Fast Like DanielSample

In His Name

Have you ever thought about how we end our prayers? Christians often tack “in Jesus’ name” onto the end of our prayers without a whole lot of thought about what we’re actually saying—or what it means.

Say you knew Bill Gates, and he really liked you—trusted you. Say he gave you his foundation’s credit card and said, “Go out there and do good stuff in my name!” You would carry the authority of his name because his name on the card gave it the power to buy things. You’d say, “I fund this orphanage in the name of Bill Gates,” and the money would go from his account to the orphanage. BOOM! Lives would be changed.

Jesus left us HIS name, and all the authority behind it—and it’s way bigger than Bill Gates’. But we aren’t supposed to throw it around casually; we’re supposed to use it to do His will. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” and He told us that when we ask for anything according to His will that Father God would do it.

If your jaw is not on the floor when you really think about that, it should be. It should blow your mind—and humble you. #MindBlown! He wants you to be in on everything He does in this world—to learn His will and then go out and help make it happen with your actions and with your prayers.

The next time you’re in prayer, I hope you think of this and let it make your knees all wobbly. Jesus’ name is yours, and His authority is given to you to do His will on the earth. You’ve got Jesus’ credit card, and there’s no limit to what He can do!!!

Are you using it, in humility, to pray powerful prayers? Take this time of fasting like Daniel to let the weight and significance of the name of Jesus settle on you—and inspire you to go out and use His name to change the world! 

Jesus’ name opens blind eyes and sets the prisoners free, and we can tap into that same power by fasting and praying in His name. After you read how Jesus taught us to pray, go out in His name—and change the world!