Joy of Answered Prayer
- Bishop Keith Butler
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)
Consider this for a moment. Before Jesus' death and resurrection, His disciples had never prayed in His name. They had witnessed Jesus perform miracles, heal the sick, and raise the dead, but now He was introducing something new—an authority they could walk in. He told them that on that day—after His resurrection—they would no longer need to ask Him directly; instead, they could approach the Father in His name, and their prayers would be answered. This represented a radical change. The name of Jesus isn’t merely a title; it is delegated authority and access to the throne of God. Through His finished work on the cross, we are now positioned as sons and daughters, able to approach the Father with full confidence that He hears us.
Jesus said, “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Our joy is complete because the devil has nothing on us. We live in the reality that we are not alone—we have a Father who hears us, loves us, and provides for us. The enemy wants to convince us that God is distant or indifferent, but Jesus dismantled that lie by telling us to ask boldly.Jesus Himself lived in complete victory because the devil had nothing on Him. Now, through His name, we share in that victory. We pray in His name, not just as a formula but as a declaration of our covenant relationship with God and our delegated authority through Christ. Jesus didn’t just permit us to ask—He commanded it.
Practical Application
Jesus linked answered prayer with joy. When we pray in His name, we express our trust in His completed work and our confidence in the Father’s love. Therefore, ask, believe, and receive, knowing that your joy is made full when you walk in the power of His name.