23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Now we come to the third time that Jesus spoke of praying “in His name.”
16:23
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing.
Since Jesus would no longer be with the apostles in the same sense after His ascension, He would no longer be available to answer their questions directly.
“That day” is the age of grace when the Holy Spirit would indwell the church. The apostles would relate to the Holy Spirit during the church age (Jn 14:26; 16:13).
Most assuredly, I say to you,
Jesus gave another important word of solemn assurance to the apostles with a double amen, translated “most assuredly.”
whatever you ask the Father in My name
The apostles would have the right to make requests from the Father in Jesus’ name. The “name” of Christ represents all that He is and did. Our authority to ask anything in prayer does not come from us but from our Lord. All prayer should be asked in keeping with the nature of Christ.
He will give you.
Jesus assured the apostles that if they appealed to the Father based on the person and work of Jesus, He would answer their prayer.
16:24
Until now
The words “until now” signal a change in dispensation and the way people pray. Until now, the followers of Christ had made their petitions directly to the Father, but from this point forward they would have a new authority of praying in Jesus’ name as well as directly praying to the Father.
you have asked [requested] nothing in My name.
The apostles had not prayed in Jesus’ name until this point.
Ask, and you will receive,
Since Jesus was to die and rise from the dead in a few days, the apostles would have the right to pray in Jesus’ name and receive answers to their prayers. An entirely new economy would begin in which the relationship with Jesus would change—the age of the church.
that your joy may be full.
Answered prayers would bring joy to the believer—a joy “full” or complete.
PRINCIPLE:
Those who claim the mediatorship of Christ gain immediate access to the Father’s ear.
APPLICATION:
Praying in Jesus’ name is not a magical formula for assurance of answered prayer. We should offer our prayer based on who and what Jesus is or what is true to His nature. Who He is gives us the right to pray (Jn 14:13-14). Our identity with Christ gives us that authority.
The church age brought a new perspective on prayer. We can pray because of Jesus’ merits, not ours. I can draw money out of the bank because my name gives me the authority to do so. If I deposited enough to withdraw, then I can write a check with assurance. We can draw on Christ’s resources because He has put enough to our spiritual bank account that we can do so. We have no credit with God, but Jesus does.
We can pray in Jesus’ name because He is our Mediator (He 7:25). God will work through believers because of Jesus’ work on their behalf.
