If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Jesus Himself pledges that if His followers ask anything in His name, He will do it, not merely carrying their petitions to the Father but bestowing the blessing Himself as Intercessor and Mediator at the Father's right hand. To ask in His name is to plead His merits, righteousness and sacrifice before the Father as the key to heaven's storehouse, asking in line with His will and for His glory with childlike trust, and coming directly to Him as the Burden Bearer without ritual forms. The promise is conditional, given only to those who love Him by keeping His commandments and abiding in Him, who ask in living faith that takes Him at His word and believes the thing asked will be received. He answers so that the Father is glorified in the Son, His word is shown triumphant, and mercy flows to earth through Him as the connecting link between God and man. Spoken in the upper chamber on the night before His departure to comfort His sorrowing disciples and strengthen them for trial, it holds at all times and in all places through the end of time, joined to the gift of the Comforter to abide forever with those who meet its conditions.
Farewell Setting and Scope
The promise was spoken in the upper chamber on the night before departure, as Christ led the disciples out through the city toward the Mount of Olives with a cruel death just before Him. It was His final instruction before separation from them and before crucifixion, given because He knew the trials and temptations that would come to His church through unconverted believers and how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried. With three years of labor to prepare them for what would soon open before them, and with the bitterest cup His humanity must drink about to be held to His lips, He forgot Himself and His suffering to comfort His sorrowing disciples at losing their beloved Master. It belongs to the encouragement and hope of John 14, 15 and 16, to give courage to stand fast in the most trying hour and to bring strength and assurance to the true believer as long as time shall last, pointing to their need of divine power in the appointed work where their efforts must be joined with God's agency.
It stands within God's will plainly outlined in John 13-17, especially John 14-16, with John 14 joined to John 6, 13, 15, 16 and 17 as a plain expression of His will and part of the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world. It was given as solemn instruction before crucifixion for those ministering in word and doctrine who know present truth, for churches at this time, and among the communications for those living in the last days. Its teaching shows Christ's love through keeping His commandments, with obedience as the Bible test for those privileged with light, and teaches abundant life in Christ now, life hid with Christ in God even if the believer dies as Christ died, eternal life and raising up at the last day, by the great process in which believers are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him through all eternity. God means just what He says in it, and it is the privilege of ministers to believe it and every verse in those chapters and live them out before fellow ministers, which belongs to conversion and to understanding the philosophy of genuine missionary work.
These chapters are lessons of deep import, among the richest promises, to be taken literally, believed with the right kind of faith that holds God's promises as yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, and to be diligently studied and even committed to memory. They set out duties specified by Christ as Substitute and Surety, requiring careful study and earnest practice rather than neglect for unimportant matters, with practice bearing the divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. They are to fill the mind as a storehouse of truth for speaking a word in season to the oppressed, the sorrowful and the afflicted, to keep Thus saith the Lord and It is written ever on the lips, and to make the soul like a garden whose waters fail not refreshing all around, a great light calling for real, genuine piety. They call for searching Scripture like a miner for gold to learn one's relation to God and His will for salvation and duty, for cultivating faith in God under every circumstance and bringing it into practical life, for living them out before others and enlightening those who do not understand their value, with the neighboring promise in John 15:7 connecting asking with abiding in Christ and His words abiding in the believer.
