In this section of Jesus’ teaching, we learn of the significance of asking in Jesus’ Name, the importance of keeping His Word, and the promise of receiving His Spirit.
Asking in His Name
Jesus teaches on the significance of asking in His Holy Name. Jesus expects His disciples to pray to the Father in His name asking for what they need. He tells them, “whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). These verses are one of the reasons we end our prayers with “…in Jesus’ name”. E.M. Bounds said, “The goal of prayer is the ear of God…” We learn in Scripture that prayer is communication with God. More specifically, prayer is an act of worship of God that involves the work of the Trinity. In prayer, a person communicates with God the Father, through the access provided by God the Son, and by the prompting of God the Spirit. Jesus said that we should bring our requests to the Father in prayer in the name of Jesus and our requests will be granted.
Jesus wants His followers to pray shamelessly, persistently and expectantly. So, what should we ask for in prayer? Since prayer is an act of worship we should ask for that which is pleasing to God. Our petitions should be focused less on what we want and more on what God wants. It is not sinful to ask God for more money or more possessions, but what is your motivation behind such requests? The promise of answered prayer has less to do with more money or stuff, but growing in faith and holiness. God gives us the desires of our heart when we first delight in Him (Ps 37:4). John says, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22).
Keeping His Word
Jesus teaches on the importance of keeping His Holy Word. It is not a coincidence that Jesus’ promise to answer our requests (John 14:14) is followed by keeping His commandments (John 14:15). In verse 21, He said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love Him and manifest Myself to Him.” In verses 23 and 24, Jesus once again says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with Him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” Keeping Jesus’ commandments is vital evidence that you love Him.
The Royal Law
Jesus’ Word is good. If keeping Jesus’ commandments demonstrates your love for Him, the next question should be obvious: “What has Jesus commanded?” When asked the greatest commandment, Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…and the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:37-39). Love for God and love for others is the “royal law according to Scripture” (James 2:8) and “the law of Christ”(Gal 6:2). When we care for one another we reveal our love for God (1 John 4:20).
Obedience and Love
Jesus’ Word is fruitful. There is a correlation between obedience and love. Our obedience is a gauge of how much we love Jesus. We must be careful with this. This does not mean we work for Jesus’ love or that more obedience increases His love for us. Genuine obedience can only be done out of the motivation of love for Jesus. For example, we pray, read the Bible, share, serve, etc., not because we hope to appease God but because we love God (who loves us – 1 John 4:19). We cannot manipulate God into doing something good or keeping something bad from happening. We are freed from the bondage of work so that we may work freely and give cheerfully.
Receiving His Spirit
Finally, Jesus teaches on the promise of receiving His Holy Spirit. The source of our love is the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Jesus said, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18). Later Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). We receive the Holy Spirit when we are born again (John 3:3). By grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9), God dwells within us and we become temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit indwells the believer. Jesus previously said,“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39). Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a Who, not an It. The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4), Eternal (Heb 9:14), Omnipotent (Luke 1:35), Omniscient (1 Cor 2:10-11), and Omnipresent (Ps 139:7-13). Scott Swain said of the Holy Spirit, “The Spirit of the Father (Matt 10:20; Rom 8:9) and the Son (Rom. 8:9; Gal. 4:6) is one God with the Father and the Son, the third person of the Trinity, and the crowning agent of God’s undivided purpose and power (Eph. 4:4-6).” The Nicene Creed states: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.”
Remembrance and Peace
The Holy Spirit blesses the believer. There is a correlation between remembrance and peace. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:26-27). The Holy Spirit causes us to remember Jesus and this remembrance produces peace in our heart. Peace isn’t the only thing produced. We know we truly have the Spirit of God within us when the “Fruit of the Spirit” is displayed. Do you show the Fruit of the Spirit? Is your life marked by love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23)? In conclusion, what shall we do? Boldly ask in Jesus’ name! Courageously keep Jesus’ commandments! Humbly receive the Holy Spirit!
First Baptist Scott City, MO 
You must be logged in to post a comment.