John 16:23,24 – Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
Today’s scripture comes from the famous discourse the last evening Jesus spent with His disciples when He was trying to prepare them for the new season that was rapidly coming upon them. Their ability to survive and succeed was dependent on their revelation of who Jesus is and the work He would perform from the cross to the throne. Jesus is teaching them about how prayer was about to change in this new day, to be honest, everything was about to change. When Jesus was crucified we were crucified with Him. When Christ was raised from the dead we were also raised from the dead. When Christ took His place on the throne we were seated together with Him in heavenly places. Our prayers have taken on new power and authority. We can now pray in His Name. Here is how Augustine described this.
“So what should we pray for? “Ask in my name.” And he did not say what for, but in his words we can understand what we ought to ask for. “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” Ask, and you will receive, in my name. But what? Not nothing. What though? “That your joy may be full,” which means, ask for what can finally satisfy you. Because sometimes you ask for nothing. “Whoever drinks of this water will be thirsty again.” You lower the bucket of greed into the well, you pull up something to drink, and you will again be thirsty. “Ask, so that your joy may be full,” that is, so that you may be permanently satisfied, not just so as to enjoy yourselves for a time. Ask for what can satisfy you.”
There are two things that fit into this category that Augustine was talking about. The first is living water, ask the Lord for His Spirit to pour over you again and again, this is the place of total satisfaction. The second prayer we can pray is for those who don’t know Jesus. Jesus said that ministering to the lost and hurting was His food. These two requests will be answered by the Lord, fill me with great draughts of your Spirit and pour out your love on this desperate and hurting world.