Meaning of Asking in Name
To ask in his name is to plead the powerful name of Jesus before the Father with acknowledgment of his merits, righteousness, sacrifice and imputed righteousness. His name is the key unlocking heaven's storehouse to draw from the divine treasury, an endorsement guaranteeing audience, and sweet incense mingled with prayer that makes it acceptable and precious. He is alive and no longer in Joseph's tomb, so his blood can be pleaded now for power to get rid of sinful habits, his righteousness and purity of character accepted as one's own with his love, kindness and goodness, and his promises taken today with belief that he will fulfill them because he said he would. He presents sincere prayer to the Father as his own desire in his own voice whom the Father always hears, placing his merits and righteousness with the prayers of his people in the golden censer so they ascend mingled with fragrance and blend with his voice, and through him believers are counted precious, pardoned for his sake, and recognized by their likeness to the Son. Acceptance does not depend on fluent words, but on coming to the Father with the name of Jesus and faith in the One the Father sent, praying to sanctify soul, body and spirit and claiming the promises as one's own to make him a personal Saviour, with wealth of devotion, united prayer in faith, and deep interest in souls for whom he gave his life. His pledge to do what is asked is given so the Father is glorified in the Son, to dispel darkness and give light, to give strength and grace, to encourage faith and confidence in success with much continual prayer and thanksgiving, and to teach his people to value themselves by the infinite price paid to redeem them, to make great requests and expect great things.
To ask in his name means to ask in line with his will, for his glory, seeking what honors him and advances his work, with a child's simplicity and full trust that the request will be granted. The promise is conditional on accord with his will and on love shown by having and keeping his commandments and words, with the commandments as promises assured to the obedient and obedience as the condition of eternal life and of working out his righteous will. Conditional prayers for health or other gifts, asking only if for God's glory and good, do not show lack of faith, while the one who walks contrary to his expressed will receives nothing and only the obedient walking in the light receive his precious gifts. Meeting him on the platform of his own devising and complying with the conditions laid down in his word means perseveringly presenting petitions before the throne of mercy while depending on the Holy Spirit, searching the Scriptures to know the mind of God, and keeping the feet in the path of his commandments. The answer honors God and shows his word triumphant, giving grace and the help needed to go forward.
To ask in his name means direct access to Christ and God without ritual forms and ceremonies, for he is the spiritual priesthood and fulfillment of the temple service offering mercy to sinful people. It means carrying difficulties and burdens directly to God the great Burden Bearer rather than to human counsel, drawing near to God who draws near in return, advancing toward Jesus as he advances toward those who take a step toward him, and casting the helpless soul on Jesus with unwavering faith that God hears and will answer. Nothing should prevent offering petitions in the name of Jesus, humbling self before him, uniting with others in seeking his help and favor and the guidance of his Spirit, and letting united prayers ascend to the throne of grace mingled with praise and thanksgiving. God confers honor on those who come and ask in faith believing they will receive, his divine power is infallible while human help is feeble, counseling with God never misleads, and making flesh an arm by depending on human help lets unbelief steal in and faith die. This promise belongs with loving him and keeping his commandments, and taking God at his word brings the light of the Lord and the work of the Spirit in the heart.
Christ Personally Answers Prayer
Jesus himself pledges that if his followers ask anything in his name, he will do it. His pledged word is unfailing for every emergency, trial and need of strength, to be taken personally, believed and acted on with full assurance at the throne of grace. The promise is joined to loving him and keeping his commandments, to praying in connection with him in humble obedience, and to faith in the promises like the faith by which eternal life is given. It accompanies doing his works and greater works because he goes to the Father, and the disciples later saw its effect when the Spirit was poured out and their work brought remarkable results.
He does not only carry petitions to the Father and intercede, but he himself bestows the blessings sought. He stands before the Father as Intercessor, Mediator and Advocate at the Father's right hand and as Friend at Court, pleading the believer's cause and placing his own virtues and righteousness to the believer's account. Prayer is presented with his merits and joined to his own voice before the Father, whom the Father always hears, so that prayer in his name is presented as his own desire. This includes forgiveness and cleansing from sin for the repenting sinner who comes not depending on personal goodness or good works but depending on him, believing sins taken away and his righteousness imputed, without waiting for cleansing feelings or wonderful emotions, since feeling is changeable and no test of being heard. He is alive and no longer in the tomb, so his blood can be pleaded now for power to get rid of sinful habits, his righteousness and purity of character accepted as one's own with his love, kindness and goodness, claiming the promises as one's own and making him a personal Saviour who sanctifies soul, body and spirit.
