In His Name

Asking in His name means receiving with open hands, not clutched expectations.

Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash

It’s easy to read Jesus’ words—“ask anything in My name and I will do it”—as if He’s handing us a blank check. But our hearts instinctively know it can’t mean asking for anything and everything without boundaries. A Christian athlete praying for sunshine and a Christian farmer praying for rain can’t both receive their wish if Christ’s name is simply a spiritual tagline.

Ray Stedman helps us see that “in My name” is not a ritual phrase but a reality—a position of alignment with Jesus’ character and will. It means asking within the framework of His desires, His mission, His love. Just like a police officer acts “in the name of the law” only when operating under legal authority, we act in Christ’s name only when aligned with His heart and purposes.

When we pray in His name, we’re not invoking magic—we’re yielding to the purposes of Christ being worked through us. This doesn’t restrict our prayers; it refines them. It gives us confidence to ask boldly for all that aligns with His goodness, knowing He delights to do it—not for our acclaim, but so the Father may be glorified in the Son.

✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

When I invite you to ask in My name, I am not offering a formula—I am offering fellowship. To ask in My name is to abide in My presence, to know My heart, to trust My ways. It is to bring your desires into harmony with Mine, not to treat Me as a vending machine for earthly outcomes.

My name is not a passcode—it is the embodiment of all I am: faithful, true, righteous, merciful. So when you ask according to My name, you are asking according to who I am and what I desire to bring forth through your life.

I did not say you must guess My will—I said abide in Me, and you will bear much fruit. My Spirit in you intercedes when words fall short, shaping even your longings to match My perfect will. Ask boldly, yes, but ask as one who walks with Me, not apart from Me.

Whatever you ask in My name, it shall be done—not because of your eloquence, but because you are joined to Me. And My desires through you cannot be denied.

Let your confidence be in this: you are not praying alone. I am praying through you.

Scriptures referenced: John 14:13–14, Romans 8:26–27, John 15:5–7, Philippians 2:13, 1 John 5:14–15

🧺 Real-Life Analogy

It’s like using a company credit card. You can make purchases freely—as long as what you're buying aligns with the business’s mission. But if you try to use it for personal luxury or out-of-policy expenses, it’s not only unauthorized—it’s misuse. Likewise, praying in Jesus’ name means we are carrying His card, not our own. And when we swipe in line with His purposes, there’s no limit.

🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence

Jesus, thank You for making Your name my resting place and my authority. I rejoice that I don’t need to persuade You to act—I simply yield to what You’re already doing. I trust that as I walk in union with You, every prayer that aligns with Your heart will be met with a resounding “Yes.” I no longer strive to guess what You might bless—I ask as one abiding in You, confident that You are glorifying the Father through my surrendered life.