Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Hitherto means the disciples had not yet learned to ask in Jesus' name for the strength and grace needed to succeed, and now they are to ask and shall receive so that their joy may be full. To ask in His name is to come to the Father by His authority and merits as Substitute and Surety, in faith, belonging and vital connection, never in any human name. He presents the petition as His own, clothes the suppliant with His righteousness and intercession, and opens all the treasures of grace to be received, enjoyed and shared. The Father Himself loves those who love Christ and believe He came from God, so prayer is not persuading an unwilling Father but bringing need to a loving Father who has already given His Son to guarantee the answer. The promise to answer is absolute and to be taken with childlike living faith, yet when a request would harm or fail to glorify God He in wisdom withholds it and gives instead what is best, so no sincere prayer of faith is lost. Receiving calls for unwavering faith, humbled surrender, loving obedience and abiding harmony with His will, with persevering asking, and its great gift in every age is the Holy Spirit for pardon, character, power and fruitful service.
Farewell Discourse Setting
The words were spoken to the faithful disciples alone in the upper chamber after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and the peace of heaven returned. They belong to the sacred words of comfort, counsel and prayer recorded in John 13-17, and in John 14-17 and John 15-17, given before the separation to prepare for trial. That instruction plainly outlines God's will and what He desires to do for the human race and the provision He has made for it, and it is to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers and in practical life. Their future work required divine power joined with human effort, building ministry on Christ and seeking the power God provided rather than relying on human effort alone. Living out that instruction with John 6 cures dissension and produces unity and love with one another and with Christ, making believers strong co-workers with Christ, a wall against Satan's attacks, and able to stand the test of the shaking time.
Even the disciples could not fully understand those farewell words at the time, and their understanding was not yet ready for all the truth to be taught. They did not fully appreciate that instruction and the final prayer of John 17 until after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, when Christ explained what they had not understood and the Spirit revealed the Father and the Son more fully. After the resurrection they cherished and repeated the words again and again to stay their sinking hearts in great disappointment and trial and to strengthen one another. The truths spoken on that occasion have spread over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace, hope and comfort to thousands who believe.
The promise assures the disciples that Jesus will not forsake them but will serve as their Advocate at the Father's right hand and present petitions they ask in His name, and the Father will give what they ask. Though they did not fully understand this at first, they later cherished it and prayed to the Father in Jesus' name to ask and receive so their joy could be full. The opening statement means they had not yet learned to ask in Jesus' name for the strength and grace needed to succeed. Prayer in His name is presented before the Father by Jesus, who makes even an inarticulate but sincere prayer acceptable, so every sincere prayer is heard, difficulties are calls to pray, and the weakest person can come to God for the power that comes from Him. Through Christ's sacrifice and imputed righteousness His followers are precious to God, forgiven for Christ's sake, and recognized by their likeness to the Son.
After Jesus ascended to the Father to return to Him and continue intercession in heaven, the disciples prayed with new confidence because prayer was communion with their living Saviour and Friend at God's throne, who sympathized with them and pleaded for them. They knew He was in heaven as their Representative and Advocate at the throne of God, and they prayed with firm confidence that petitions presented to the Father in the name of Jesus would be answered so joy may be full. In Jerusalem while waiting for the promised outpouring of the Spirit they met together and claimed this assurance in solemn awe, extending the hand of faith higher and still higher by pleading Christ's death, resurrection, place at the right hand of God, and intercession for them. They spent ten days in united solemn prayer and praise while claiming these realities until Pentecost brought the promised Comforter with fullness of joy and abundant power. That outpouring enabled the disciples to testify to people from many nations and showed that the gospel was for the whole world.
The promise was given as Christ sought to make the disciples better acquainted with God the Father, inviting them to ask in His name with the promise that they will receive so their joy may be full. Knowing God is the highest education, though their understanding would become clearer through the Holy Spirit and complete only in the future. The words of encouragement and hope in John 14-16 give true believers courage, strength and assurance to stand firm through trials.
Asking in Jesus' Name
To ask in Christ's name is to use His name as a passport and access to the Father and to all the riches of His grace. That asking expresses faith in Christ and belonging to Him, reliance on His promises, and vital connection with God, and those who love Christ and believe He came out from God are received and welcomed as His own friends, loved by Him and by the Father. Prayer is to be in His name as Substitute and Surety, never in the name of any human being, with supplication from earth uniting with His pleading as Intercessor in heaven whose voice the Father always hears, so that every prayer of contrite children is heard and prayers are to ascend continually in faith without faltering, advancing from strength to strength and victory to victory. Through His sacrifice and imputed righteousness those who so ask are counted precious, pardoned for His sake, adopted as children, given holiness and sanctification for His work and an immortal inheritance, and urged to educate the soul to implicit trust in God with more faith.
Asking in His name gives prayer efficiency and power because Christ intercedes and presents the petition as His own request before the Father, who Himself loves those who love Christ. He places the whole virtue of His righteousness on the suppliant's side, introduces them to God as sons and daughters and members of the royal family, pays their ransom with His blood, and adds His merits as sweet incense in a censer in their hands to encourage their petitions and give fragrance to intercession. Those who approach through His merits are clothed with His priestly vestments, placed close by His side, encircled with His human arm while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and He has promised His personal intercession to all who employ His name. So the Father lays open all the treasures and riches of His grace for appropriation, to be received, enjoyed, communicated to others, and shared, that joy may be full.
He is the connecting link and medium of prayer between man and God and of blessing between God and man, having combined divinity and humanity and clothed Himself in human nature. Having risen as the resurrection and the life, ascended on high, led captivity captive and given gifts to men, He now presents His own blood each moment before the mercy seat and ever lives to make intercession as Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He pleads His own merits with power and efficacy for backsliders, the rebellious, and sins against great light and love, and has never lost a case committed to Him and can be trusted. While Satan stands to accuse, the Advocate stands at God's right hand to plead, remembering His tried and suffering people in the world, praying to keep them through the Father's name and from evil, to send them as He was sent to share in self-denial, self-sacrifice and suffering, and to have them with Him to behold His glory. Within the veil as Forerunner He is linked to His people by love and truth in closest sympathy, touched with the feeling of their infirmities, having graven them on the palms of His hands, exalted a Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness and with them freely all things through the open door no man can shut, so that by believing and doing the Word those who ask touch every perfection of His being and are one with Christ as He is one with the Father, and may come boldly to the throne of grace for mercy and help without separation by unbelief, to share at last in fellowship with Him in glory.
As great High Priest who trod the earth in suffering human nature and was tempted in all points, He now appears in the presence of God ready to accept repentance, answer prayers, and present believers to the Father through the merits of His own righteousness. He raises His wounded hands and claims their blood-bought pardon, and those memorial wounds and His humiliation and anguish secure to His church the best gifts of Omnipotence and of God's power. His own prayers to the Father for strength and grace make Him the example, for as humanity's representative He received strength through communion with God and was refreshed and prepared to help others, and because He was tempted as we are He can sympathize with the tempted, so His friends commune with Him in implicit faith that He will answer prayers offered in His name. Believers therefore approach the Father in Jesus' name, relying on Jesus as their Advocate rather than on wealth or social position, and for Jesus' sake their sins are washed away.
