John 15:4-7
Abide in me, and my words abide in you, and you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
How is it that Jesus can make such a statement – “ask what you will?” Jesus, do you mean I can live any way I want and can ask you for anything I want and you will give it to me? Can a man ask for three wives and you will give it to him? Absolutely not. God is not a “jack-in-the-box” that pops out whenever we wind Him up. Nor is He a parachute that unleashes whenever we pull the cord. God has given us His word that we must abide by. When we do, we can “ask what we will” and it will be given to us.
I am a mother of three children. I will give my children anything they ask if it is within my reach. But, if one of my children asked me to help them rob a bank so that they can pay their bills, I would not, because that is against God’s principles and against the law to steal. If I have enough sense to not go against God’s principles, Jesus certainly knows better than I.
So, He is not saying that you can live any way you want and then just ask for anything you want. Because I know Him, I know that He is saying that we can ask for anything that is according to Scripture that you want, and God shall give it to you. He is speaking to His disciples who desire to please Him in everything they do. He clarifies it by saying that His word must be abiding in you.
Notice: His word (the Bible) is His will. Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)
God is not some mystical spirit that lives apart from His creation. He lives right here with us, and has made His will clear to us. (See – God’s Will writing) Whatever Jesus did and said is God’s will for us. Jesus healed the sick. We can get healed if sickness comes on us. Jesus met financial needs. He will meet our financial needs.
When His word is abiding in you, you won’t ask for anything outside of His will. When His word is abiding in you and you are not sure about a request you have for God, you search the Scriptures to find out whether your desire is His desire, or you ask your pastor or the leaders in your church to clearly show you in the word of God. Once they show you, you study it for yourself. Then God shows you the answer and you do it. That pleases God.
The point is, a person in whom the word is abiding will do everything he/she can to see to it that they are asking for things according to God’s will, because he is a person who loves and wants to please God.
~ by Carolyn Bridges
Abide in me, and my words abide in you, and you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
How is it that Jesus can make such a statement – “ask what you will?” Jesus, do you mean I can live any way I want and can ask you for anything I want and you will give it to me? Can a man ask for three wives and you will give it to him? Absolutely not. God is not a “jack-in-the-box” that pops out whenever we wind Him up. Nor is He a parachute that unleashes whenever we pull the cord. God has given us His word that we must abide by. When we do, we can “ask what we will” and it will be given to us.
I am a mother of three children. I will give my children anything they ask if it is within my reach. But, if one of my children asked me to help them rob a bank so that they can pay their bills, I would not, because that is against God’s principles and against the law to steal. If I have enough sense to not go against God’s principles, Jesus certainly knows better than I.
So, He is not saying that you can live any way you want and then just ask for anything you want. Because I know Him, I know that He is saying that we can ask for anything that is according to Scripture that you want, and God shall give it to you. He is speaking to His disciples who desire to please Him in everything they do. He clarifies it by saying that His word must be abiding in you.
Notice: His word (the Bible) is His will. Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)
God is not some mystical spirit that lives apart from His creation. He lives right here with us, and has made His will clear to us. (See – God’s Will writing) Whatever Jesus did and said is God’s will for us. Jesus healed the sick. We can get healed if sickness comes on us. Jesus met financial needs. He will meet our financial needs.
When His word is abiding in you, you won’t ask for anything outside of His will. When His word is abiding in you and you are not sure about a request you have for God, you search the Scriptures to find out whether your desire is His desire, or you ask your pastor or the leaders in your church to clearly show you in the word of God. Once they show you, you study it for yourself. Then God shows you the answer and you do it. That pleases God.
The point is, a person in whom the word is abiding will do everything he/she can to see to it that they are asking for things according to God’s will, because he is a person who loves and wants to please God.
~ by Carolyn Bridges