Jesus is Essential
John 16:22–24: Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
The central theme of this paragraph is prayer: “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” We come as inferiors to God, asking for His blessing; but He came as the very Son of God, equal with the Father. What period of time did Jesus mean by “in that day”? I think He was referring to the time after the coming of the Spirit.
He promised them that He would see them again, and He kept His promise. He spent forty days with them after His resurrection, teaching them clearly the truths they needed to know in order to take His place and minister on earth (Acts 1:3ff). “That day” cannot refer to the day of His return for His church, because there is no evidence in Scripture that we shall pray to Him after we get to heaven. 1
Walking with Jesus
The Christian life involves a series of invitations. There is the initial invitation for salvation. Then the invitation to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. And the invitation for sanctification, (to be set apart from worldliness and to be available for HIs purposes.) Today we learn about His invitation for fellowship through prayer. What are three requests that you would like to bring to the Father right now in prayer?
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Matthew 6:9
Many times we have never received, because we have never asked.
Praying
Lord, forgive me for not coming to You and asking for Your help.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 11-21) (electronic ed., Vol. 39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
