“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:12-14, NLT)
What has been your prayer lately? Do you need a miracle? Healing? A son or daughter to turn to God? Relief from the stress of today’s world? Enough money to make it to the end of the month? A distraught neighbor? Time to study your Bible? Wisdom? For a parking space?
Jesus poured Himself into the lives of others. Twelve disciples, plus others who followed, supported, and served Jesus during His earthly ministry turned the world upside down after the Holy Spirit gave them a boldness that they had not known before. In Peter’s first recorded sermon on the Day of Pentecost, about 3,000 people came to the Lord. What had the disciples been doing before that sermon?
Acts 1:12-14 tells us that after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples and women, including Jesus’ mother, Mary, went to Jerusalem to the upper room and devoted themselves to prayer.
Then on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled them, and they began to speak about Jesus in the languages of the people from other countries who had come to celebrate the Day of Pentecost.
David Guzik writes: “On the Old Testament Day of Pentecost Israel received the Law; on the New Testament Day of Pentecost the Church received the Spirit of Grace in fullness.”
Thousands were saved that day.
Jesus says in John 14:13, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”
That’s a promise. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are praying according to the character of Jesus, all that He is and all that He values. We pray as Jesus would pray.
How did Jesus pray? He prayed all night. He prayed in the midst of the people. He thanked God for His provision. He prayed for God’s will to be done. He prayed for the people. From the cross, He prayed for the Father to forgive the people who nailed Him to the cross. He prayed for you and me. This brought glory to the Father.
How do your prayers compare to the prayers of Jesus? Take a moment and talk to the Father about your prayers.
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In John 14:14, Jesus says, “Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
Ask for anything in His name and He will do it. That’s a promise!
What might be a prayer in the name of Jesus? Boldness to proclaim Jesus to our neighbors … to our family … to our region? Boldness and wisdom for our church leaders? Revival in our church?
I’m convicted. How about you?
My prayers have not been as bold as they could be.
What if we took our prayers to a different level? What if we prayed that the Holy Spirit would fill the people in our church to overflowing with the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ?
What if our prayers reflected a desire to fall in love with God’s Word and our insatiable passion for God’s Word would spread to the men and women, to the youth and the young children?
What if we prayed that the people of God in the surrounding communities would unite in prayer for an awakening, and thousands would come to the Lord?
We’d be asking in the character of Jesus . . . in His name. What if we acted as if we believed Jesus’ promise?
“The faith which creates powerful praying is the faith which centers itself on a powerful person. Faith in Christ’s ability to do and to do greatly, is the faith which prays greatly.” E.M. Bounds
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Do we have that kind of faith, dear readers?
James exhorts the believers to pray in James 5:13-18.
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” (emphasis added)
Ten times in 5 verses, prayer, praise, confession, and the power of prayer are emphasized. Did you catch verse 17? Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. The difference, he prayed fervently.
Have you prayed a great prayer? A prayer that requested something that was impossible for you to accomplish. Was it based upon Jesus and His ability to accomplish it?
How did it work out? God heard, didn’t He? Are you smiling? We have a good and gracious God, don’t we?
Today, perhaps you’re thinking that your circumstances are more than you can overcome. Your hope has fled from you. You do not believe that you can rise from the troubles that you are facing.
There is hope.
We know that nothing is impossible with God, don’t we? Jesus said it.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27, ESV)
We see it in Acts 4:31.
“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)
Centered on Jesus.
Praying and receiving boldness. We have nothing to bring to the Lord – just ourselves. Praying, dear readers.
Believing that nothing is impossible with Jesus.
The early church prayed greatly. We can pray greatly.
They believed. We can believe.
The place was shaken. The church today can be shaken for Jesus and turn our world upside down for Him.
They spoke boldly, pointing to Jesus. We can speak boldly, pointing to Jesus.
You may not be able to rise above your troubles with your own strength, but there is One who is your strength. Jesus will take you by your right hand and raise you up. He is waiting for you to pray boldly.
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Jesus.
He is waiting for us to pray greatly. To pray focused upon His power and strength.
Let’s pray bold prayers in Jesus’ name for each other. Pray for our church leaders. Pray for our communities. Pray for our nation. Pray for the Christians in Ukraine. Pray for Europe. Pray for our world.
Let’s pray passionately and prayerfully. Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit would fill us to overflowing and touch the world for Jesus.
Almighty God and Creator of the Universe, we enter Your throne room with boldness and kneel at Your feet. Lord of Heaven’s Armies, nothing is too difficult for You. Our world is in turmoil. Evil is rampant. Forgive Your people for our complacency. Lord, revive Your people and cause us to turn from our wicked ways, to seek Your face, and to humble ourselves before You. Lord, forgive. Lord bring an awakening. Bring peace to Ukraine. Fill the world’s leaders with the knowledge of You and cause them to turn to You. Heavenly Father, teach Your people to pray fervently and bring You glory. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.
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