The disciples were to carry their work forward in His name, with every word and act fastening attention on His name as possessing vital power by which sinners may be saved. Their faith was to center in Him as the source of mercy and power, and in His name they were to present their petitions to the Father and receive answer. His name was to be their watchword, badge of distinction, bond of union, authority for action, and source of power, success, and success in carrying the message of salvation, including baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and nothing that did not bear His name and superscription was to be recognized in His kingdom.
The rock in the wilderness was a symbol of Christ, smitten once to picture Christ to be offered once to bear the sins of many and not to be sacrificed a second time. To be only spoken to the second time pictured asking for blessings in the name of Jesus by simply asking and by pouring forth the heart's desire in penitential prayer. Moses' second smiting of the rock took away the force of that lesson and destroyed the significance of this beautiful figure of Christ. Such true asking brings the wounds of Jesus, smitten of God, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, before the Lord of hosts, and then the life-giving blood flows forth afresh, symbolized by the living water that flowed for Israel from the smitten rock.
Father Welcomes Through Christ
The promise to ask and receive for full joy belongs together with the assurance that the Father Himself loves those who love Christ and believe He came from God, so prayer does not depend on persuading an unwilling Father. Needs are presented in Christ's name to a loving Father who is ready to give the riches of His grace. Requests made in Christ's name will be heard and answered and can be fully relied upon, with Jesus drawing near in prayer to increase faith and encourage the heart.
Confidence in that answer rests on God's love shown in giving His Son to die, which guarantees that petitions will be heard and answered. Because of that love Christ's intercession on behalf of believers always prevails. Because He gave His life, it is certain He means what He says when He promises that those who ask will receive, and He can be trusted and depended on for help.
Jesus is present before the Father in the heavenly sanctuary to intercede, presenting the humble suppliant's prayer as His own desire for that person. Even prayer that is not spoken fluently but is sincere is made acceptable through His perfection, so every sincere prayer is heard in heaven. Difficulties are calls to pray, and the weakest person can come to God for the power that comes from Him.
Through Christ's sacrifice and imputed righteousness His followers are counted precious, pardoned and adopted as children of the Father. For Christ's sake the Lord pardons those who fear Him and forgives them, recognizing them by their likeness to the Son. Asking in His name expresses faith in Christ, belonging to Him, and trust in Him as sin-bearer and intercessor, giving access to the Father and to all the riches of grace and a claim upon heaven's gifts. With that standing believers are given the holiness and sanctification needed for His work and an immortal inheritance.
Promise to Receive Joy
The promise to answer is absolute, with no ifs or ands, and those who ask will receive. It is to be taken at God's word with childlike, intelligent, living faith that grasps it and depends on it, going directly to God in prayer instead of telling neighbors troubles and difficulties. Such taking God at His word stirs up the gift of faith within, brings peace and living water, and lifts out of a poverty-stricken, barren, mourning spiritual condition onto vantage ground to stand as the light of the world. Its fulfillment can and should be tested by personal experience rather than relying only on another person's testimony, for drawing near to Jesus and rejoicing in His love ends doubt and darkness.
Receiving what is asked makes joy full, for asking in Christ's name brings an answer from God and fullness of joy. Jesus Himself is the source of joy and light whose presence imparts gladness, and knowing His character brings cheerfulness even amid hardship, so prayer in His name is a source of full joy, not gloom or joylessness. God wants His joy to be in His people and their joy to be full, and the blessings He gives are abundant but must be desired and received. Those who trust and serve God and cling to Him as heavenly Father may ask each morning with confidence for strength to do the day's duties, meet temptation, reflect Christ's character and encourage others, having joy in their hearts until it is full.
The answer may not come immediately and may not be the exact thing, way or time expected. When a request would harm the petitioner or fail to glorify God, in wisdom and goodness He withholds it and gives instead what is best and most needed for the petitioner and for His glory. Sincere prayers for humility, wisdom, courage and increased faith are heard and answered at the time and in the way that best meet the need and are for the person's good, even prayers offered in loneliness, weariness and trial. No sincere prayer of faith offered with an honest heart is lost, so trust must continue and reliance on the promise be kept up even when the answer is delayed or not yet seen and felt.
Faith rests on this sure word, not on changing feelings or on a sense of having been cleansed, and not on personal goodness or works. It belongs to the repentant sinner who comes through Christ the Advocate, trusting in His removal of sin and imputed righteousness. Every favor is received through Jesus' name, which God honors by supplying necessities from His abundance, and assurance in prayer may be as simple as a child asking for both physical needs such as food and clothing and spiritual blessings including the bread of life and Christ's righteousness. When God's children come as little children and claim His promises as His own words, the gifts come through the Redeemer's costly sacrifice, satisfy the heart's deepest needs, last forever, and bring fullness of joy.
The verse offers Christ's glorious power so that joy may be full, and those who need greater power and grace may come freely and ask Him to sanctify their hearts so they can reveal Him to others. Trust in this promise to receive transforming grace is to be learned and exercised. Prayers offered to the Father in Jesus' name bring angels present to give the Spirit needed for laboring for souls and for whatever business one is engaged in, leading and teaching and guiding with open heart those who receive grace. Those buried in the world and in money-making who neglect prayer fail to receive it and therefore make mistakes and lose much.
Conditions and Manner of Prayer
Asking calls for living, unwavering, childlike faith that takes God at His word without wavering, believes the request is granted, and holds on even when doubts arise. Such intelligent, living faith grasps the sure promise, brings peace, and leads to drinking the living waters of life. It is to be exercised with confidence as children to a Father, expressing affection, love and complete trust, and it may be offered even amid active labor with assurance that petitions are heard. What is so received equips workers to bear fruit as co-workers with God, receiving bountifully and giving bountifully to the Father's glory, and applies especially to asking for the Holy Spirit and needed help.
Receiving requires humbled hearts seeking with full purpose of heart and eye single to God's glory while watching unto prayer. The will and way must be wholly submitted to God, with humble dependence, persevering faith, putting away selfishness and sin, and laying hold of God's power and counsel. Praying in Christ's name means coming fallen and helpless under the sinfulness of sin, with true repentance, contrition and affliction of soul and sincere complete surrender of all to God. Human effort in itself is utterly worthless, and acceptance and victory come only in the name and strength of Christ the Conqueror, whose perfect holy example is to be imitated according to ability though never equaled; those who so humble themselves are accepted for service, made strong in His strength, worked through by heavenly agencies to reach others and carry out Bible truth, supplied with spiritual nourishment, grace and strength, and given a place of labor where angels love to dwell and God works for His name's honor.
