WEEK 10:  DEVOTIONAL ON PRAYER

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:24
 
Praying in the name of Jesus is not a meaningless formality. Neither is it a magic formula for prayer. It is simply pleading the merits of His sacrifice and exercising the provision of His death and resurrection in our lives. Jesus would still be available to walk them through the journey of life through prayer.  With the pending crucifixion of Jesus, they would soon no longer be able to ask anything of Jesus in person. The good news is they will be able to pray directly to the Father with the joyous certainty that God will answer.  Prayer works because of the victory won by Jesus on the cross.  Jesus’ promise of answered prayer becomes a reality because Jesus is with the Father.  Prayer is effective because Jesus takes the role as mediator of the saving sovereignty of God for man.  

The followers of Jesus would have access to the Father.  Access to the Father would not be denied. The simplistic promise exposes God’s desire to respond to the prayers of His people. Phillips Brooks said, “Prayer is not conquering God’s reluctance, but taking hold of God’s willingness.”  God loves to hear the prayers of His children.

There is a joy the disciples had not yet experienced before. It is the joy of a more intimate union with Him than was possible during His lifetime on earth. There is an intimacy with the Father that is only experienced through continual and consistent prayer. Absence of prayer equals absence of intimacy with the Father. Hindrances to prayer equals hindrances to intimacy. Interruptions in our prayer lives results in interruptions to intimacy with God.

God is interested in the well-being and happiness of His people. He knows that His followers will go through trials and difficulties (v.33) but He puts a joy into their hearts that can never be removed. The joy of intimacy with God is greater than the troubles of this world. Followers are to pray in order that their joy may be made complete. Joy cannot be made complete in any other way. There is a joy that is known only in and through prayer.