“...you shall ask what you desire and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7b)
So many times have I taken this sentence out of its context and prayed that God would fulfill my desire thinking that I’m praying according to the Word. So many times was I disappointed because it never came true.
But I realized that the most important part is the previous sentence:
“If you abide in Me and My words in you…” (Jn 15:7)
These were Jesus’ last words to His disciples. One of the most important truths He wanted them to embrace before He left. If we abide in Him and His words abide in us, all that we desire will be out of His own heart and when we ask them, basically we’re asking His will to be done and they shall be done. And even more wonderful thing is that getting the answer of our prayers when we are abiding in Him will be a fruit that glorifies the Father.
“By this, My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit” (Jn 15:8a)
As a result, we become true disciples.
"..so you will be My disciples" (Jn 15:8b)
What could be better than this? I want something and it will be done for me AND that glorifies the Father. Isn't that, glorifying the Father is the ultimate purpose of everything that exists?
Now I know why my desires weren’t fulfilled. Those were the desires I had while I didn’t abide in Christ. I didn’t abide in Him as a branch abides in the vine. I didn’t let His words abide in me. They were MY selfish desires.
Now I know that the KEY is abiding in Christ.
I also now know that abiding in Christ doesn’t happen overnight. Of course I believe that encountering God’s love can change one instantly. That happened to me, too. But abiding in Christ and becoming a true disciple takes time, commitment, ongoing hunger, desperation, devotion and constant seeking.
My prayer today for myself and for you, my dear friend, is that the Holy Spirit would help us abide in Him every day, that He would even provide the hunger that is purely for Himself, so that we would become true disciples.
