, feeding our families, or simply mowing our lawns – we can do things as though we do them for Christ. 5) Giving thanks through Jesus. Paul shows this meaning of "in the name of Jesus" when he wrote that we should be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). As our intermediary, Jesus conveys
our thanks to the Father – in his name – and we are "giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). 6) Aligning our will with that of God. Doing something "in the name of Jesus" can sometimes mean we align our will and our petitions with his. This meaning does not stress the authority of Jesus, but his way of praying and doing everything according to the Father's will. 7) Into the name or body of Jesus. The Greek preposition eis translated as "in" in the phrase "in the name of Jesus" also means "into," and this appears to be the meaning in a number of verses that speak of people being baptized in Jesus' name. We read, for example: "they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5 ASV, BSB, CSB, etc.). This is because we are baptized into the body of Christ: "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV). So there are seven different meanings to the expression "in the name of Jesus" in the New Testament, and we must look carefully at the context where the words occur to see how they are being used. But all these meanings are covered by what Jesus meant when he said "I will do whatever you ask in my name" – as we can see when we look at the second limitation he placed on his promise. Glorifying the Father After saying "whatever you ask in my name" Jesus added a second condition to his promise – "that the Father may be glorified in the Son." This second condition clarifies the first for us. It shows us that the things we may ask Jesus to do, in his name, are not primarily for our own needs or desires, but things that will glorify God through his Son's work. This is not to say, of course, that prayers for other reasons are never granted by God. Jesus taught us to pray for our daily needs (Matthew 6:11), but in the John 14:13
promise it is not our needs, but God's purposes that are addressed. For example, the prayer "Father, please make me well, in Jesus' name" may or may not be answered by God at this time, but the prayer "Father, give me the strength I need to complete the work I know you have given me to do today" carries with it the understanding that we are asking for something that is for God's purposes and glory – and the promise of Jesus' help. Jesus himself tied the things for which he prayed to the glory of God. Notice just two examples from the Gospel of John: "Father, glorify your name!" (John 12:28); "This sickness will not end in death... it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4); "Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him" (John 13:31). Giving glory to God is actually a theme of John's Gospel, and he uses the expression "glorify God" repeatedly. For example, the first and the last of the seven miracles of Jesus that John records are specifically said to have been performed as manifestations of God's glory (John 2:11; John 11:4, 40). Although it is not specifically stated, the other miracles of Jesus were clearly performed with the same goal in mind. Although we may not have the power to perform miracles, God nevertheless gives every believer the opportunity to live and to do his work in a manner that glorifies him. So when we properly understand this great promise of Jesus, we realize that it does not really cover requests for our personal needs, except as far as they are for the glory of God. For our own personal needs we have many other promises in God's word – as when the apostle Paul tells us that: "God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19 ESV). So "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it" is not a blanket statement of how we can receive whatever we want, or even need from God, but rather a statement to tell us how we should pray relative to God's work and glory. It is in that sense, a promise to help us serve. Paul clearly indicated this when he wrote, "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). Jesus' great promise of help to his followers in John 14:13 was not that he would serve us in any way we might ask, but that he would personally help us serve and glorify our Father in heaven. This is the sense in which he encourages us with his promise and why, as a result, he told his followers: "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete" (John 16:24). Jesus' promise has one further lesson for us. It is not only a promise of his help, but a reminder that we need his help! Jesus told his disciples that even he could do nothing of himself when it came to doing God's work and glorifying him (John 5:30). We must always remember that we, too, need Jesus' promised help to do these things, and that when we ask it in his name it will be given – and our joy will be full.