Part 2 Biblical Meaning and Implications for the Word "Name", Including Praying in the "Name" of Jesus

Biblical Meaning of the Word “Name”

Part 2: Praying in the “Name” of Jesus

An important scripture in the New Testament that is directly related to the discussion of the Biblical meaning of the word “name” in Part I of this article, a scripture that has been incorrectly translated and interpreted historically is:

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.   If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14 ESV

And there are numerous other scriptures in the New Testament that you can explore when I AM Saves (Jesus) refers to prayer, include praying in His “name”.

But to review, let’s return to the meaning of the word “name” in the Old Testament which would be the way that I AM Saves (Jesus) and his followers would have understood it.  The meaning of the word “name” in the Old Testament, particularly as it refers to the Godhead, is the identity.

If I take John 14:13-14 and look into the more accurate and deeper meaning than has historically been promoted (“In Jesus name, Amen”) it would look like this:

And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

As fearful, fragile, vulnerable humans who have been placed in a dangerous universe (ultimately for all and quickly for some leading to death), we are naturally and understandably interested in getting what we want/need for our fleshly comfort and survival – and that of other humans that we value, so we have been told, and had modeled, to mechanically use “In Jesus name” at the end of our prayers to at least help insure that we get what we are asking for/want/need from God. 

But if we take the above scripture with the interpretation of the word “name” that we explored as it’s accurate meaning biblically – the requisite for I AM Saves (Jesus) doing what we are requesting in the prayer, according to John 14:13-14, is that we be within his identity/nature/character.

So what does scripture say about how we can be/or are - within the identity/nature/character of I AM Saves (Jesus)?

·         John 1: 1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  All through Him came into existence; and without Him came into existence not even one (thing) that came into existence.

·         Colossians 1: 16-17 …within Him was created all, within the heavens and upon the earth; the visible and the invisible; whether thrones, or lordships, or rulers or authorities; all has been created through Him and into (Greek: eis) Him.

·         2 Timothy 1:9  …He rescued us and called us with a unique calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and gift [which was] given to us within Anointed I AM Saves (transliterated in most “translations” as: Christ Jesus) before the ages of the ages times. ( i.e. before “time” began).

·         Isaiah 46:10 “Remember former things from forever for I am God and none else is God, even none like Me, declaring from the beginning to the end and from the past those things which were not done, saying, ‘My purpose shall rise; and I will accomplish ALL my good pleasure….Yes I have spoken (His Word); yes, I will cause it to come; I have formed: yes, I will do it.’”

·         Isaiah 14:24 I AM Always AM (YHWH) of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely as I have thought, surely it shall be;”

·         Acts 17:28 For within Him we [all] live and are moved about and exist. [Paul was speaking to Athenians who had not yet been persuaded to accept his message.]

·         Romans 11:32 For from out of Him [God] and through Him and into Him is ALL.                   [this statement includes the second person of the Trinity, the I AM Saves, the Living Word of God].

·         Isaiah 55:11 So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return  without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

·         I AM Saves (Jesus) last words on the cross: John 19:30 "It has been completed/fully realized/perfected/repaid [Greek: Tetelestai]." [many translations: “It is finished.”]

·         John 17:4 “I glorified You on the earth, completing (Greek: eteleiosa: accomplishing, perfecting, finishing) the work which You gave to me that I should do.”

·         2 Peter 3:9 The Owner/Lord/Master…not desiring/being willing for any to be lost/stray, but all to come into change of understanding/mind/intellect.

·         1 Timothy 2:4 “For good and acceptable in the sight/judgment/decision of God our Rescuer who desires/wills all men to be rescued and to come into a full knowledge of truth."

·         Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified; I live and no longer I but Christ [Greek: Anointed] lives within me, but now the life I live within the flesh, I live by the faith/persuasion of the Son of God; He caring for [Greek: agape] me and giving Himself over on my behalf.

·         John 14:13-14 And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

·         John 5:18-19 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever He [The Father] does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all that He Himself is doing;” 

·         Matthew 6: 10 “Your will/desire is done on earth as it is in heaven.”