The promise belongs to requests made in harmony with God's will, by a heart in harmony with the divine will, in loving obedience and abiding in His love. Humble prayer so offered brings the blessing and peace of Jesus, replacing despair, fear and despondency with light, hope and joy. Cherished sin, deception, falsehood, unfair dealing, selfishness and hatred hinder prayer, and asking must be for what agrees with His word, including unerring wisdom sought from Christ rather than human wisdom. Mighty victories are gained and success secured through prayers of obedient children presented in the name of Jesus in connection with Him, for the needy and sorrowful to the end of time who comply with its conditions.
Believers must keep asking rather than stopping after a set period, keeping prayers ascending while watching, waiting, working and fighting the good fight of faith. God has invited the sinner to come, heard prayer, and pledged His word to receive, so faith believes He will do as promised and does not dishonor Him by questioning, hesitating, disbelieving, talking doubt, or turning sullen and unbelieving when the full desire is not immediately received. Continued asking brings the promised answer with joy, peace, help and blessing, and calls for bringing trials, weaknesses and dependence to Him in living faith with simplicity of truth before every church. This means praying together daily, believing, resting in His love, being happy, cheerful and hopeful, working prudently, putting on Christ and finding Him close beside to shield, help and bless, turning thoughts from cheap frivolous things to subjects bringing peace, joy and consolation, leaving unassigned responsibilities with God and keeping the soul calm instead of chafing and weakening its powers, never treating any case as too hard for the Lord.
Prayer is not limited to kneeling or set seasons, for help may be asked even amid active labor at every step without relying on human strength. Time and a private place are to be found for communion as Daniel did, in the morning for daily duties, and about decisions with following the light given. Difficulties, soul troubles and perplexities are to be taken to God for counsel and to Jesus rather than seeking relief from finite people, and in times of difficulty there is no need to depend on help from distant friends. Depending chiefly on human wisdom or guidance leads to unbelief and weakens faith, while praying together and then acting in faith in harmony with prayer, with earnest persevering work to save souls, is the way to understanding, help and strength to continue the Lord's work.
Troubles, downcast feelings, mistakes, errors and soul perplexities are to be taken to the Lord rather than to human beings for sympathy. The one who asks receives by casting the helpless soul on Christ alone, asking forgiveness and then believing it is given because He is full of compassion, tender pity and love and never disappoints one who comes for help. Confessed sin trusted as forgiven removes reason for worry, mourning over mistakes and defects, unbelief, or listening to the enemy's claim of being forsaken. Instead there is call to rejoice, sing of mercy and love, do one's part, and refuse words of unbelief.
God invites needy, dependent, sinful people to tell Him what they desire for their souls' interest and to take firm hold of Him whom they need. The asking is with beseeching and heart earnestness and fervency of the Holy Spirit, as heart-prayer both for themselves and for the perishing around them, rather than long rambling preaching discourses to Him. This instruction belongs to all who claim to be Christians, teaching how to receive the grace of Christ by meeting the conditions He lays down.
Each person is to seek God personally and use the Bible as guide for duty while following Christ, grounded in faith in God's Word rather than human promises or guidance. Unlike requests made of human agents, prayer to God gives sure ground for courage and trust, with no uncertainty about the result. Believers should ask humbly and confidently, trusting they will receive, for sufficiency and strength come not from self but through close connection with the Saviour. Watchful prayer is necessary even though rich blessings are freely provided, and Christ's representatives are close beside those who pray.
Ministers should wrestle with God privately until faith grasps the eternal promise that asking in faith brings an answer. Then they are to ask earnestly and directly for what they need, with fervent, definite prayer. Asking so brings help to do one's part in cultivating character in cooperation with God, as He supplies the power and blessing that make efforts fruitful. Through prayer wisdom and intelligence may be sought from God as a pure source who does not misjudge or make mistakes, Christ gives His power in its fullness to those undertaking His commissioned work, and renewed spiritual power is received as believers seek Him.
The promise belongs to everyone, not only to presidents of conferences or leaders, for each one who asks will receive. Individually each person is to wait upon the Lord and lay petitions before Him, resting on the definite, solid Thus saith the Lord. Each is to present petitions on the definite word of the Lord and expect the Holy Spirit, whom God is more willing to give to those who ask Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children.
Gifts God Gives in Answer
Workers may claim by living faith the grace, efficiency and heavenly unction needed for successful work, opening the mind to the Spirit's impressions so the soul is revived by fresh spiritual life and sacred fire of God's kindling instead of common fire, especially when pressed with responsibility and entering pulpit or schoolroom with wearied brain and overtaxed nerves. Taking time to go apart alone with God as Christ did is the way to seek that power for sharing truth and preparing the way of the Lord, and earnest persevering prayer for the fulfillment of the word brought the apostles to call upon Jesus. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the great promise for the church in every age, and asking and receiving means asking for the Spirit and receiving supplies to accomplish the work, to move deeply upon hearts and to convict and convert. Through Christ's merits there is access to God's power to ask for the Spirit's fullness and blessings needed for fruitful life, and God in great love and goodness is willing to do far more than can be imagined. The promise is repeated in every soul converted to the truth, and everyone newly added is to be educated in the work of winning souls to Christ.
Prayer is heaven's ordained means of success in conflict with sin and development of character, bringing divine influences that accomplish in the suppliant all pleaded for. Pardon of sin, the Holy Spirit, a Christlike temper, wisdom and strength to do God's work, help and means for fruitful service, and any promised gift may be asked for with assurance of receiving, and even the weakest may seek strength by grace to guard weak points and obey. Receiving bountifully and giving bountifully as co-workers glorifies the Father, as Christ's fruit did, with unwavering faith trusting the promise. Laying every care at the Redeemer's feet brings answer supplying means and help to plant truth in many places when facilities lack, to build houses of worship and to carry forward the work so people see truth. This calls for working and praying and believing with the whole heart, walking out by faith without waiting until money is in hand, learning to believe while praying, and practicing self-denial after Christ's whole earthly life of self-denial showing what to be and do to gain eternal life.
The promise is claimed in earnest united prayer for the sick with assurance God is willing to heal, and prayer believed without doubt and acted in the Lord's name brings recovery, relief, blessing and joyful gratitude. Parents may bring a sick child to Jesus, trust His promise to do what they cannot do, and believe He will not turn them away. Prayer for Lucinda's recovery, for Frances's healing, for throat and lung affliction and for any affliction rests on this ground of confidence that the request will be granted and joy made full, expecting God to hear and not let prayers be in vain. Receiving does not guarantee immediate or present healing, for earnest prayer may bring blessing and relief without full restoration. Faith holds fast while waiting for God's own good time and what best glorifies Him, doing all that can be done to follow Bible directions, entrusting soul and body to God, working prudently and never treating any case as too hard, and if healing is not granted submitting without discouragement in hope of the resurrection morning for all who received Christ and trusted Him.