He does this so that the Father is glorified in the Son. By answered prayer God's glory is represented on the earth, his word is shown triumphant, and believers value themselves by the infinite price paid on Calvary. Christ is the brightness of the Father's glory, the channel of mercy, and the connecting link by whom mercy comes down and prayers rise. Those who are doers of the word give evidence that they are believers of the word, and as workers together with God representing the Redeemer's character they have strong consolation in the promises and in confidence lay hold on everlasting life.
The promise holds at all times and in all places for all who meet its conditions through the end of time. It belongs to the disciples after his ascension and to believers now, bringing courage to stand fast in the most trying hour and strength and assurance to the true believer as long as time shall last. In sorrow, affliction, fear and helplessness, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing and souls feel alone, prayer in faith brings the Comforter sent in answer to prayer, with Christ's Spirit present to support, sustain and comfort even when distance or circumstances separate from human friends. Jesus understands the human heart in giving it, knowing the trials that would come through unconverted believers and how severely faith and courage would be tried, lest Satan's temptations allow the world to absorb the heart until love of God is displaced.
Conditions for Receiving Answer
The promise is conditional, given to all through the end of time who pray in connection with Christ and humbly obey His requirements, and it belongs together with loving Him by keeping His commandments and words and abiding in His love as He kept His Father's commandments. It is received by the same faith in the promises on which the gift of eternal life is given, joined to knowing the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who dwells with and in those who love Him and to whom Jesus manifests Himself, so that believers are not left comfortless but live because He lives and know that He is in the Father and they in Him and He in them. This includes light on the binding claims of the law of God for those standing under His banner, the ten commandments understood as ten promises secured to the obedient, strict obedience required for salvation and perfection, and being doers and not mere professors who refuse to disobey even for temporal advantage. The one who has His commandments and keeps them out of love is loved by the Father, has Christ manifest Himself to him, and has the Father and Son make their abode with him.
Only those entitled by meeting its conditions may claim it, meeting Him on the platform of His own devising and complying with the conditions laid down in His word. To bring Christ's name as authority for fulfillment while disobeying is like bringing a note to be cashed without fulfilling the contract, a forged check that will not be honored, so believers must be able to say they have done as God said and not ask Him to do what He promised when disobedient and not entitled to it. The condition is love for Christ shown by keeping His commandments and doing the things that show love and faith in Him, walking in the light of God's commandments with feet in the path of obedience, while the one who walks contrary to God's expressed will receives nothing.
The promise is received by living, believing faith that takes Christ at His word as His pledged word personally spoken, claims promises with the Bible in hand, and believes the thing asked will be received. It calls for childlike simplicity that tells the Lord all perplexities, wants, necessities and needs with more of Jesus and far less of self, relying on His power and riches and goodness and love rather than on intense feelings or fluent words, and lived out in works He approves with cheerfulness and gratitude. Doubting that God will fulfill His promises is unbelief that dishonors Him and deprives the believer of comfort, hope and courage, while God honors His word and gives the very things needed so that what is received glorifies the Father in the Son.
Asking belongs with prayer in connection with Christ, abiding in Him with His words abiding in the believer, and continually coming to Him asking, seeking and knocking. It calls for faith in God and in Christ as Mediator, a wealth of devotion, united prayer in faith as believers in Christ's word with praise and thanksgiving, and deep interest in the salvation of souls for whom He gave His life. It is joined to searching Scripture to learn one's relation to God and His will and to know the mind of God, confessing sin, perseveringly presenting petitions before the throne of mercy while depending on the Holy Spirit, and seeking spiritual renewal and the Holy Spirit's outpouring.
Spirit Works and Mission
The pledge to do whatever is asked in his name stands together with believing on him and doing his works and greater works because he goes to the Father. It empowers his followers as workers together with God and as his representatives to carry forward his work after his ascension, to bear fruit, to make heaven's treasures known, and to win people to him, so that the Father is glorified in the Son. It is claimed through living faith and belongs to those who love him by keeping his commandments as doers of the word and not mere professors, giving them strong consolation as they lay hold on everlasting life.