·         Luke 22:42 He prayed, saying, “Father, if you will/desire, take away this cup from Me; but not my will/desire but [you will] let be Your will/desire.

·         John 4:34 And I AM Saves (Jesus) said to them, “My food is that I may do the will/desire of Him who sent me and that I may accomplish/complete/finish His work.”

·         John 10: 25 & 30 “The works that I do in my Father's name (identity/nature/character) bear witness about me.” ^“I and the Father are One.” "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father."

·         John 14: 10 “So long a time I AM with you, and not you know me, Philip?  The (one) seeing Me has seen the Father; and how do you say ‘Show us the Father?’ Not do you believe (persuaded) that I (am) within the Father and the Father is within Me? The words which I speak to you I do not speak from Myself but the Father who exists/indwells Me. He does the works.”

·         John 17:22 "And I have given them the honor/praise/glory which You gave to Me that they may be One as we are One; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in One and the universe/world may know that You sent Me  and loved them, even as You loved Me.

·         John 6:38 "I have descended out of heaven, not that I may do my own will/desire, but the will/desire of the (One) sending Me."

 

In the light of the scriptures above, looking again at John 14: 13-14

And whatever you may ask within my nature/character/identity, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified within the Son.

1.      We all (all humans and all that has ever been created) ARE within Him/His identity/His nature and have always been (including when we are “fallen”, good, bad or ugly).  Being within Him is NOT something that we need to work on or can achieve, because it already (since before the universe/world began) IS.  Everything God has ever intended/desired/thought/spoken has always existed/been accomplished outside and not dependent on our chronological/historical time.

2.      Since we all are within Him, we can ask nothing of Him OR the Father that He will not do, if it is according to God’s will/desire and plan (which has been accomplished/ existed since eternity past); and we can ask nothing of Him OR the Father that He will do if it is not in accordance with God’s will/desire and plan.  THAT IS THE IDENTITY/NATURE/CHARACTER/RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER OF I AM Saves, The Word of God, THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY.  Who says, “If you ask me anything within my identity/nature/character, I will do it.”

3.      We ALL have our existence within Him and when we ask anything of Him, in the framework of formal prayer, or ever, He is faithful to only perform those things that are in accord with His identity/nature/character (“name”) which only and always does those things which are His Father’s will/desire and plan.  And since His Father IS LOVE, He always does what is in His children’s spiritual best interest.  "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

A Useful Scriptural Pattern for Prayer: Philippians 4:4 & 4:6

A useful scriptural pattern for me is:

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice within the Owner/Master/Lord always!  Again I say, Rejoice!

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious about nothing but within everything, by prayer and request with thanksgivings, make your requests known to God. 

We can (and God commands us to) bring everything that we have “anxiety” about to Him in prayer.  We can do that with the confidence (no matter how small, great, fleshly, selfish, spiritually worthless or negative the issue) knowing that He will always answer the prayer in the way that is the very best for us (and every other human) with His eternal priority of what is best for us (and all) for the eternal joy agenda that He has always had in mind/intent/thought for ALL of Adam's race (Romans 5:18) since before the universe/world began. And because He is outside of time, the I AM Always AM that agenda always has been accomplished.

And just briefly looking at what the “with thanksgiving” means in Philippians 4:6: Along with our prayer/request we are thankful that our God will only answer every prayer for our (and everyone’s) eternal best.  That is His identity/nature/character, “Name”, whose identity is also, at the deepest core, "Agape": the fact of being always caring and taking care of (translated into the KJV as “Charity” and into the modern versions, unfortunately as “love”, about which we have such inaccurate perceptions.  But that would be another articleJ

So, the natural consequences of this commanded freedom in prayer, since we can rest that He always and only gives what we truly need the most, is Philippians 4:4 Rejoice within the Owner always! Again I say, Rejoice! (Especially when life and circumstances SUCK!)  Or as said in Psalm 23:1 The I AM Always AM is my Shepherd.  I have no lack.

An additional supportive scripture: Romans 8:28 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not now what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intersedes for us through wordless utterances.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the S;irit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."

June