The promise may be pleaded for bodily soundness and wholeness to live and do God's will and for miracle-working power, by praying together daily, believing, resting in His love, being happy, cheerful and hopeful. It may be pleaded in earnest petition for physical strength, mental clearness and moral power, and God fulfills it by giving needed sleep, refreshment and strength for service, to be recognized with heartfelt spoken thanks. In trial, disappointment and difficulty believers gain victories through simple trust in the Word, which no fasting can replace, by going to God, trusting Him, doing His will and doing their best while waiting patiently and hopefully rather than becoming discouraged. Every sincere prayer in faith will be answered because God is a very present help who makes goodness pass before those who trust Him and leads by His Spirit, providences and word, including help needed to advance His work. Those who seek and learn from Jesus day by day and hour by hour receive His wisdom as their own, and prayers offered to the heavenly Father for tempted children are heard and answered.
Living Out the Promise
Living faith claims the promise by sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer that brings into close communion with Christ in heavenly places, and that prayer obtained for the apostles the endowment of the Holy Spirit to carry the burden of saving souls and extend the triumphs of the cross. The same fulfillment stands today for praying, trusting, believing workers who open the Scriptures to those ignorant of precious truth, bringing the Spirit of God to come to them with power. This is needed even more now, when increased wickedness demands more fervor and the end of all things is at hand, for the throne of grace is no further removed than in the disciples' time. The promise moved the disciples to the depths of their being, made them realize their debt to Christ, and vitalized them with holy zeal to bear witness to redeeming love.
The whole church is to unite in prayerful dependence, communing with God and pleading the promise by asking in faith and receiving. Those who receive Christ by faith become consecrated channels carrying the living truth to the world. Living out this will together with John 6 and John 13-17 in practical life cures dissension and produces unity and love with one another and with Christ, making believers strong co-workers with Christ, a wall against Satan's attacks, and able to stand the test of the shaking time. The lesson of John 16 must be studied and then spoken as commanded, and when studied with willingness to give the words commanded, the works and words of Christ become sure evidence behind the messenger's Thus saith the Lord, with Christ's abiding presence made manifest to the people. Young people are to arise and obtain this knowledge of the Word in order to receive its converting power, the same power seen when three thousand converts were brought to the faith at Pentecost.
Personal work for others must be preceded by much secret prayer, for before communicating with men there must be communion with Christ, obtaining at the throne of heavenly grace a preparation for ministering to the people. With a heart breaking with longing for God, for the living God, one who is partaker of the divine nature may have all that Christ received from God, and must then ask and receive, claiming for himself all that God has promised. This asking requires the persevering faith of Jacob and the unyielding persistence of Elijah, because great wisdom is required to understand the science of saving souls. Those doing sacred work are to hide self with Christ in God, look away to the victory, drink from the wells of salvation, look to Jesus, and pray in simplicity and faith instead of only half praying and half believing. The asking is for strength with all might to endure seeing Him who is invisible, for belief, for mutual strengthening, and for the Lord to lay His hand upon the asker to comprehend length and depth and breadth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, being filled with all the fullness of God, resulting in unselfish, united, faithful service and souls saved.
Asking and receiving are for giving to others, for believers are to pray much in living faith, asking in Christ's name, and receive so they can spend themselves in winning souls to Christ. What is received is to be passed on to help those who are spiritually blinded to wake up and be converted so God can use them. This must be done with urgency because there is a solemn message to carry and no time to lose.
After the ascension the disciples relied on this assurance as they brought their requests to the Father in prayer, and believers may still ask the Father in Jesus' name and receive so that joy may be full. Prayer is a source of strength in the Christian warfare, so believers should pray much and not neglect to watch and pray. Receiving help and grace from the Lord brings fullness of joy, and clinging to Jesus, the Mighty One, and relying on His strength brings encouragement, comfort, and support in body, spirit, and mind.
God's adopted children may confidently ask the Father for what they need and receive it, for sincere petitions reach Him. He gives grace to overcome the world and strength in weakness, and through Christ the Intercessor those who come with sanctified desires, humility, and repentance can receive heaven's provision, with God willing to give more than they ask or think. Asking for help to overcome sinful habits and resist temptation means admitting personal weakness and relying on God rather than one's own strength. The promise calls for faith to ask believing that God answers and gives the strength needed to do right, bringing joy to fullness.
Those facing great difficulties are to reach up by faith and seek God's blessing, sanctification, and fitness for His service, for those who ask will receive. Every soul trouble and perplexity and every trial and burden is to be brought to Jesus in faith rather than seeking relief from finite people.
The promise to ask and receive, together with the promise to seek and find, provides hope amid concern for a loved one. Believing the invitation and fully surrendering to Christ brings deep, satisfying joy, applied to receiving power to become a child of God. Faith in the promises is linked with receiving comfort and blessing unto fullness of joy. It is a call to pray humbly and consult Christ before acting, following His guidance rather than moving ahead independently. In times of difficulty there is no need to depend on help from distant friends, for Christ's followers can take hold of His strength through humble prayer and receive His peace in their hearts.
To ask for gifted but spiritually ignorant souls who are selling themselves to the world and in peril of losing their souls is to grasp God by living faith for a definite soul. It means pleading daily for guidance and wisdom to reach them by personal effort and not by casual acquaintance, presenting them before the church as objects of supplication, and insisting on their conversion to Jesus Christ. To receive is God answering by giving the Holy Spirit to convict and the power of the truth to convert the soul. At the same time He gives the church a great burden and personal interest for the perishing that lifts minds from little petty difficulties.
Through the merits of Christ believers have access to the throne of infinite power and may reach high attainment through faith in the promises of the heavenly Father when they fulfill His requirements, with prayer in Christ's name answered so that joy becomes complete. All needs are embraced in Christ's promise to give when asked, and believers are to come to God with simple faith, humility, and firm dependence, yielding themselves fully to Him; then He will work as each case requires. After conversion, as the believer begins serving the Lord and fighting against every evil trait of character, the believer can personally and knowingly rely on this promise that asking will bring a response.
When praying for God's blessing, even if the blessing is not realized at the very moment of asking, prayer should not end in disappointment but in confidence, rising from the knees believing that what was asked will be given. The promise calls for humbled hearts, more time devoted to prayer, and watching unto prayer with increased faith. Asking is to be joined with working in faith and bearing testimony under the power of the Holy Spirit while guarding the outposts with every precaution. God is a strong defense who will lift up a standard against the enemy when lies are circulated to counteract His work. Asking in faith and receiving from God brings fullness of joy in shared efforts to have God work through them, with the outcome according to the measure of faith, and those who ask in faith may expect to receive and are urged to keep pressing forward.
Heaven is full of rich blessings, and it is the privilege of the afflicted, tried believer trusting in Jesus to have the joy of Christ within so that joy may be full. Lack of blessing comes because of not asking, or because of not praying in faith believing that the special influence of the Holy Spirit will be given. To the true seeker through the mediation of Christ the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit are imparted in order that the receiver may impart a knowledge of saving truth. Sincere, humble prayers offered through Christ will be received by the Father, who strengthens human weakness and grants what is asked, with the risen Christ interceding for His people before the Father as the source of heavenly help. Believers may ask the Lord with confidence that they will receive, with humility, meekness, and fervent love accompanying prayer and intercession, including earnest, sincere prayer for oneself with confidence in Christ's intercession.
