PRAYING IN JESUS’ NAME
The following scriptures have fueled the belief that any prayer that begins or ends with “in Jesus’ name” will be a powerful, effective prayer.

John 14:13-14: 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:16: “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

John 16:23-26: “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. 25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;

The problem with the belief that praying the literal words “in Jesus’ name” is effective is that it puts all the attention on the spoken words while ignoring the issue of faith without which it is impossible to please God or expect to have prayers answered. Adding “in Jesus’ name” to a prayer is the equivalent of speaking a magic incantation where the power is in the words. If that is all that is required to receive an answer from God, anyone — even someone without faith — could do it. God would not allow himself to be manipulated like this.