John Chapter 16 Verses 23-27
Yesterday we read about how Jesus turns our sorrow to joy through the crucifixion and resurrection, and that the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to experience joy regardless of our circumstance. We have joy because we are saved. We have joy because we understand God’s plans and purposes, and even when we don’t understand them, we know He has reasons.
Today, we will continue reading as Jesus expounded on God’s relationship with us. Verses 23-24 read,
“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. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
We don’t ask things of Jesus, He taught us to pray to the Father. Before the crucifixion the disciples didn’t ask in His name because He was with them. But when He returned to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit they became His representatives on earth, just as you and I are His representatives. So we ask in Jesus’ name.
Jesus said many times whatever we ask in His name, the Father would give it to us. He said it again here with the addition “that your joy may be full.” What does that mean? It means that our friendship and partnership with God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit would be complete and comprehensive. The joy of that relationship is bigger than we can explain to someone who doesn’t have the Holy Spirit to help him grasp it. In that friendship, God allows us in on His plans. (John 15:15). He wants us to know Him and to be glad. He wants joy to radiate from us and emanate every area of our lives. We can ask the Father anything, as Jesus’ delegates on earth and the Father will give it because He wants that joy for us.
God wants you to be happy. He doesn’t want you to trudge through your life. He made it possible for you to be jubilant even through the most difficult times. You have hope. You know your future. You have promises. You have a relationship with God. That camaraderie and alliance with the LORD is absolutely a reason to celebrate no matter what. And the Father wants to prove it to you. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Verses 26-27 read,
“In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
When you pray, you are not asking a priest or prophet to pray for you, and you are not waiting for a third party to tell you God’s response. You are not even asking Jesus to pray for you. You, yourself are going directly to Almighty God and asking. And He is listening because you are covered by Jesus’ blood. You are righteous and holy and you can talk to Holy Awesome God. You get to call Him Father. How amazing is that? Who are we? Yet, we get to enter into His presence anytime we want and enjoy fellowship with Him. And He loves us! He loves us a lot. He wants to bless us, give us gifts, and give us what we ask for!
Do you have children? Do you want them to be happy? Do you want them to succeed in life? Do you want them to meet the potential you see in them? Yes, of course you do. You are human, imagine how much deeper the perfect love of Love Himself is then. Luke 11:9-13 describes it like this,
“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
You are more than God’s child, as if that isn’t enough. You are His friend, his partner. He adores you. He has so much He wants to give you. Just ask Him. Go ahead. If you aren’t sure if what you ask is wise or in His will, ask anyway. God knows His will. He won’t give you something outside His plans.
Yesterday we read about how Jesus turns our sorrow to joy through the crucifixion and resurrection, and that the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to experience joy regardless of our circumstance. We have joy because we are saved. We have joy because we understand God’s plans and purposes, and even when we don’t understand them, we know He has reasons.
Today, we will continue reading as Jesus expounded on God’s relationship with us. Verses 23-24 read,
“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. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
We don’t ask things of Jesus, He taught us to pray to the Father. Before the crucifixion the disciples didn’t ask in His name because He was with them. But when He returned to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit they became His representatives on earth, just as you and I are His representatives. So we ask in Jesus’ name.
Jesus said many times whatever we ask in His name, the Father would give it to us. He said it again here with the addition “that your joy may be full.” What does that mean? It means that our friendship and partnership with God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit would be complete and comprehensive. The joy of that relationship is bigger than we can explain to someone who doesn’t have the Holy Spirit to help him grasp it. In that friendship, God allows us in on His plans. (John 15:15). He wants us to know Him and to be glad. He wants joy to radiate from us and emanate every area of our lives. We can ask the Father anything, as Jesus’ delegates on earth and the Father will give it because He wants that joy for us.
God wants you to be happy. He doesn’t want you to trudge through your life. He made it possible for you to be jubilant even through the most difficult times. You have hope. You know your future. You have promises. You have a relationship with God. That camaraderie and alliance with the LORD is absolutely a reason to celebrate no matter what. And the Father wants to prove it to you. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Verses 26-27 read,
“In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
When you pray, you are not asking a priest or prophet to pray for you, and you are not waiting for a third party to tell you God’s response. You are not even asking Jesus to pray for you. You, yourself are going directly to Almighty God and asking. And He is listening because you are covered by Jesus’ blood. You are righteous and holy and you can talk to Holy Awesome God. You get to call Him Father. How amazing is that? Who are we? Yet, we get to enter into His presence anytime we want and enjoy fellowship with Him. And He loves us! He loves us a lot. He wants to bless us, give us gifts, and give us what we ask for!
Do you have children? Do you want them to be happy? Do you want them to succeed in life? Do you want them to meet the potential you see in them? Yes, of course you do. You are human, imagine how much deeper the perfect love of Love Himself is then. Luke 11:9-13 describes it like this,
“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
You are more than God’s child, as if that isn’t enough. You are His friend, his partner. He adores you. He has so much He wants to give you. Just ask Him. Go ahead. If you aren’t sure if what you ask is wise or in His will, ask anyway. God knows His will. He won’t give you something outside His plans.
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