Hitherto means the disciples had not yet learned to ask in Jesus' name for the strength and grace needed to succeed, and now they are to ask and shall receive so that their joy may be full. To ask in His name is to come to the Father by His authority and merits as Substitute and Surety, in faith, belonging and vital connection, never in any human name. He presents the petition as His own, clothes the suppliant with His righteousness and intercession, and opens all the treasures of grace to be received, enjoyed and shared. The Father Himself loves those who love Christ and believe He came from God, so prayer is not persuading an unwilling Father but bringing need to a loving Father who has already given His Son to guarantee the answer. The promise to answer is absolute and to be taken with childlike living faith, yet when a request would harm or fail to glorify God He in wisdom withholds it and gives instead what is best, so no sincere prayer of faith is lost. Receiving calls for unwavering faith, humbled surrender, loving obedience and abiding harmony with His will, with persevering asking, and its great gift in every age is the Holy Spirit for pardon, character, power and fruitful service.
Farewell Discourse Setting
The words were spoken to the faithful disciples alone in the upper chamber after Judas withdrew, when the oppressive shadow lifted and the peace of heaven returned. They belong to the sacred words of comfort, counsel and prayer recorded in John 13-17, and in John 14-17 and John 15-17, given before the separation to prepare for trial. That instruction plainly outlines God's will and what He desires to do for the human race and the provision He has made for it, and it is to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers and in practical life. Their future work required divine power joined with human effort, building ministry on Christ and seeking the power God provided rather than relying on human effort alone. Living out that instruction with John 6 cures dissension and produces unity and love with one another and with Christ, making believers strong co-workers with Christ, a wall against Satan's attacks, and able to stand the test of the shaking time.
Even the disciples could not fully understand those farewell words at the time, and their understanding was not yet ready for all the truth to be taught. They did not fully appreciate that instruction and the final prayer of John 17 until after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, when Christ explained what they had not understood and the Spirit revealed the Father and the Son more fully. After the resurrection they cherished and repeated the words again and again to stay their sinking hearts in great disappointment and trial and to strengthen one another. The truths spoken on that occasion have spread over all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace, hope and comfort to thousands who believe.
The promise assures the disciples that Jesus will not forsake them but will serve as their Advocate at the Father's right hand and present petitions they ask in His name, and the Father will give what they ask. Though they did not fully understand this at first, they later cherished it and prayed to the Father in Jesus' name to ask and receive so their joy could be full. The opening statement means they had not yet learned to ask in Jesus' name for the strength and grace needed to succeed. Prayer in His name is presented before the Father by Jesus, who makes even an inarticulate but sincere prayer acceptable, so every sincere prayer is heard, difficulties are calls to pray, and the weakest person can come to God for the power that comes from Him. Through Christ's sacrifice and imputed righteousness His followers are precious to God, forgiven for Christ's sake, and recognized by their likeness to the Son.
After Jesus ascended to the Father to return to Him and continue intercession in heaven, the disciples prayed with new confidence because prayer was communion with their living Saviour and Friend at God's throne, who sympathized with them and pleaded for them. They knew He was in heaven as their Representative and Advocate at the throne of God, and they prayed with firm confidence that petitions presented to the Father in the name of Jesus would be answered so joy may be full. In Jerusalem while waiting for the promised outpouring of the Spirit they met together and claimed this assurance in solemn awe, extending the hand of faith higher and still higher by pleading Christ's death, resurrection, place at the right hand of God, and intercession for them. They spent ten days in united solemn prayer and praise while claiming these realities until Pentecost brought the promised Comforter with fullness of joy and abundant power. That outpouring enabled the disciples to testify to people from many nations and showed that the gospel was for the whole world.
The promise was given as Christ sought to make the disciples better acquainted with God the Father, inviting them to ask in His name with the promise that they will receive so their joy may be full. Knowing God is the highest education, though their understanding would become clearer through the Holy Spirit and complete only in the future. The words of encouragement and hope in John 14-16 give true believers courage, strength and assurance to stand firm through trials.
Asking in Jesus' Name
To ask in Christ's name is to use His name as a passport and access to the Father and to all the riches of His grace. That asking expresses faith in Christ and belonging to Him, reliance on His promises, and vital connection with God, and those who love Christ and believe He came out from God are received and welcomed as His own friends, loved by Him and by the Father. Prayer is to be in His name as Substitute and Surety, never in the name of any human being, with supplication from earth uniting with His pleading as Intercessor in heaven whose voice the Father always hears, so that every prayer of contrite children is heard and prayers are to ascend continually in faith without faltering, advancing from strength to strength and victory to victory. Through His sacrifice and imputed righteousness those who so ask are counted precious, pardoned for His sake, adopted as children, given holiness and sanctification for His work and an immortal inheritance, and urged to educate the soul to implicit trust in God with more faith.
Asking in His name gives prayer efficiency and power because Christ intercedes and presents the petition as His own request before the Father, who Himself loves those who love Christ. He places the whole virtue of His righteousness on the suppliant's side, introduces them to God as sons and daughters and members of the royal family, pays their ransom with His blood, and adds His merits as sweet incense in a censer in their hands to encourage their petitions and give fragrance to intercession. Those who approach through His merits are clothed with His priestly vestments, placed close by His side, encircled with His human arm while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and He has promised His personal intercession to all who employ His name. So the Father lays open all the treasures and riches of His grace for appropriation, to be received, enjoyed, communicated to others, and shared, that joy may be full.
He is the connecting link and medium of prayer between man and God and of blessing between God and man, having combined divinity and humanity and clothed Himself in human nature. Having risen as the resurrection and the life, ascended on high, led captivity captive and given gifts to men, He now presents His own blood each moment before the mercy seat and ever lives to make intercession as Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He pleads His own merits with power and efficacy for backsliders, the rebellious, and sins against great light and love, and has never lost a case committed to Him and can be trusted. While Satan stands to accuse, the Advocate stands at God's right hand to plead, remembering His tried and suffering people in the world, praying to keep them through the Father's name and from evil, to send them as He was sent to share in self-denial, self-sacrifice and suffering, and to have them with Him to behold His glory. Within the veil as Forerunner He is linked to His people by love and truth in closest sympathy, touched with the feeling of their infirmities, having graven them on the palms of His hands, exalted a Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness and with them freely all things through the open door no man can shut, so that by believing and doing the Word those who ask touch every perfection of His being and are one with Christ as He is one with the Father, and may come boldly to the throne of grace for mercy and help without separation by unbelief, to share at last in fellowship with Him in glory.
As great High Priest who trod the earth in suffering human nature and was tempted in all points, He now appears in the presence of God ready to accept repentance, answer prayers, and present believers to the Father through the merits of His own righteousness. He raises His wounded hands and claims their blood-bought pardon, and those memorial wounds and His humiliation and anguish secure to His church the best gifts of Omnipotence and of God's power. His own prayers to the Father for strength and grace make Him the example, for as humanity's representative He received strength through communion with God and was refreshed and prepared to help others, and because He was tempted as we are He can sympathize with the tempted, so His friends commune with Him in implicit faith that He will answer prayers offered in His name. Believers therefore approach the Father in Jesus' name, relying on Jesus as their Advocate rather than on wealth or social position, and for Jesus' sake their sins are washed away.
