Sunday, 4 August 2019

John 16:23-24

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

God wants you to ask for things in prayer!

Did you notice this? “Until now you have asked for nothing in my name.” Jesus wanted them to start asking! He wants you to start asking, too. He wants you to learn to be bold in your prayer requests.

What does it mean to pray “in Jesus’ name”? Well, when you do anything in someone else’s name, it means you are acting on their behalf, in their best interests. When I was travelling overseas once, I needed to make some changes to my mobile phone account. I phoned my nephew and asked him to take care of it for me. “Just speak to them as if you were me,” I said.

When I gave him the authority to use my name, I expected him to use my name to accomplish my wishes. That is what Jesus expects from you. He promises that the Father will grant your prayer requests, if your prayer requests are really his (Jesus’) prayer requests.

When your prayer requests originate with Jesus, can there be any doubt that God will answer them with a resounding “Yes!”?

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