The same promise is joined to the gift of another Comforter to abide forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive or know. That Comforter dwells with believers and in them so they are not left comfortless, and because he lives they shall live also, knowing at that day that he is in the Father and they in him and he in them. It is received by the same faith on which eternal life is given, belongs with loving him, keeping his commandments, and knowing the indwelling Spirit to whom he manifests himself, and opens the way to ask for and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit with the blessings needed for spiritual growth and service.
The disciples later saw its effect when the Spirit was poured out and their work brought wonderful results through the gifts he gave. They cherished the promise and prayed to the Father in his name, assured that he was clothed with power and had not forsaken them but stood as Advocate at the Father's right hand to present their petitions. That outpouring came as evidence of acceptance after preparation in which selfishness, rivalry, and division were put away in unity, and the promise remains for all through the end of time who meet its conditions of prayer in his name, connection with him, and humble obedience, bringing divine help in every emergency and mighty victories for needy and sorrowful believers.
Trust and Daily Application
The promise gives comfort, courage, strength and assurance to needy, sorrowful and afflicted followers in every emergency, in sorrow, affliction, fear, helplessness and dark perplexing outlooks, when the future seems perplexing and souls feel alone and the outlook is dark. It was spoken because the trials to come through unconverted believers were known, and how severely faith and courage would be tried, to strengthen believers to stand fast in the most trying hour and endure without failing as long as time shall last. Doubting that fulfillment dishonors God and forfeits comfort, hope and courage, so believers are to trust and claim the promise rather than voice doubt, with personal confidence in divine care and help for what they cannot do themselves. When presented on the Sabbath to those deciding to take their stand for the truth it brings blessing, courage, faith and hope, cheerful testimony and happy faces, and refreshment as heavenly showers of grace and blessing. The Comforter is sent in answer to the prayer of faith with tender and true support wherever believers are, and the later outpouring of the Spirit with remarkable results showed its effect.
Believers are to take the pledged word personally, believe and act on it with full assurance at the throne of grace, telling all perplexities, wants and needs with childlike simplicity and believing the thing asked will be received. They are to ask earnestly and trust, keep praying and receive in faith, with confidence that petitions made in prayer are heard, including prayer for a sick person. They are to lay plans before Him, wait patiently rather than forcing results by human strength, make great requests and expect great things, plead as if life depended on it with an earnestness that will not be denied, and rely on God and not on human words. What is received is given according to riches and goodness and love, while it remains God's right to know what is for good, so that what is received glorifies the Father in the Son and glorifies His name by being given to others. The measure of the Spirit received is proportionate to desire, faith to grasp, and capacity to enjoy and impart, with more of Jesus and far less of self.
The promise covers asking for the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the blessings needed for spiritual growth and service, with access to God's power through Christ's merits. It covers grace to come as sinners are and be pardoned, made pure and kept holy and obedient, calling for living faith and human cooperation, since lack of faith hinders growth, and it covers help against sin and Satan to be claimed by those who ask. It covers power to obtain eternal life and reach the standard of obedience, guidance to know God's will without being left to stray, physical and spiritual strength, health, wisdom, peace and blessing, help in presenting truth and in worship gatherings, provision for carrying the saving gospel to neglected fields while working and praying in trust, and practical needs such as a house of worship. Like Solomon's prayer for an understanding heart to judge God's people, which was acceptable, servants today are taught how to pray for what they need for service, with faith and humility free from self-exaltation, by the same One who appeared to Solomon and led his mind in prayer.
Trusting the promise has enabled endurance in painful trial, giving confidence to pray and rely on God when facing a painful dental operation, taking nothing to stupefy or deaden the gums and enduring without anesthetic and without groan or outward complaint. It calls for faith in Christ's help applied to health, following health-reform principles and trusting Jesus to keep well rather than substituting drugs for faith.
