'Claiming Things' in the Name of Christ: How We Misplace Our Trust in God

As Catholics, we are sometimes shocked to hear other Christians say things in prayer like, “I claim this in the name of Christ.” It is strange to us because we were never taught to pray this way. It is even more shocking that some of us have begun to adopt this type of prayer. We must put this type of prayer in its proper perspective, because it has been twisted so much that it no longer resembles authentic Christian prayer.

The source of this prayer, some will assert, comes from Scripture itself. Christ said, “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24) Does Christ teach us that when we believe something, it will happen – as if it were some sort of magical incantation we can use to get whatever we want? We can claim anything, and God will grant it for as long as we believe it? This is a gross misinterpretation of this verse that has started to proliferate in different circles, and as Catholics, we should know better.

The Catholic way to understand this verse is different. Trust is belief that God will do the right thing and at the right time. We can’t say we trust Him and still worry about it at the same time. Those two things are mutually exclusive. Sometimes we even panic searching for solutions to a problem we have already given to God. Is that the kind of trust we have? If there is still some fear in us, then we have not yet trusted completely. Trust is manifested when we no longer fear, for God will take care of it.

If we truly trust that God will do something for us, we relinquish everything and leave it up to Him. This is the “belief” for which Christ is asking. He already has a plan in motion, but if we keep interrupting it or steering away from it, how can God finish it? We just get in His way as if we don’t consent to his actions in our life (and since he respects our free will, He won’t do things for us that we don’t consent to).

Christ is not teaching us some kind of superstition where we play the central part of prayer. It is wrong to think that just because WE believe God will do it He will do it as if His will depends on the strength of our belief. We’ve made idols of ourselves. Christ is teaching us that God is the center of prayer; we put all our trust in Him – our belief – and HE will reply with the right thing for us. This should be the attitude: God is the center of prayer, not us. And so we ask things from Our Father, yes, but we don’t “claim” it as if we have the right to do so. Our prayers should be like one of a child full of trust, “not my will be done, Lord, but yours.” That is authentic Christian prayer.