The disciples were to carry their work forward in His name, with every word and act fastening attention on His name as possessing vital power by which sinners may be saved. Their faith was to center in Him as the source of mercy and power, and in His name they were to present their petitions to the Father and receive answer. His name was to be their watchword, badge of distinction, bond of union, authority for action, and source of power, success, and success in carrying the message of salvation, including baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and nothing that did not bear His name and superscription was to be recognized in His kingdom.
The rock in the wilderness was a symbol of Christ, smitten once to picture Christ to be offered once to bear the sins of many and not to be sacrificed a second time. To be only spoken to the second time pictured asking for blessings in the name of Jesus by simply asking and by pouring forth the heart's desire in penitential prayer. Moses' second smiting of the rock took away the force of that lesson and destroyed the significance of this beautiful figure of Christ. Such true asking brings the wounds of Jesus, smitten of God, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, before the Lord of hosts, and then the life-giving blood flows forth afresh, symbolized by the living water that flowed for Israel from the smitten rock.
Father Welcomes Through Christ
The promise to ask and receive for full joy belongs together with the assurance that the Father Himself loves those who love Christ and believe He came from God, so prayer does not depend on persuading an unwilling Father. Needs are presented in Christ's name to a loving Father who is ready to give the riches of His grace. Requests made in Christ's name will be heard and answered and can be fully relied upon, with Jesus drawing near in prayer to increase faith and encourage the heart.
Confidence in that answer rests on God's love shown in giving His Son to die, which guarantees that petitions will be heard and answered. Because of that love Christ's intercession on behalf of believers always prevails. Because He gave His life, it is certain He means what He says when He promises that those who ask will receive, and He can be trusted and depended on for help.
Jesus is present before the Father in the heavenly sanctuary to intercede, presenting the humble suppliant's prayer as His own desire for that person. Even prayer that is not spoken fluently but is sincere is made acceptable through His perfection, so every sincere prayer is heard in heaven. Difficulties are calls to pray, and the weakest person can come to God for the power that comes from Him.
Through Christ's sacrifice and imputed righteousness His followers are counted precious, pardoned and adopted as children of the Father. For Christ's sake the Lord pardons those who fear Him and forgives them, recognizing them by their likeness to the Son. Asking in His name expresses faith in Christ, belonging to Him, and trust in Him as sin-bearer and intercessor, giving access to the Father and to all the riches of grace and a claim upon heaven's gifts. With that standing believers are given the holiness and sanctification needed for His work and an immortal inheritance.
Promise to Receive Joy
The promise to answer is absolute, with no ifs or ands, and those who ask will receive. It is to be taken at God's word with childlike, intelligent, living faith that grasps it and depends on it, going directly to God in prayer instead of telling neighbors troubles and difficulties. Such taking God at His word stirs up the gift of faith within, brings peace and living water, and lifts out of a poverty-stricken, barren, mourning spiritual condition onto vantage ground to stand as the light of the world. Its fulfillment can and should be tested by personal experience rather than relying only on another person's testimony, for drawing near to Jesus and rejoicing in His love ends doubt and darkness.
Receiving what is asked makes joy full, for asking in Christ's name brings an answer from God and fullness of joy. Jesus Himself is the source of joy and light whose presence imparts gladness, and knowing His character brings cheerfulness even amid hardship, so prayer in His name is a source of full joy, not gloom or joylessness. God wants His joy to be in His people and their joy to be full, and the blessings He gives are abundant but must be desired and received. Those who trust and serve God and cling to Him as heavenly Father may ask each morning with confidence for strength to do the day's duties, meet temptation, reflect Christ's character and encourage others, having joy in their hearts until it is full.
The answer may not come immediately and may not be the exact thing, way or time expected. When a request would harm the petitioner or fail to glorify God, in wisdom and goodness He withholds it and gives instead what is best and most needed for the petitioner and for His glory. Sincere prayers for humility, wisdom, courage and increased faith are heard and answered at the time and in the way that best meet the need and are for the person's good, even prayers offered in loneliness, weariness and trial. No sincere prayer of faith offered with an honest heart is lost, so trust must continue and reliance on the promise be kept up even when the answer is delayed or not yet seen and felt.
Faith rests on this sure word, not on changing feelings or on a sense of having been cleansed, and not on personal goodness or works. It belongs to the repentant sinner who comes through Christ the Advocate, trusting in His removal of sin and imputed righteousness. Every favor is received through Jesus' name, which God honors by supplying necessities from His abundance, and assurance in prayer may be as simple as a child asking for both physical needs such as food and clothing and spiritual blessings including the bread of life and Christ's righteousness. When God's children come as little children and claim His promises as His own words, the gifts come through the Redeemer's costly sacrifice, satisfy the heart's deepest needs, last forever, and bring fullness of joy.
The verse offers Christ's glorious power so that joy may be full, and those who need greater power and grace may come freely and ask Him to sanctify their hearts so they can reveal Him to others. Trust in this promise to receive transforming grace is to be learned and exercised. Prayers offered to the Father in Jesus' name bring angels present to give the Spirit needed for laboring for souls and for whatever business one is engaged in, leading and teaching and guiding with open heart those who receive grace. Those buried in the world and in money-making who neglect prayer fail to receive it and therefore make mistakes and lose much.
Conditions and Manner of Prayer
Asking calls for living, unwavering, childlike faith that takes God at His word without wavering, believes the request is granted, and holds on even when doubts arise. Such intelligent, living faith grasps the sure promise, brings peace, and leads to drinking the living waters of life. It is to be exercised with confidence as children to a Father, expressing affection, love and complete trust, and it may be offered even amid active labor with assurance that petitions are heard. What is so received equips workers to bear fruit as co-workers with God, receiving bountifully and giving bountifully to the Father's glory, and applies especially to asking for the Holy Spirit and needed help.
Receiving requires humbled hearts seeking with full purpose of heart and eye single to God's glory while watching unto prayer. The will and way must be wholly submitted to God, with humble dependence, persevering faith, putting away selfishness and sin, and laying hold of God's power and counsel. Praying in Christ's name means coming fallen and helpless under the sinfulness of sin, with true repentance, contrition and affliction of soul and sincere complete surrender of all to God. Human effort in itself is utterly worthless, and acceptance and victory come only in the name and strength of Christ the Conqueror, whose perfect holy example is to be imitated according to ability though never equaled; those who so humble themselves are accepted for service, made strong in His strength, worked through by heavenly agencies to reach others and carry out Bible truth, supplied with spiritual nourishment, grace and strength, and given a place of labor where angels love to dwell and God works for His name's honor.