Jesus Himself pledges that if His followers ask anything in His name, He will do it, not merely carrying their petitions to the Father but bestowing the blessing Himself as Intercessor and Mediator at the Father's right hand.
To ask in His name is to plead His merits, righteousness and sacrifice before the Father as the key to heaven's storehouse, asking in line with His will and for His glory with childlike trust, and coming directly to Him as the Burden Bearer without ritual forms.
The promise is conditional, given only to those who love Him by keeping His commandments and abiding in Him, who ask in living faith that takes Him at His word and believes the thing asked will be received.
He answers so that the Father is glorified in the Son, His word is shown triumphant, and mercy flows to earth through Him as the connecting link between God and man.
Spoken in the upper chamber on the night before His departure to comfort His sorrowing disciples and strengthen them for trial, it holds at all times and in all places through the end of time, joined to the gift of the Comforter to abide forever with those who meet its conditions.
Farewell Setting and Scope
The promise was spoken in the upper chamber on the night before departure, as Christ led the disciples out through the city toward the Mount of Olives with a cruel death just before Him. It was His final instruction before separation from them and before crucifixion, given because He knew the trials and temptations that would come to His church through unconverted believers and how severely the faith and courage of the disciples would be tried. With three years of labor to prepare them for what would soon open before them, and with the bitterest cup His humanity must drink about to be held to His lips, He forgot Himself and His suffering to comfort His sorrowing disciples at losing their beloved Master. It belongs to the encouragement and hope of John 14, 15 and 16, to give courage to stand fast in the most trying hour and to bring strength and assurance to the true believer as long as time shall last, pointing to their need of divine power in the appointed work where their efforts must be joined with God's agency.
It stands within God's will plainly outlined in John 13-17, especially John 14-16, with John 14 joined to John 6, 13, 15, 16 and 17 as a plain expression of His will and part of the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world. It was given as solemn instruction before crucifixion for those ministering in word and doctrine who know present truth, for churches at this time, and among the communications for those living in the last days. Its teaching shows Christ's love through keeping His commandments, with obedience as the Bible test for those privileged with light, and teaches abundant life in Christ now, life hid with Christ in God even if the believer dies as Christ died, eternal life and raising up at the last day, by the great process in which believers are made one with Christ in this present life to be one with Him through all eternity. God means just what He says in it, and it is the privilege of ministers to believe it and every verse in those chapters and live them out before fellow ministers, which belongs to conversion and to understanding the philosophy of genuine missionary work.
These chapters are lessons of deep import, among the richest promises, to be taken literally, believed with the right kind of faith that holds God's promises as yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, and to be diligently studied and even committed to memory. They set out duties specified by Christ as Substitute and Surety, requiring careful study and earnest practice rather than neglect for unimportant matters, with practice bearing the divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. They are to fill the mind as a storehouse of truth for speaking a word in season to the oppressed, the sorrowful and the afflicted, to keep Thus saith the Lord and It is written ever on the lips, and to make the soul like a garden whose waters fail not refreshing all around, a great light calling for real, genuine piety. They call for searching Scripture like a miner for gold to learn one's relation to God and His will for salvation and duty, for cultivating faith in God under every circumstance and bringing it into practical life, for living them out before others and enlightening those who do not understand their value, with the neighboring promise in John 15:7 connecting asking with abiding in Christ and His words abiding in the believer.
