And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:13-15)
Prayer should never become a religious routine for Christians. It should be an intimate moment of connection between us and God. God wants to provide. He desires to see you succeed in every area of life, and He doesn’t want you to just inform Him of what is going on, (as if He didn’t know), but to involve Him in meeting your daily needs as well as the desires of your heart.
In John 14:13, Jesus said, “whatsoever ye ask.” Whatsoever means anything. God wants to be involved in your life's minute details, grand questions, and concerns.
Jesus also told us to ask in His name. The Greek word for name is onoma, which means character or authority. Jesus’ character is love, and His authority is above every other name. So, asking in Jesus’ character means we do not ask out of selfish ambition, nor are we trying to make God into a genie to grant our every wish.
When our hearts are full of His love and that love is shed abroad toward others, we love what and who God loves. When we operate in the authority delegated to us by Christ, our focus is on the kingdom first. With that mindset, His desires become our desires. Then, we can ask anything in agreement with His Word that we need to fulfill the callings, dreams, and desires He has placed on our hearts, and we will have it.
Jesus’ promise to do whatever we ask in His authority and character was followed by this statement: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” If we truly love God and are motivated by God’s love, we will keep His two most important commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor, and love for God and our neighbor will spill over into our prayer life.
Practical Application
Before asking God for something, pause and ask Him to reveal His heart and will in the situation. When you pray, focus on getting God’s heart about something more than trying to force His hand to do something. When you operate in love and delegated authority, nothing will be held back from you.