WHATEVER YOU
ASK
Christ’s
Intimate Teaching on Prayer
Within our Lord’s
final conversation with His disciples He inserts six (6) promises regarding
prayer. In the first instalment, we looked at the first in John 14:13-14. Previously
we considered the second verse that relates to “whatever we ask” in John 5:17. The third passage that is included in this
intimate instruction by our Lord is found in John 15:16 (ESV),
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you
ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Notice again: “Whatever
you ask.” So let’s look a little deeper.
Jesus has just stated, “No longer do I call you
servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have
called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known
to you.” (John 15:15, ESV). What a privilege to be a friend of Jesus; and
to have such amazing access to the plan of God.
Privilege is an understatement.
Then as Dr. Carson so correctly shows us, “Where there is the slightest
danger that the disciples will puff themselves up because of the privileges
they enjoy, Jesus immediately forestalls any pretensions they might have . . .
his followers are privy to such revelations not because they are wiser or
better and consequently made the right choices, but because Christ chose them.”[1]
God’s election was not merely redemptive in
purpose, “but also that their lives be fruitful and productive in fulfilling
God’s purposes.”[2] God promises that each disciple will not
only bear fruit, but it will be lasting.
“The NT describes fruit as godly attitudes (Gal. 5:22, 23), righteous
behavior (Phil. 1:11), praise (Heb. 13:15), and especially leading others to
faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God (Rom. 1:13–16).”[3]
The “so that” joins the next phrase in
union with the first. In other words, “Effective
prayer is accompanied by obedience and identification with the will of God
(14:13 note; Ps. 66:18).”[4]
It is as we respond to
our calling that prayer is answered.
Again it isn’t a blank cheque.
Negatively, if one is failing to “make our calling and election sure”[5],
then it would seem unlikely that they can have any confidence in praying.
Conversely though, it is a precious promise.
As we seek to work out our salvation[6]
then we can be confident in prayer.
[1] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel
according to John (p. 523). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids,
MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.
[2] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible
(p. 2056). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[3] MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study
Bible (electronic ed., p. 1616). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.
[4] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B.
K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation
study Bible: bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James
Version (Jn 15:16). Nashville: T. Nelson.
[5] “Therefore, brothers, be all the more
diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these
qualities you will never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10, ESV)
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