Protestantism

» Brian Tubbs - Asking in Prayer

Migisi, first most of your quotes are the same statements Jesus made - you're just giving all the Gospel renditions of those quotes. But anyway...

Asking for something in Jesus' name means MUCH, MUCH more than just mouthing those words. We've gotten in the habit of tacking "in Jesus' name" on the end of our prayers, and thinking we've done some great thing. That's NOT what praying in Jesus' name really means.

Praying in Jesus' name means that you're making your requests in HIS service - and on HIS behalf. (And, of course, prayer is really about spending time with God anyway - not treating Him like a Sears catalog - see James 4:2-4).

Lastly, praying in Jesus' name (I believe) also means praying LIKE Jesus. And we have the Lord's Prayer as a guide for that. In it, Jesus makes clear that we are to submit our desires to the Lord's WILL. "Thy kingdom come...Thy will be done." In addition, Jesus' prayer in Gethesemane demonstrates this when he pleads with the Father to let the "cup pass from me," but then says: "Not my will, but thy will be done." And then submits himself to the Cross.

Prayer is NOT as one-dimensional as you and Oliver are making it out to be.