“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.” John 15:16
Look at this passage…closely…this morning. What is the context in which we can expect God to answer our prayers? First, because we are His, “You did not choose me, but I chose you…” Of course, He is talking, first of all to his disciples who were with Him at the time. But since ALL Scripture is God breathed and useful to train all believers in righteousness then this is for us…His elect children as well. The Godhead chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world…and we are His.
Second, because He appointed us to bear lasting fruit, “…appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…” In the first 11 verses of chapter 15 he has told us how important it is to abide in Christ and bear fruit so here He simply states the obvious for effect. We have been appointed to bear lasting fruit.
So the context in which we, His children, can expect God to answer prayer is when we are in His will, “…so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you.” We can’t expect it otherwise.
Now to focus, a minute, on the last part of the verse. Why do we finish our prayers with the refrain, “In Jesus’ name”? This is NOT a religious way of saying (from my generation), Roger wilco…over and out! We pray in Jesus name because of the assurance that the Father has given to us that He will answer those prayers when what we ask for most honors His name enabling us to produce lasting fruit that glories Him. That is the “secret” of our fruitfulness as Christians. We submit ourselves and our prayers to the glory of God more than to selfish gain.
By God’s grace and the Spirit’s work, believers were chosen for the glorious purpose of fulfilling aspects of God’s eternal plan. However, we tend to see our lives only in the context of our daily goals and concerns, but God has been, is and will weave our lives…the good the bad and the ugly…into His infinite, good and lasting plan.
So when we pray in Jesus’ name, we are not coming to God to demand and expect blessings based on limited wisdom and merits, but we confess our need of God’s wisdom and Christ’s merit to bear fruit that will bring God glory as is our expressed purpose in life.
God Bless y’all today and this week.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
