#DailyDevotion A Bold Promise From Jesus

Joh 16:23-27  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.  (25)  “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.  (26)  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.

Jesus here is teaching us a marvelous explanation of prayer for those who trust Jesus and love Jesus. On the one hand he teaches us to ask the Father of whatever we need in his name. Yet, he does not say he will ask the Father for us. We have this marvelous promise that whatever we ask the Father in Jesus’ name, the Father will give it to us. Just what does it mean to ask in Jesus’ name. One, we ask with faith Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Secondly, John tells us in his first epistle, 1Jn 5:14  “that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” That is to say we are to pray for things he has promised us in his Word. So whatever Jesus or the Word elsewhere tells u to ask for something, we know the Father hears us and says yes. We have this promise that our joy may be full.

This indeed comes with Jesus’ other teaching about prayer, Mat 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  (8) For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Following this Jesus teaches us the Father will not give something harmful to us. He also tells us to be persistent in prayer like the widow before the judge who doesn’t fear God.

Now comes the most amazing thing Jesus does and says, (26) 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.” Jesus elevates us to his place. Jesus doesn’t need to ask on our behalf. We are one with Jesus when we have faith in him and pray in his name. So when the Father hears our prayers it’s just as if Jesus were asking the Father. We are one with Jesus as we are his Bride the Church. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and we are seated with him in the heavenly places. The Father hears us and answers our prayers because we love Jesus and believe Jesus came from God. The Father loves us. Because the Father loves us we have faith in
Christ and love him.

It is simply an amazing and marvelous, not to mention awesome that we have such standing before the Father because we are in Christ. Yet why don’t we have what we ask? James tells us we pray with doubt. He also says we pray with selfish motives. Perhaps we’re not praying according to the will of God, i.e., we not asking for the things we ought to be asking about. Yet we have these promises from Jesus and Jesus is not a liar. Therefore cast off your doubt, put away your selfishness, and pick up God’s Word. What does he promise us? What does he tell us to ask for? We have one example in the prayer Jesus taught us. Indeed, everything we need physically and spiritually are contained in that simple prayer. What more according to the will of God and in all of Scripture is not contained in that prayer. So pick it up. Pray it confidently, boldly and full of faith you know it is God’s will and promise.


Heavenly Father, even as your Son Jesus taught us to pray, give us your Holy Spirit that we may pray in Jesus’ name, according to your will with all boldness and confidence you will hear us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.