The promise belongs to requests made in harmony with God's will, by a heart in harmony with the divine will, in loving obedience and abiding in His love. Humble prayer so offered brings the blessing and peace of Jesus, replacing despair, fear and despondency with light, hope and joy. Cherished sin, deception, falsehood, unfair dealing, selfishness and hatred hinder prayer, and asking must be for what agrees with His word, including unerring wisdom sought from Christ rather than human wisdom. Mighty victories are gained and success secured through prayers of obedient children presented in the name of Jesus in connection with Him, for the needy and sorrowful to the end of time who comply with its conditions.
Believers must keep asking rather than stopping after a set period, keeping prayers ascending while watching, waiting, working and fighting the good fight of faith. God has invited the sinner to come, heard prayer, and pledged His word to receive, so faith believes He will do as promised and does not dishonor Him by questioning, hesitating, disbelieving, talking doubt, or turning sullen and unbelieving when the full desire is not immediately received. Continued asking brings the promised answer with joy, peace, help and blessing, and calls for bringing trials, weaknesses and dependence to Him in living faith with simplicity of truth before every church. This means praying together daily, believing, resting in His love, being happy, cheerful and hopeful, working prudently, putting on Christ and finding Him close beside to shield, help and bless, turning thoughts from cheap frivolous things to subjects bringing peace, joy and consolation, leaving unassigned responsibilities with God and keeping the soul calm instead of chafing and weakening its powers, never treating any case as too hard for the Lord.
Prayer is not limited to kneeling or set seasons, for help may be asked even amid active labor at every step without relying on human strength. Time and a private place are to be found for communion as Daniel did, in the morning for daily duties, and about decisions with following the light given. Difficulties, soul troubles and perplexities are to be taken to God for counsel and to Jesus rather than seeking relief from finite people, and in times of difficulty there is no need to depend on help from distant friends. Depending chiefly on human wisdom or guidance leads to unbelief and weakens faith, while praying together and then acting in faith in harmony with prayer, with earnest persevering work to save souls, is the way to understanding, help and strength to continue the Lord's work.
Troubles, downcast feelings, mistakes, errors and soul perplexities are to be taken to the Lord rather than to human beings for sympathy. The one who asks receives by casting the helpless soul on Christ alone, asking forgiveness and then believing it is given because He is full of compassion, tender pity and love and never disappoints one who comes for help. Confessed sin trusted as forgiven removes reason for worry, mourning over mistakes and defects, unbelief, or listening to the enemy's claim of being forsaken. Instead there is call to rejoice, sing of mercy and love, do one's part, and refuse words of unbelief.
God invites needy, dependent, sinful people to tell Him what they desire for their souls' interest and to take firm hold of Him whom they need. The asking is with beseeching and heart earnestness and fervency of the Holy Spirit, as heart-prayer both for themselves and for the perishing around them, rather than long rambling preaching discourses to Him. This instruction belongs to all who claim to be Christians, teaching how to receive the grace of Christ by meeting the conditions He lays down.
Each person is to seek God personally and use the Bible as guide for duty while following Christ, grounded in faith in God's Word rather than human promises or guidance. Unlike requests made of human agents, prayer to God gives sure ground for courage and trust, with no uncertainty about the result. Believers should ask humbly and confidently, trusting they will receive, for sufficiency and strength come not from self but through close connection with the Saviour. Watchful prayer is necessary even though rich blessings are freely provided, and Christ's representatives are close beside those who pray.
Ministers should wrestle with God privately until faith grasps the eternal promise that asking in faith brings an answer. Then they are to ask earnestly and directly for what they need, with fervent, definite prayer. Asking so brings help to do one's part in cultivating character in cooperation with God, as He supplies the power and blessing that make efforts fruitful. Through prayer wisdom and intelligence may be sought from God as a pure source who does not misjudge or make mistakes, Christ gives His power in its fullness to those undertaking His commissioned work, and renewed spiritual power is received as believers seek Him.
The promise belongs to everyone, not only to presidents of conferences or leaders, for each one who asks will receive. Individually each person is to wait upon the Lord and lay petitions before Him, resting on the definite, solid Thus saith the Lord. Each is to present petitions on the definite word of the Lord and expect the Holy Spirit, whom God is more willing to give to those who ask Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children.
Gifts God Gives in Answer
Workers may claim by living faith the grace, efficiency and heavenly unction needed for successful work, opening the mind to the Spirit's impressions so the soul is revived by fresh spiritual life and sacred fire of God's kindling instead of common fire, especially when pressed with responsibility and entering pulpit or schoolroom with wearied brain and overtaxed nerves. Taking time to go apart alone with God as Christ did is the way to seek that power for sharing truth and preparing the way of the Lord, and earnest persevering prayer for the fulfillment of the word brought the apostles to call upon Jesus. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the great promise for the church in every age, and asking and receiving means asking for the Spirit and receiving supplies to accomplish the work, to move deeply upon hearts and to convict and convert. Through Christ's merits there is access to God's power to ask for the Spirit's fullness and blessings needed for fruitful life, and God in great love and goodness is willing to do far more than can be imagined. The promise is repeated in every soul converted to the truth, and everyone newly added is to be educated in the work of winning souls to Christ.
Prayer is heaven's ordained means of success in conflict with sin and development of character, bringing divine influences that accomplish in the suppliant all pleaded for. Pardon of sin, the Holy Spirit, a Christlike temper, wisdom and strength to do God's work, help and means for fruitful service, and any promised gift may be asked for with assurance of receiving, and even the weakest may seek strength by grace to guard weak points and obey. Receiving bountifully and giving bountifully as co-workers glorifies the Father, as Christ's fruit did, with unwavering faith trusting the promise. Laying every care at the Redeemer's feet brings answer supplying means and help to plant truth in many places when facilities lack, to build houses of worship and to carry forward the work so people see truth. This calls for working and praying and believing with the whole heart, walking out by faith without waiting until money is in hand, learning to believe while praying, and practicing self-denial after Christ's whole earthly life of self-denial showing what to be and do to gain eternal life.
The promise is claimed in earnest united prayer for the sick with assurance God is willing to heal, and prayer believed without doubt and acted in the Lord's name brings recovery, relief, blessing and joyful gratitude. Parents may bring a sick child to Jesus, trust His promise to do what they cannot do, and believe He will not turn them away. Prayer for Lucinda's recovery, for Frances's healing, for throat and lung affliction and for any affliction rests on this ground of confidence that the request will be granted and joy made full, expecting God to hear and not let prayers be in vain. Receiving does not guarantee immediate or present healing, for earnest prayer may bring blessing and relief without full restoration. Faith holds fast while waiting for God's own good time and what best glorifies Him, doing all that can be done to follow Bible directions, entrusting soul and body to God, working prudently and never treating any case as too hard, and if healing is not granted submitting without discouragement in hope of the resurrection morning for all who received Christ and trusted Him.