Meaning of Asking in Name
To ask in his name is to plead the powerful name of Jesus before the Father with acknowledgment of his merits, righteousness, sacrifice and imputed righteousness. His name is the key unlocking heaven's storehouse to draw from the divine treasury, an endorsement guaranteeing audience, and sweet incense mingled with prayer that makes it acceptable and precious. He is alive and no longer in Joseph's tomb, so his blood can be pleaded now for power to get rid of sinful habits, his righteousness and purity of character accepted as one's own with his love, kindness and goodness, and his promises taken today with belief that he will fulfill them because he said he would. He presents sincere prayer to the Father as his own desire in his own voice whom the Father always hears, placing his merits and righteousness with the prayers of his people in the golden censer so they ascend mingled with fragrance and blend with his voice, and through him believers are counted precious, pardoned for his sake, and recognized by their likeness to the Son. Acceptance does not depend on fluent words, but on coming to the Father with the name of Jesus and faith in the One the Father sent, praying to sanctify soul, body and spirit and claiming the promises as one's own to make him a personal Saviour, with wealth of devotion, united prayer in faith, and deep interest in souls for whom he gave his life. His pledge to do what is asked is given so the Father is glorified in the Son, to dispel darkness and give light, to give strength and grace, to encourage faith and confidence in success with much continual prayer and thanksgiving, and to teach his people to value themselves by the infinite price paid to redeem them, to make great requests and expect great things.
To ask in his name means to ask in line with his will, for his glory, seeking what honors him and advances his work, with a child's simplicity and full trust that the request will be granted. The promise is conditional on accord with his will and on love shown by having and keeping his commandments and words, with the commandments as promises assured to the obedient and obedience as the condition of eternal life and of working out his righteous will. Conditional prayers for health or other gifts, asking only if for God's glory and good, do not show lack of faith, while the one who walks contrary to his expressed will receives nothing and only the obedient walking in the light receive his precious gifts. Meeting him on the platform of his own devising and complying with the conditions laid down in his word means perseveringly presenting petitions before the throne of mercy while depending on the Holy Spirit, searching the Scriptures to know the mind of God, and keeping the feet in the path of his commandments. The answer honors God and shows his word triumphant, giving grace and the help needed to go forward.
To ask in his name means direct access to Christ and God without ritual forms and ceremonies, for he is the spiritual priesthood and fulfillment of the temple service offering mercy to sinful people. It means carrying difficulties and burdens directly to God the great Burden Bearer rather than to human counsel, drawing near to God who draws near in return, advancing toward Jesus as he advances toward those who take a step toward him, and casting the helpless soul on Jesus with unwavering faith that God hears and will answer. Nothing should prevent offering petitions in the name of Jesus, humbling self before him, uniting with others in seeking his help and favor and the guidance of his Spirit, and letting united prayers ascend to the throne of grace mingled with praise and thanksgiving. God confers honor on those who come and ask in faith believing they will receive, his divine power is infallible while human help is feeble, counseling with God never misleads, and making flesh an arm by depending on human help lets unbelief steal in and faith die. This promise belongs with loving him and keeping his commandments, and taking God at his word brings the light of the Lord and the work of the Spirit in the heart.
Christ Personally Answers Prayer
Jesus himself pledges that if his followers ask anything in his name, he will do it. His pledged word is unfailing for every emergency, trial and need of strength, to be taken personally, believed and acted on with full assurance at the throne of grace. The promise is joined to loving him and keeping his commandments, to praying in connection with him in humble obedience, and to faith in the promises like the faith by which eternal life is given. It accompanies doing his works and greater works because he goes to the Father, and the disciples later saw its effect when the Spirit was poured out and their work brought remarkable results.
He does not only carry petitions to the Father and intercede, but he himself bestows the blessings sought. He stands before the Father as Intercessor, Mediator and Advocate at the Father's right hand and as Friend at Court, pleading the believer's cause and placing his own virtues and righteousness to the believer's account. Prayer is presented with his merits and joined to his own voice before the Father, whom the Father always hears, so that prayer in his name is presented as his own desire. This includes forgiveness and cleansing from sin for the repenting sinner who comes not depending on personal goodness or good works but depending on him, believing sins taken away and his righteousness imputed, without waiting for cleansing feelings or wonderful emotions, since feeling is changeable and no test of being heard. He is alive and no longer in the tomb, so his blood can be pleaded now for power to get rid of sinful habits, his righteousness and purity of character accepted as one's own with his love, kindness and goodness, claiming the promises as one's own and making him a personal Saviour who sanctifies soul, body and spirit.
