John 17:11 “…Holy Father protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.”

This is part of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples before he went to the cross. He was satisfied that they finally understood who he was, that he was sent by God and that they now believed in Him. Furthermore he was satisfied that they had a good grasp of all He had been demonstrating and teaching them. (See John 16: 31) He knew the intensity of the trials and challenges they were about to face leading up to his crucifixion and afterwards. So he prayed to His Father for their protection and their unity with Him in the same manner that he was united with His Father. Then Jesus prayed the identical prayer for all who would believe in Him in the future through the message which the disciples would later share. (John 17: 20 – 26).

It is recalled that when the angel Gabriel had appeared to Mary he had announced: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Luke 1: 31- 32) This was confirmed to Joseph by the angel who told him: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1: 20 -21) This is why we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. The Father and the Son are united again in heaven – the power of the name is undivided and the Holy Spirit bears witness to that power in the earth when believers pray.

“There is protection in my name for those who are mine. I protected the Lord Jesus while He was in the earth long enough for Him to complete the work I gave him to do. Likewise my children are under my protection every day in every circumstance so that their lives are preserved to complete assigned tasks. This applies to everyone who is truly mine not to those who though saved are still stiff-necked and are going their own way with their own agendas.”