John 14:13,14,26, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you." John 16:23,24,26, "And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you."
There is a special promise made for a special purpose. To go in the name of another means to go with the power and authority of that person as his representative and substitute. A businessman goes away on a trip. He leaves a trusted assistant in charge of his business. Of course, he chooses someone who has earned the right to represent him while he is away. He chooses someone who carries the same burden he carries, who has proven himself a hard worker, trustworthy and loyal. While the businessman is away, his substitute may have to order materials or make requisitions. He gives this trusted employee the right to order in his name. Our Master has gone away. There are those who are His own who have proven themselves to be trustworthy and loyal and to have a burden for the work. To such people He gives the authority to go to the throne of grace in His name and make requisitions. This authority is earned by dedication to the same task.
While our Lord is away, we are told to do the same work that He did. John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father." It is interesting that this precedes the first mention of asking in Jesus' name. God is saying that this promise is only for His work. He precedes it with one of the greatest verses in the Bible about His work. Our Lord is saying that if we do the work He did and even greater works than He did, then He can trust us to go in His name to the Father and requisition our needs.
Now notice John 16:23,24,26, "And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you." It is interesting that "ask in My name" is preceded by "do all in My name." When we do all in His name, we may ask all in His name. The asking is earned by the doing. This is no prayer promise to babes in Christ or to novices in His work. This is a promise to those who have given their lives to doing the work that He did and all that they do is in His name. He can trust them. They have earned that trust by their diligence and loyalty. They have done His work in His name; now they have the right to order supplies in His name, but the work must come first. John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father." John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." Acts 1:1, "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach."
I receive hundreds of pieces of mail a week. There are some questions that are asked over and over again. I may read a letter and find that it asks me for my position on divorce and what I think the Scripture teaches about the subject. Now so many hundreds of people have asked me this same question that I may say to my trusted secretary, Erma McKinney, "Erma, answer this in the usual way." I do not lightly give her this authority. For many years she has worked hard. She has helped carry my burden and my load. She has been faithful, diligent and loyal. When she first became my secretary, I did not give her this authority. There came a day when I felt through her diligence, work and loyalty that I could trust her. When a Christian has worked for the Lord until he can be a trusted servant, when he has carried the burden and has proven his trustworthiness and loyalty, God may say to him, "Now that you are doing My work and have proven yourself you may go to the Father in My name and make requests for My work." This is what it means in John 15:7, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Notice that unless we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we may not claim His promise to ask what we will and receive it.
A woman gives herself to a man in marriage. She loves him. They are not only one legally and physically—they are one in heart, in spirit and in work. His work is her work; his burden is her burden; his care is her care. He arranges at the bank so she can sign his checks. She has proven herself.
Legally there is what is called the power of attorney. This is basically what asking in Jesus' name means. It means He can trust us with the checkbook and with the power to transact His business in His name.
I have many staff members who have been with me for years. Meredith Plopper has been with me for nearly 22 years. Elaine Colsten, Jennie Nischik and Maxine Jeffries have been with me approximately 20 years. Dr. Johnny Colsten and Erma McKinney have been with me for nearly 18 years. Rose O' Brien has been with me for over 15 years. Mabel Boardway has typed for me for nearly 13 years. Ann Shoaf and Nancy Bewley have been with me about 12 years. For almost 11 years Brother Ray Boardway has been Director of our Adult Choir. Judy Anderson has been with me almost 11 years.
These are people whose diligence, loyalty and integrity have been tested by time and dedication. They, as well as others on the staff, have earned my trust. Each in his own department is given liberty to spend his own budget as he or she sees fit. I believe that each carries a burden for his own work akin to mine. I trust him and in many areas give him freedom to go in my name, to do in my name, and to ask in my name.
Now suppose that while the boss is away, his assistant in charge abuses his privilege of going in the employer's name and suppose he uses this power for his personal use. The employer becomes aware of this abuse, and he will withdraw the privilege from his once trusted employee.
"Dear Lord, may I be so diligent in Your work, and may I enter into Your burden so that You can count me trustworthy, diligent and loyal so that I may have the authority to pray in Your name. I promise You that I will not abuse that authority. I will not go in Your name carelessly. I will try to ask for things for which You would ask if You were here. As I approach Your throne of grace, I will do so carefully and soberly realizing that I am Jesus' representative requisitioning supplies for the greatest work of the world. Oh, God, may I earn Your trust, and may I keep that trust. With the passing of the days, may my burden be more like Your burden and my work be more like Your work. I pledge myself to do all in Your name, and I thank You for the degree of authority given me to ask in Your name. May I never abuse or misuse this trust! Amen."
