His Name—the name of Jesus—carries power and authority over our lives.
I’ve known that since I was little. Whenever I was scared, I would whisper, “In Jesus’ name, go away,” whether it was a frightening thought or an unfamiliar sound in the dark. Even as a child, I knew nothing was more powerful than Him.
When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, that truth became the anchor I clung to. I knew God held all authority—including authority over this diagnosis. But even though I grew up in church, knew Scripture, understood spiritual warfare, and had heard countless stories of healing, none of it felt like enough in that moment.
So I did what many of us do when we feel helpless—I dove headfirst into the medical side. I studied every treatment protocol, every trial option, every biopsy risk. I barely slept for weeks. At her first radiology consultation, before the doctor could even begin, he said, “First, tell me what you know.” And I recited everything: the steps of the procedure, the purpose of the radiation, the type of rays they’d use, the expected outcomes. It felt like preparing for a board exam I couldn’t fail—because it was for my daughter.
But having a medical background wasn’t necessarily a blessing in this situation—it became a tool the enemy used to rattle me. What was a blessing was knowing God. Having faith. Knowing how to fight back with Scripture.
I became laser-focused on hearing from Him. Over and over, I prayed two verses—ones I still pray regularly:
1 Samuel 3:10
“Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Daniel 10:19
“When You speak to me, Lord, You strengthen me.”
Praying God’s Word back to Him is a way of anchoring yourself in His promises—and aligning your prayers with His will.
A friend lent me Whisper by Mark Batterson. It was such a great book that I immediately went looking for more like it, which led me to Circle Maker. Those books helped instill in me the confidence to pray bold prayers—persistent prayers—uncomfortable prayers. They rooted me in a deeper faith than I had ever known.
I’ve never been someone who settles easily. I’ve always had big dreams and high expectations—sometimes even unrealistic expectations of others. And my expectations of what God can do are no different. But here’s the difference: God actually tells us that He can do more than we can even imagine.
Ephesians 3:20–21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to His power that is at work within us…
I don’t have to feel guilty for expecting much from God.
I just have to make sure my prayers align with His will.
So how do you know you carry the authority of Jesus within you?
If you have asked God into your heart—to be your Savior—His Spirit is in you. Scripture tells us that when Jesus returned to heaven, He sent us a “Helper,” an “Advocate,” the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said in John 16:7:
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”
But how does that mean He is within us?
1 John 4:4 answers that:
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
The enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy has less power than the Spirit who lives within you.
That is why I pray in the name of Jesus.
His authority is greater than any other.
As I’ve walked through this season, I’ve learned that praying in the name of Jesus isn’t about saying the “right” words—it’s about knowing the One who stands behind them. The Spirit within us is stronger than anything we face, and He invites us to lean into that truth with confidence.
My prayer is that whatever you’re going through, you feel the freedom to come boldly before God—trusting that He hears you, He sees you, and He is more than able to do what you cannot.