He does this so that the Father is glorified in the Son. By answered prayer God's glory is represented on the earth, his word is shown triumphant, and believers value themselves by the infinite price paid on Calvary. Christ is the brightness of the Father's glory, the channel of mercy, and the connecting link by whom mercy comes down and prayers rise. Those who are doers of the word give evidence that they are believers of the word, and as workers together with God representing the Redeemer's character they have strong consolation in the promises and in confidence lay hold on everlasting life.
The promise holds at all times and in all places for all who meet its conditions through the end of time. It belongs to the disciples after his ascension and to believers now, bringing courage to stand fast in the most trying hour and strength and assurance to the true believer as long as time shall last. In sorrow, affliction, fear and helplessness, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing and souls feel alone, prayer in faith brings the Comforter sent in answer to prayer, with Christ's Spirit present to support, sustain and comfort even when distance or circumstances separate from human friends. Jesus understands the human heart in giving it, knowing the trials that would come through unconverted believers and how severely faith and courage would be tried, lest Satan's temptations allow the world to absorb the heart until love of God is displaced.
Conditions for Receiving Answer
The promise is conditional, given to all through the end of time who pray in connection with Christ and humbly obey His requirements, and it belongs together with loving Him by keeping His commandments and words and abiding in His love as He kept His Father's commandments. It is received by the same faith in the promises on which the gift of eternal life is given, joined to knowing the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who dwells with and in those who love Him and to whom Jesus manifests Himself, so that believers are not left comfortless but live because He lives and know that He is in the Father and they in Him and He in them. This includes light on the binding claims of the law of God for those standing under His banner, the ten commandments understood as ten promises secured to the obedient, strict obedience required for salvation and perfection, and being doers and not mere professors who refuse to disobey even for temporal advantage. The one who has His commandments and keeps them out of love is loved by the Father, has Christ manifest Himself to him, and has the Father and Son make their abode with him.
Only those entitled by meeting its conditions may claim it, meeting Him on the platform of His own devising and complying with the conditions laid down in His word. To bring Christ's name as authority for fulfillment while disobeying is like bringing a note to be cashed without fulfilling the contract, a forged check that will not be honored, so believers must be able to say they have done as God said and not ask Him to do what He promised when disobedient and not entitled to it. The condition is love for Christ shown by keeping His commandments and doing the things that show love and faith in Him, walking in the light of God's commandments with feet in the path of obedience, while the one who walks contrary to God's expressed will receives nothing.
The promise is received by living, believing faith that takes Christ at His word as His pledged word personally spoken, claims promises with the Bible in hand, and believes the thing asked will be received. It calls for childlike simplicity that tells the Lord all perplexities, wants, necessities and needs with more of Jesus and far less of self, relying on His power and riches and goodness and love rather than on intense feelings or fluent words, and lived out in works He approves with cheerfulness and gratitude. Doubting that God will fulfill His promises is unbelief that dishonors Him and deprives the believer of comfort, hope and courage, while God honors His word and gives the very things needed so that what is received glorifies the Father in the Son.
Asking belongs with prayer in connection with Christ, abiding in Him with His words abiding in the believer, and continually coming to Him asking, seeking and knocking. It calls for faith in God and in Christ as Mediator, a wealth of devotion, united prayer in faith as believers in Christ's word with praise and thanksgiving, and deep interest in the salvation of souls for whom He gave His life. It is joined to searching Scripture to learn one's relation to God and His will and to know the mind of God, confessing sin, perseveringly presenting petitions before the throne of mercy while depending on the Holy Spirit, and seeking spiritual renewal and the Holy Spirit's outpouring.
Spirit Works and Mission
The pledge to do whatever is asked in his name stands together with believing on him and doing his works and greater works because he goes to the Father. It empowers his followers as workers together with God and as his representatives to carry forward his work after his ascension, to bear fruit, to make heaven's treasures known, and to win people to him, so that the Father is glorified in the Son. It is claimed through living faith and belongs to those who love him by keeping his commandments as doers of the word and not mere professors, giving them strong consolation as they lay hold on everlasting life.
