BREAKING THE ALABASTER BOX
Lesson 4: Teach Me to Pray – Hallowed Be Thy Name
Matthew 6:
9 After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
To “hallow” something means to look at it as holy and sacred. According to Jesus, God’s name is already hallowed – in heaven. All the power and majesty of Heaven is invested in one Name: the name Jesus. “Jesus” is the Greek translation of the English transliteration (Joshua) of the Hebrew name “Yeshua”, which means “Jehovah My Savior”. Although many young men throughout history have been called by that name, only Jesus Christ perfectly embodies its meaning. In Philippians, we are told that He is the name above every name. Acts 4:12 tells us that this is the only Name that saves us – the Name of Jesus.
Everything we do as Christians should be done in the Name of Jesus. Prayer is no exception. Most of us end our prayers by saying “In Jesus’s Name, Amen”. Praying in his name is much more than the closing of our prayers. In fact, it would not hurt to begin our prayers that way because to invoke the Name of Jesus is to invoke his power and authority.
We would have no right to pray if it were not for Jesus’s sacrifice on Calvary. It is his sinless life and atoning blood which provides us the right to the divine relationship. It is all in him. All power and authority are vested in Jesus. Therefore when we pray, we must call upon the Name and plead his blood to gain an audience before the throne.
Thankfully, because we can call upon his Name and the blood has been applied to our lives, we have the right to appear boldly before the throne of Grace. We have been given the gift of the Name and we must use it wisely. To effectively access the power of this Name in prayer, we must keep it hallowed in our heart.
When we are baptized in His Name, we are a part of the Royal Family and we have the authority to use the power of the Name to gain entrance to the throne room. Remember that Heaven is the spirit realm and prayer is our means of crossing into that realm. The power of the Name lies in Heaven, where it carries all authority. The Name of Jesus is a battle cry and our war is spiritual.
Because the Name is so powerful, we must take the greatest care not to misuse it. Taking the Lord’s Name in vain is broader than curse words. To flippantly use the Name of Jesus in conversation is like shooting a gun into the air. It is even worse to be casual with this powerful Name in prayer. The Name of Jesus is given to us as a powerful tool in prayer, but we must use it correctly to receive the benefit.
To invoke the Name of Jesus in prayer effectively, we must first know that what we ask is of God. We must learn to align our requests with the manifest will of God – his Word. When we have a confirmed personal application of God’s word for our particular situation, then we may speak the Name with boldness and authority.
When we say the Name of Jesus in prayer, we invoke all of Heaven to aid us. When we use the Name we engage in spiritual warfare. Therefore, we don’t trivialize it by using it as a ritual or repeating it for every personal need or prayer request. The power of the Name does not grow with repetition. If we call upon Jesus as we begin to pray, Heaven comes to attention to listen as long as we talk. There is no need to repeat ourselves unless we meet spiritual opposition.
The Name “Jesus” is our greatest weapon in spiritual warfare. We enter into spiritual warfare when we sense in the Spirit that a demonic attack is blocking the answer to our prayer. When God has revealed demonic interference, we immediately call upon His Name. Demons must bow before that Name. At least for a time, they must yield the field.
Sometimes our situation is simply too urgent for eloquent prayer. When the car veers off the road, there is no time for anything but one heartfelt cry. Those are the moments when the Name is the most precious. In our moment of peril, we need only say, “Jesus” and He is there.
Then there are times when we are overwhelmed and don’t know how to pray. The Name is knowledge enough. In those moments, we simply cry, “Jesus, fix it.” And he does.
When using the Name of Jesus in our prayers, we are claiming intimacy and authority with the Savior. Empowered with the Name, we can come with boldness to lay our petitions before God. Isn’t it good to know that we are on a first name basis with our Creator? Thank God you know His Name!
Discussion
1. What is the significance of a name in our relationship with God?
2. What are our some ways we can unconsciously misuse the Name?
3. How do we use the Name of Jesus in spiritual warfare?
4. What are specific examples of the authority the Name of Jesus gives us?
Exercises
1. Use your prayer journal to list the most important things you do on an ordinary day. Think about what it means to do those things in the Name of Jesus. How would that change how you see these activities and how you approach them? Are there changes Jesus would want you to make? List those things you feel Jesus would want you to do specifically to be more pleasing to him in your daily life. Pick one change at a time and implement this list in your life. Note in your journal the results.
2, Do a self-check for using the Name of the Lord in vain. Perhaps you do not curse, but are you casual or flippant? Remember we have the right to be intimate with Jesus, but we must always be respectful, as we would with our parents. Ask God to convict you each time you slip and keep a record. Find someone to confess your slips and to share accountability Apologize to God for each slip and says a word of praise and love.
3. List those prayer needs for which you have prayed the longest with no tangible answer. Come boldly into prayer with this list. Call out the Name of Jesus and ask Him to give you a fresh Word from Heaven. Meditate daily on scripture. Write down what God tells you through the Spirit. Repeat daily until the need is met
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