Day 19: Power for Praying and Working

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things that these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14NIV)

Jesus was speaks to His disciples whose training time is coming to an end. A graduation will begin from the school of Discipleship. And after graduated, these alumni were assigned to take over His place and His work. I can imagine Peter’s confusion when Jesus mentions that their successes and victories are to be greater that His. “How could it be?” Peter might be the first to ask. Jesus already answered, “Because I am going to the Father.” ‘What?’ my thought could not comprehended. Little that I know that He was going to the Father to receive all power, so that now they could ask for and expect that power in His Name.

“In my name…”

‘Wait, (pause) in His name???’ I thought as I read the Word, ‘I remember how it is use in today’s modern day prayers’. Now how many well-meaning Christians and especially the ignorance that you know abuse or misuse the ‘name of Jesus’ in their so-called prayers? God have spoken ‘for I, the Lord your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.’ (Exodus 20:7)

“The phase ‘in my name’, however, is not a talisman for the command of supernatural energy. He did not wish it to be used as a magical charm like an Aladdin’s lamp. It was both guarantee, like the endorsement on a check, and a limitation on the petition; for he would grant only such petitions as could be presented consistently with His character and purpose, not simply to gratify our whims.” [The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Volume 9 by the Zondervan Corporation]

“He will do even greater things…”       

We might assumed in our limitations that the works would be fewer and weaker once He was leaving the scene… oh what we gonna do without Jesus? Will we ever do greater works that He did? Yet, men like Peter and Paul did much greater things than He had done because Jesus now with the Father. And from the Throne He gives the Holy Spirit to be our strength as we do the works for His Kingdom. Effective working first needs effective praying and as we believe and ask in His Name, the power comes and takes possession of us to “do even greater things’! (Too many ‘and’, eh?)

In conclusion, I would like to quotes Andrew Murray’s immortal words, “Whoever wants to do the works of Jesus must pray in His Name. Whoever prays in His Name must work in His Name.” And as we pray, we can do greater things!

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