The same promise is joined to the gift of another Comforter to abide forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive or know. That Comforter dwells with believers and in them so they are not left comfortless, and because he lives they shall live also, knowing at that day that he is in the Father and they in him and he in them. It is received by the same faith on which eternal life is given, belongs with loving him, keeping his commandments, and knowing the indwelling Spirit to whom he manifests himself, and opens the way to ask for and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit with the blessings needed for spiritual growth and service.
The disciples later saw its effect when the Spirit was poured out and their work brought wonderful results through the gifts he gave. They cherished the promise and prayed to the Father in his name, assured that he was clothed with power and had not forsaken them but stood as Advocate at the Father's right hand to present their petitions. That outpouring came as evidence of acceptance after preparation in which selfishness, rivalry, and division were put away in unity, and the promise remains for all through the end of time who meet its conditions of prayer in his name, connection with him, and humble obedience, bringing divine help in every emergency and mighty victories for needy and sorrowful believers.
Trust and Daily Application
The promise gives comfort, courage, strength and assurance to needy, sorrowful and afflicted followers in every emergency, in sorrow, affliction, fear, helplessness and dark perplexing outlooks, when the future seems perplexing and souls feel alone and the outlook is dark. It was spoken because the trials to come through unconverted believers were known, and how severely faith and courage would be tried, to strengthen believers to stand fast in the most trying hour and endure without failing as long as time shall last. Doubting that fulfillment dishonors God and forfeits comfort, hope and courage, so believers are to trust and claim the promise rather than voice doubt, with personal confidence in divine care and help for what they cannot do themselves. When presented on the Sabbath to those deciding to take their stand for the truth it brings blessing, courage, faith and hope, cheerful testimony and happy faces, and refreshment as heavenly showers of grace and blessing. The Comforter is sent in answer to the prayer of faith with tender and true support wherever believers are, and the later outpouring of the Spirit with remarkable results showed its effect.
Believers are to take the pledged word personally, believe and act on it with full assurance at the throne of grace, telling all perplexities, wants and needs with childlike simplicity and believing the thing asked will be received. They are to ask earnestly and trust, keep praying and receive in faith, with confidence that petitions made in prayer are heard, including prayer for a sick person. They are to lay plans before Him, wait patiently rather than forcing results by human strength, make great requests and expect great things, plead as if life depended on it with an earnestness that will not be denied, and rely on God and not on human words. What is received is given according to riches and goodness and love, while it remains God's right to know what is for good, so that what is received glorifies the Father in the Son and glorifies His name by being given to others. The measure of the Spirit received is proportionate to desire, faith to grasp, and capacity to enjoy and impart, with more of Jesus and far less of self.
The promise covers asking for the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the blessings needed for spiritual growth and service, with access to God's power through Christ's merits. It covers grace to come as sinners are and be pardoned, made pure and kept holy and obedient, calling for living faith and human cooperation, since lack of faith hinders growth, and it covers help against sin and Satan to be claimed by those who ask. It covers power to obtain eternal life and reach the standard of obedience, guidance to know God's will without being left to stray, physical and spiritual strength, health, wisdom, peace and blessing, help in presenting truth and in worship gatherings, provision for carrying the saving gospel to neglected fields while working and praying in trust, and practical needs such as a house of worship. Like Solomon's prayer for an understanding heart to judge God's people, which was acceptable, servants today are taught how to pray for what they need for service, with faith and humility free from self-exaltation, by the same One who appeared to Solomon and led his mind in prayer.
Trusting the promise has enabled endurance in painful trial, giving confidence to pray and rely on God when facing a painful dental operation, taking nothing to stupefy or deaden the gums and enduring without anesthetic and without groan or outward complaint. It calls for faith in Christ's help applied to health, following health-reform principles and trusting Jesus to keep well rather than substituting drugs for faith.