Someone asked, “In our private prayers, is it necessary to say, ‘In Jesus‘ name’?” The principle of praying to the Heavenly Father in the name of or through Jesus Christ is firmly established in the address of our Lord to His apostles. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16 NKJV). “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” (John 16:23). Jesus spoke directly and only to His apostles in John 14-16, and so, many things in those three chapters were pertinent only to the apostles. However, the principle of prayer directed to the Father through Jesus Christ applied not only to the apostles, but it applies to all disciples (i.e., today—Christians). We know this because passages of Scripture pertaining to non-apostles about prayer exhibit the same principle—to the Father through Jesus Christ. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).
These passages and others treating other subjects that refer to “in the name of the Lord” tell us what to do and not necessarily what to say. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…’” (Acts 2:38; cf., Acts 8:16; 10:48; 19:4-5).
The child of God’s access to the Father is through Jesus Christ. “For through Him [Jesus Christ] we both [Jews and non-Jews] have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). Prayer and baptism are both possible through Jesus Christ. Customarily, we say what we are doing through prayer and in baptism to reinforce for auditors and onlookers what we are doing. Yet, we would still be praying and baptizing through the name or by the authority of Jesus Christ even if we did not say so. It is wise to say what we are doing so that others understand, but someone could appear to be praying or being baptized by appealing to the name of Jesus without actually praying acceptably or genuinely submitting to our Lord in baptism.
To answer the original question about one’s private prayers, then, “No, it is not necessary to say in ‘Jesus’ name’ etc. when the prayer is exclusively between ourselves and our Heavenly Father.” Nevertheless, said or not stated, silently or aloud, an individual Christian’s prayer is to the Father through Jesus Christ. However, it is such a little thing that habitually acknowledging to ourselves and to God in even our private prayers “in Jesus’ name,” etc. is a good normality.
