If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:7-8 NIV
“Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” We like to read passages that make this kind of a promise. It seems almost like having a genie in a bottle. Make a wish, and it comes true. And not even limited to three wishes. But our experience is often something entirely different.
The Key to Answered Prayer
I think the key to this passage is really in its context, both before and after this promise. Beforehand Jesus gives us some preconditions for having our prayer answered. We must remain in him. And his word must remain in us. If I am following Jesus as his disciple. And if I am allowing his word to fill me and direct my ways. Then I can ask what I wish. The assumption here is that I will be so connected to him that what I want is the same as what he desires.
After this promise, Jesus tells us why we can expect to be answered. It is so that we might be fruitful in his service. And that the world might know that we belong to Christ. And as that happens, the Father will be glorified. That tells us something about the requests we will be making if we remain in Christ. We will be asking, not out of selfish motives. But so that we might be more effective in our service for Christ.
