Week 36
John 16:24 “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full.”
Jesus said these words surrounded by grief, sorrow, fear, and loss. The worst news that the disciples ever heard was the news Jesus gave them – He was leaving. He was not only leaving, but He was going to die. All the wrong assumptions came to their minds when they heard this. They thought, “If Jesus is going to die, then all is lost. There is nothing left of our hopes for the kingdom of God and the culmination of God’s salvation on earth!” But they were wrong – Jesus’ death was going to form the very core of victory in this life for the entire world. Jesus’ death would fulfill all the prophecies and hopes of God’s people for justice, goodness, and salvation in the world. Jesus’ cross would become the centerpiece of faith and belief in the saving work of God. But the disciples could not understand this until the scales were taken off of their spiritual eyes so that they could see the real plan of God.
The pertinent issue in this text is the relationship between prayer and full joy. Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full.” The asking of God is a reference to prayer, but the joy is not directly and completely related to prayer. It is true that prayer is a rich source of blessedness that meets the needs of God’s hurting people. Prayer is always in season. Paul says in Ephesians 6:18 that we must pray with all prayer in the Spirit. He says again in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “pray without ceasing.” Prayer is needful and necessary no matter what is happening in your life. Pray when your heart is full of thanksgiving and pray when your heart is drooping with heavy gloom. Just PRAY! Pray in Jesus’ name, pray for God’s will to be done, and pray depositing your concerns and hurts with the Lord.
However, in our text today, Jesus links answers to prayer with full joy. He says, “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be full.” It is the receiving of answers to prayer from God that makes our joy full. God’s answers are timely, specific, positive, wise, helpful, and loving. God’s answers to our prayers show us God’s great mercy and faithfulness. This fills our hearts with joy because in answers to prayer we find assurance that we belong to the Lord, we find security that God is enough, and we find meaning in life that fills us with satisfaction and contentment.
Every prayer is answered in the way God sees fit. Every answer to prayer is a perfect answer to that particular prayer, because the answer is given by God in wisdom to us to demonstrate what is best for us. We can (and we must) trust God to give what is best; thus, answers to prayer give us full joy.
Full joy comes from assured faith that God is giving right now what is best in my life, even if it is hidden from my eyes. Let us trust the Lord to answer our prayers in the way that is best for us and let us be joyful.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I pour out to You in prayer my heart’s needs. Answer as You see fit and give to me the joy to sustain me in this hour of struggle. Amen.
