奉主的名祈求
約翰福音十四章12至15節；十六章23至24節
12我實實在在的告訴你們，我所做的事，信我的人也要做，並且要做比這更大的事，因為我往父那裡去。
13你們奉我的名無論求甚麼，我必成就，叫父因兒子得榮耀。
14你們若奉我的名求甚麼，我必成就。
15你們若愛我，就必遵守我的命令。
23到那日，你們甚麼也就不問我了。我實實在在的告訴你們，你們若向父求甚麼，他必因我的名賜給你們。
24向來你們沒有奉我的名求甚麼，如今你們求，就必得著，叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。
信息分享
同一道理，神亦為禱告定下了某些原則。首先，是我們必須奉主耶穌基督的名禱告。這不單表示我們每次禱告完畢，都加上一句「奉主耶穌基督的名祈求」；而是意味著我們的整個禱告，都是藉耶穌基督而得以呈獻到神的面前。我們不要以為，我們可以有權向神求取任何東西；事實上，我們不單只無權，而且更不配。神只是因著耶穌基督的名而垂聽我們的禱告，也因著基督的緣故，而應允我們的祈求。
這種情況，有點像某人容讓我們去到商店用他的名義來記帳購物。你可能身無分文，因此根本不無購買任何東西；但因為那人容許你用他的名義記帳，所以你便可以獲得你所需用的東西。
奉主耶穌基督的名祈求，也意味著我們只可以求取主所喜悅的東西。對於那些我們自知神不喜悅我們去做，或不喜歡我們去獲得的東西，即使我們奉主耶穌基督的名向神祈求，神也不會應允的。詩篇八十四篇11節告訴我們：「他[神]未嘗留下一樣好處，不給那些行動正直的人。」
誰人可以奉主耶穌基督的名禱告？凡相信祂的人，就可作神的兒女，都可以奉祂的名向神祈禱。神喜悅祂的兒女奉祂兒子耶穌基督的寶貴聖名，向祂禱告，祂應許定必垂聽。
反思：
若不藉著主耶穌，沒有人能到父那裡去。(約翰福音十四章6節)
ARE WE LEARNING TO PRAY?
John 14: 12 - 15; 16: 23 - 24
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Message
In the same way there are certain conditions for prayer. First it must be in the name of Jesus Christ. It is not enough just to add the name of Jesus as the closing words of our prayers. Our whole prayer must be offered through Christ. We cannot ask for anything because we think we deserve it. We deserve nothing, but God recognises the person and name of Jesus Christ and because of Christ, answers our prayer.
It would be like someone allowing you to go to a store and buy goods on their account. You may have no money at all, and therefore you are not trying to use your money (which you don't have) but you are using their money and are able to get what you need.
Praying in the name of Christ also means asking for the kind of things which Christ would be willing to let us have, it would be no use asking God, even in the name of Christ, for those requests you know very well God does not want you to have, or would not want you to do. Read Psalm 84:11, 'no good thing will God withhold from those that walk uprightly'.
Who can use the name of Christ in prayer? Those who belong to him, those who are the children of God. God loves to hear the voices of his children when they come to him in the name of his wonderful Son, Jesus Christ.
A THOUGHT:
No-one can come to the Father, except through Jesus Christ.
John 14: 6