The following is an excerpt from our devotional series “Seven Conditions for Answered Prayer,” based on the teachings of IFA co-founder Derek Prince.

The first great characteristic for getting our prayers answered is that we pray “in the name of Jesus.” We have already referenced John 14:13–14. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Why do we pray in the name of Jesus? Because, when we pray in the name of Jesus, it means this: We acknowledge that we have no right of access to God at all, apart from Jesus Christ.

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Jesus came to earth to become our sacrifice on the Cross — our Substitute — and then rose from the dead to become our High Priest at God’s right hand. Without the intervention of the Cross, we would have no right of access to God with complete liberty and boldness. So, when we pray in the name of Jesus, we are reminding ourselves that the only basis of access that we have is through the Lord Jesus Christ and His present position now as our Mediator at God’s right hand in heaven. And on that condition, God opens all the treasures of heaven and makes them available to us in the name of Jesus. His name is our authority to pray.

Romans 8:32 is a most wonderful Scripture. It says, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Think of that! “Freely give us all things.” But what’s the condition? “With Him.” Apart from Jesus, there is nothing. In and through Jesus, there is everything. That’s what we are declaring when we come in prayer in the name of Jesus.

Consider also Philippians 4:19: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. The source of supply is the riches of God in glory. You will never bankrupt God, no matter how much you pray. When God has supplied all your needs, He’ll still be just as rich as He was before. God is infinite and His supply is without limits. It’s out of His “riches in glory,” but the channel of supply is “by Christ Jesus.”

And then there is 2 Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. All of God’s promises are available to us, but only “in Him” — Jesus Christ. All this is what we declare when we come to God in the name of Jesus.

We will consider other things necessary to achieve what one preacher from an earlier generation called “prevailing prayer,” but there is no forward progress without this foundation. It is not simply the words “ … in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!” It is the understanding, clearly given in God’s word, that all divine authority and power reside in that name and who He is.

Points to Ponder:

• Brother Prince’s initial use of the word “conditions” is not meant to intimidate or push you away from anticipating God’s supply in your life, but to give you assurance of His commitment that you succeed in applying each principle, one step at a time.
• Learning to pray effectively is a process and not an “instant success.” If we come humbly to God as learners, the conditions become steps of achievement.
• Whether your storage device is a notebook, a pad, or your phone, please give each step the attention you need to gain mastery by recording and learning these steps, especially the associated Bible passages. Keeping your journal will help you grow stronger in your Christian journey.

Complete Devotional in PDF Format — Click Here!

What do you think of this teaching? Share it with friends and family to help them pray.

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