SIMPLY PRAY

Hours before He died, Jesus gave His final instructions to His followers. Included in these words are two breathtaking promises about prayer, the language of God’s kingdom. What are we to make of these extraordinary words?

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. (Jn 15:7–8)

Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. (Jn 16:23–24)

Read these promises again … and then once more. Let their magnitude settle in your soul. If you are a follower of Christ, you have been invited into a glorious partnership with the Father, Son, and Spirit. They have not invited you grudgingly, but joyfully. You were made for this, Christ paved the way for your admission into this inner circle, and the Spirit is your great helper in this work of prayer.

Prayer accomplishes things that nothing else can do. Through prayer, God intends for us to …

·      Glorify the Father, which is accomplished by answered prayer.

·      Produce fruit.

·      Prove to be Christ’s disciples.

·      Become full of complete joy.

There are some instructions given to guide our prayer if it is to be successful. We are to …

·      Abide in Christ (We must remain in a stable, fixed relationship, not pulling away and being distracted by the world, so that we are in sync with Him as we pray.)

·      Let His Word abide in us. (We must be reading, meditating, studying His word so that, over time, His thoughts become our thoughts, His desires our desires.)

·      (As we abide in Him and His Word in us, it assures that our prayers will be answered, for they will be His prayers, His desires.)

·      Ask more. (Until now, we have asked for little. Pray bigger, God-initiated, God-releasing, God-glorifying prayers. These bring us joy and glorify Him.)

·      Ask in His name. (We must come, not on the basis of our goodness, but His. We ask because we are asking things He desires and asking in His authority.)

As we enter into this daily life filled with the language of heaven, and driven by the will of God, we are given a mind-boggling promise …

Whatever we want will be done for us!

Jesus finishes this discourse with an amazing statement about our relationship with the Father, because we have believed.

On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. (Jn 16:26–27)

We can come to the Father now, not just because of His relationship with His Son, but because of His overwhelming love for us. He loves us and wants us to enter His throne room, talk directly to Him, and make bold, God-glorifying requests, purely because we are His beloved children through Christ.

Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

 

SIMPLY ASK

Settle into me, my child.

Let My words lodge deep within your breast, transforming heart and mind.

And then come boldly to the Throne. Our Father waits for you.

He bids you come, for you have trusted me.

You are wrapped in me and I in you, and us in Him.

His love for you could not be more complete!

“Ask!” He says.

The devil says it cannot be, the world His will obscures,

But I am saying, “Ask! The Father waits for you!”

He bids you speak, for now He longs to work on your behalf and give you joy;

To show the world how blessed it is to be His child.

 

Bill Elliff

July 4, 2026