In John's account of Christ's public ministry (John 1-12) we find no explicit teaching on prayer. Not until the evening of the betrayal in the Upper Room where He opened His heart to His disciples in loving farewell talks (John 14-16), does he begin to speak to them on this great theme. The first reference is John 14:13, 14. "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name that will I do."

      This promise, as it stands, is unlimited: "whatsoever," and "anything" they may ask for shall be done for them--He will Himself do it. But the limitation lies in the words "in my name," here twice repeated. What does that mean? It can not be merely a pious phrase used in the closing of our prayers. It is bound to mean far more than that. To ask in His Name is to ask in His behalf, on His authority. It is, as it were, the signing of His Name to a check which we draw on the Bank of Heaven, where His infinite wealth (the unsearchable riches of Christ) is deposited, available to our use. Manifestly none may dare sign His Name except he had been given the right and authority to do so, and then only if the check be drawn in the interest of his Lord and of His work. For when we ask in His Name we act representatively for Him, in His place, as identified with Him, as though He Himself were asking, and were Himself, through us, calling for the honoring of His rightful claims, the cashing, as it were, of His own drafts from His own funds. This is what it means to ask in His name.

      We may now think that this closes the door on most of us. Who could have the right to so ask "in His name"? And how could we know that what we are asking is in line with His will? Would not this exclude many things that lie heavy on our hearts--things we need, things we desire so deeply, things we long and wish for? May we ask for personal blessings, our homes, our friends, our loved ones, our plans and hopes? Yes, of course we may, but could such prayers be presented in His name, and with assurance of His certain answer? Thus our timid hearts might find--not an open door, but rather a barrier in those qualifying words, "in my name." But the Lord did not mean to debar any of us, not even the humblest and least and neediest, from this promise; nor did He mean to refuse us any good thing. As in the sweeping promises of Matt. 7:7-11; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:1-13--so here, all good is comprehended in His gracious word. For, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32.) [44]

      But it is to be noted that in this Upper Room teaching, the Lord has a special point of view. He is about to leave His disciples and return to the Father. Them He would leave in the world to administrate His goods; to carry on His work during His absence. It is with special reference to this work that this "whatsoever" promise to believing prayer was given. The works that He did while on earth, shall they do also; yea, greater works than these shall they do (John 14:12). The question would at once arise, "How could we do such things?" The word in verses 13 and 14 is the answer. By the "greater works" the Lord did not mean greater miracles than those which He had wrought, but greater effectiveness in the Father's work--as when Peter turned 3000 to the Lord on Pentecost; and after that, everywhere, sinners were converted. But such a work cannot be accomplished by human ability: the power must come from God, and by prayer. Where man's power alone is at work, only human results will follow--as, alas, too often it is seen. But God's work can be done only in the power of God; and it is only by prayer in Jesus' name that this is received.

      In perfect harmony with this is our Lord's next reference to prayer in that "Upper Room Discourse." It occurs in the midst of the parable (the allegory, rather) of the Vine and the Branches (John 15). In this wondrous picture, the Lord Jesus sets forth in a few simple words what would take volumes to expound. He sets forth His relation to His disciples; His relation to the Father in this work; the Father's part in it; also His disciples' relationship to Him, and what must be their first concern in regard to the same; and finally, the purpose and object of the whole arrangement. It is a simple and beautiful picture: a great Vine with many branches; God the Father is the Gardener who planted the Vine and tends it. The Vine is the Lord Jesus Christ; the branches, vitally united to the Vine, are His disciples. The Vine does for its branches what any vine is intended to do: it provides life and sap and power for the branches--its own life and power, which it gives out to them constantly. The Vine keeps nothing for itself: all it has flows out to the branches. The branch abides in the Vine, receives its life-fluid and transforms it into fruit, which is the great final aim and object of it all. He points also to the consequence of failure in this matter: if the branch fails to bear fruit, and if the branch does not abide in the Vine. This, and much else, is shown forth in this precious picture.

      Now the thing to be noticed is the voluntariness that runs through the whole scheme. The Gardener acts upon His own will and initiative. The Son gladly and willingly yields Himself to become the Vine. The branches do not spring of themselves as in nature: they are men, who have come to Jesus for life and were joined to Him. These do not abide in the Vine automatically, as helplessly grown into it, like the natural branches of natural vines. It is by choice [45] that they have been accepted, and now it is their one great duty and concern to abide in the Vine. He exhorts them to abide, and warns them of the result of non-abiding. And, again, notably--the fruit does not grow of itself; it is borne of purpose, with patience, in earnest and loving will and effort. Neither does the sap of the Vine run out into the branch of itself; it must be sought and asked for. There is where the teaching on prayer comes in: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will and it shall be done unto you." All that you need for fruitbearing will be supplied to you by the Vine. Yet you must ask for it. It is there, provided for you; and if you abide in Him you may have it all in abundance. By His words which are to abide in you, you may know what to ask, and how to ask. Upon these two conditions, and on your asking depends your power to bear fruit. Granting that you are "in Christ," (for apart from Him you can do nothing) and that you are abiding in Him, your fruitbearing still depends on your asking; but if you abide in Him and His words abide in you, your petition meets with the fullest response: "Ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (See also v. 16.)

      There is comfort and assurance to those who believe God, not in answered prayer only, but in unanswered prayer also. To illustrate--David prayed for his sick child. For seven days he lay on the ground, fasting and praying. The child died, and David rose up, comforted in the will of God. If he had not prayed, he would never have known but that the child might have been spared had he appealed to God. He did appeal, and when the little one died, he then knew that it died by the will of God. And, knowing God as he did, he could be satisfied; for His will is ever good, loving, true and kind. So with us. We pray earnestly for something. If it is denied, should we be less thankful? For we need be no less assured that His loving hand is directing our way. We have prayed in faith, so let us be assured that God has heard. No prayer of faith can ever be lost. If He has refused the immediate good we asked for, it was because a better thing is in store for us. Do not fail to trust Him. [46]

[CTOP 44-46]