Powerful Prayer (John 15:7)

 ""If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."  John 15:7This abiding, remaining, and sojourning in the VINE Jesus is connected to HIS words remaining in us.   This would imply that one of the ways that I am connected to the Living Lord Jesus is through HIS words which are found in the gospels.   Part of being a believing disciple is the desire to master and be mastered by the words of my Master Jesus.  What does it mean to be a believing disciple?  “Typically in the Jewish world, a disciple would voluntarily join a school or otherwise seek out a master rabbi; however, Jesus seeks out and chooses those whom he wants as his disciples (Mk 1:17; 2:14; Lk 5:1–11; cf. Mt 4:18–21). A dedicated disciple was generally expected someday to become a rabbi himself, yet Jesus teaches his disciples that he will always be their rabbi and they will have a lifetime of discipleship (Mt 23:8; cf. Mt 10:24–25, 37; Lk 14:26–27; Jn 11:16). Jesus’ disciples are bound to him and to God’s will (Mt 12:46–50; cf. Mk 3:31–45). They are called to a lifetime of work and service (Mt 16:15–19; Mk 1:17; Lk 5:10),” (Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament words: Zondervan) A disciple was one who had found a “master teacher”; who one was so awed by their lives and wisdom that they wanted to think, feel, and act as a clone of that person.   There as a deep admiration, love, devotion, and following of this teacher.  In Jesus’ case HE chose those who would be HIS most intimate followers and they responded to this call by following, learning, and striving to imitate HIM.   So abiding in the LORD Jesus, is actively engaging in the teachings and life of HIM so that they saturate my head, govern my heart, and guide my hands in all that I do.   It is to have the life teachings of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit deeply abide in my soul so that out of these words of Jesus, my world view, attitudes, goals, hopes, and dreams are created.   John Piper says: “What that means for letting the words of Jesus abide in us is that we do not just read the Bible, and do not just memorize and meditate on the Bible, and do not just listen to preaching and teaching from the Bible. It means that we seek the words of Jesus as living words — words that come not in the abstract but come from the heart and on the lips of a living Person whom we love more than any other person in the world.” At this point the LORD Jesus gives an astonishing promise that the disciple who is so dominated by HIS words can ask whatever they wish in prayer and it will be done for them.  He had said this earlier.  ""Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."  John 14:13-14Now to ask in the “name” of the LORD Jesus is to make our prayers by HIS authority, for HIS purposes, and for HIS pleasure.  Whatever I ask for the will of the LORD Jesus to me done on earth as in heaven by the HIS Messianic authority.  In the context of John 15 it would be prayers to bear the fruit of love in every relationship in my life and to have the wisdom of Christ Jesus totally dominate my thoughts, attitudes, and actions.   So such a promise is not to be used for my selfish desires but for HIS kingdom desires in my life and the lives of others.  So my prayers are focused on bearing “Jesus fruit” if I am abiding in HIM and HIS WORD.    Such prayers will be answered.   They are “Kingdom Focused Prayers” and deeply informed prayers guided by the wisdom and life of my Master Jesus.   PrayerGreat Redeeming Creator in the Messiah Jesus, put in me a deeper awe of YOUR greatness, goodness, and grace.  Open my mind and heart to YOUR WORDS Messiah.  Let them deeply abide in my inner core and soul.  Allow them to guide my petitions and desires.  Allow me now to pray the prayers that will allow fruit to be released in my life.    Forgive me for thinking I don’t need YOUR WORDS but only my own words to govern my head, heart, and hands.  Forgive my pride, rebellion, and independent attitude.  Help me to see that without YOU and YOUR WORDS, I can do nothing that matters or will last.  Help me to have a humble, submissive, and dependent attitude that relies and rests in YOU moment by moment.  Amen