The promise may be pleaded for bodily soundness and wholeness to live and do God's will and for miracle-working power, by praying together daily, believing, resting in His love, being happy, cheerful and hopeful. It may be pleaded in earnest petition for physical strength, mental clearness and moral power, and God fulfills it by giving needed sleep, refreshment and strength for service, to be recognized with heartfelt spoken thanks. In trial, disappointment and difficulty believers gain victories through simple trust in the Word, which no fasting can replace, by going to God, trusting Him, doing His will and doing their best while waiting patiently and hopefully rather than becoming discouraged. Every sincere prayer in faith will be answered because God is a very present help who makes goodness pass before those who trust Him and leads by His Spirit, providences and word, including help needed to advance His work. Those who seek and learn from Jesus day by day and hour by hour receive His wisdom as their own, and prayers offered to the heavenly Father for tempted children are heard and answered.
Living Out the Promise
Living faith claims the promise by sincere devotion and humble, earnest, persevering prayer that brings into close communion with Christ in heavenly places, and that prayer obtained for the apostles the endowment of the Holy Spirit to carry the burden of saving souls and extend the triumphs of the cross. The same fulfillment stands today for praying, trusting, believing workers who open the Scriptures to those ignorant of precious truth, bringing the Spirit of God to come to them with power. This is needed even more now, when increased wickedness demands more fervor and the end of all things is at hand, for the throne of grace is no further removed than in the disciples' time. The promise moved the disciples to the depths of their being, made them realize their debt to Christ, and vitalized them with holy zeal to bear witness to redeeming love.
The whole church is to unite in prayerful dependence, communing with God and pleading the promise by asking in faith and receiving. Those who receive Christ by faith become consecrated channels carrying the living truth to the world. Living out this will together with John 6 and John 13-17 in practical life cures dissension and produces unity and love with one another and with Christ, making believers strong co-workers with Christ, a wall against Satan's attacks, and able to stand the test of the shaking time. The lesson of John 16 must be studied and then spoken as commanded, and when studied with willingness to give the words commanded, the works and words of Christ become sure evidence behind the messenger's Thus saith the Lord, with Christ's abiding presence made manifest to the people. Young people are to arise and obtain this knowledge of the Word in order to receive its converting power, the same power seen when three thousand converts were brought to the faith at Pentecost.
Personal work for others must be preceded by much secret prayer, for before communicating with men there must be communion with Christ, obtaining at the throne of heavenly grace a preparation for ministering to the people. With a heart breaking with longing for God, for the living God, one who is partaker of the divine nature may have all that Christ received from God, and must then ask and receive, claiming for himself all that God has promised. This asking requires the persevering faith of Jacob and the unyielding persistence of Elijah, because great wisdom is required to understand the science of saving souls. Those doing sacred work are to hide self with Christ in God, look away to the victory, drink from the wells of salvation, look to Jesus, and pray in simplicity and faith instead of only half praying and half believing. The asking is for strength with all might to endure seeing Him who is invisible, for belief, for mutual strengthening, and for the Lord to lay His hand upon the asker to comprehend length and depth and breadth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, being filled with all the fullness of God, resulting in unselfish, united, faithful service and souls saved.
Asking and receiving are for giving to others, for believers are to pray much in living faith, asking in Christ's name, and receive so they can spend themselves in winning souls to Christ. What is received is to be passed on to help those who are spiritually blinded to wake up and be converted so God can use them. This must be done with urgency because there is a solemn message to carry and no time to lose.
After the ascension the disciples relied on this assurance as they brought their requests to the Father in prayer, and believers may still ask the Father in Jesus' name and receive so that joy may be full. Prayer is a source of strength in the Christian warfare, so believers should pray much and not neglect to watch and pray. Receiving help and grace from the Lord brings fullness of joy, and clinging to Jesus, the Mighty One, and relying on His strength brings encouragement, comfort, and support in body, spirit, and mind.
God's adopted children may confidently ask the Father for what they need and receive it, for sincere petitions reach Him. He gives grace to overcome the world and strength in weakness, and through Christ the Intercessor those who come with sanctified desires, humility, and repentance can receive heaven's provision, with God willing to give more than they ask or think. Asking for help to overcome sinful habits and resist temptation means admitting personal weakness and relying on God rather than one's own strength. The promise calls for faith to ask believing that God answers and gives the strength needed to do right, bringing joy to fullness.
Those facing great difficulties are to reach up by faith and seek God's blessing, sanctification, and fitness for His service, for those who ask will receive. Every soul trouble and perplexity and every trial and burden is to be brought to Jesus in faith rather than seeking relief from finite people.
The promise to ask and receive, together with the promise to seek and find, provides hope amid concern for a loved one. Believing the invitation and fully surrendering to Christ brings deep, satisfying joy, applied to receiving power to become a child of God. Faith in the promises is linked with receiving comfort and blessing unto fullness of joy. It is a call to pray humbly and consult Christ before acting, following His guidance rather than moving ahead independently. In times of difficulty there is no need to depend on help from distant friends, for Christ's followers can take hold of His strength through humble prayer and receive His peace in their hearts.
To ask for gifted but spiritually ignorant souls who are selling themselves to the world and in peril of losing their souls is to grasp God by living faith for a definite soul. It means pleading daily for guidance and wisdom to reach them by personal effort and not by casual acquaintance, presenting them before the church as objects of supplication, and insisting on their conversion to Jesus Christ. To receive is God answering by giving the Holy Spirit to convict and the power of the truth to convert the soul. At the same time He gives the church a great burden and personal interest for the perishing that lifts minds from little petty difficulties.
Through the merits of Christ believers have access to the throne of infinite power and may reach high attainment through faith in the promises of the heavenly Father when they fulfill His requirements, with prayer in Christ's name answered so that joy becomes complete. All needs are embraced in Christ's promise to give when asked, and believers are to come to God with simple faith, humility, and firm dependence, yielding themselves fully to Him; then He will work as each case requires. After conversion, as the believer begins serving the Lord and fighting against every evil trait of character, the believer can personally and knowingly rely on this promise that asking will bring a response.
When praying for God's blessing, even if the blessing is not realized at the very moment of asking, prayer should not end in disappointment but in confidence, rising from the knees believing that what was asked will be given. The promise calls for humbled hearts, more time devoted to prayer, and watching unto prayer with increased faith. Asking is to be joined with working in faith and bearing testimony under the power of the Holy Spirit while guarding the outposts with every precaution. God is a strong defense who will lift up a standard against the enemy when lies are circulated to counteract His work. Asking in faith and receiving from God brings fullness of joy in shared efforts to have God work through them, with the outcome according to the measure of faith, and those who ask in faith may expect to receive and are urged to keep pressing forward.
Heaven is full of rich blessings, and it is the privilege of the afflicted, tried believer trusting in Jesus to have the joy of Christ within so that joy may be full. Lack of blessing comes because of not asking, or because of not praying in faith believing that the special influence of the Holy Spirit will be given. To the true seeker through the mediation of Christ the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit are imparted in order that the receiver may impart a knowledge of saving truth. Sincere, humble prayers offered through Christ will be received by the Father, who strengthens human weakness and grants what is asked, with the risen Christ interceding for His people before the Father as the source of heavenly help. Believers may ask the Lord with confidence that they will receive, with humility, meekness, and fervent love accompanying prayer and intercession, including earnest, sincere prayer for oneself with confidence in Christ's intercession.