Over the last two months I’ve been writing about the importance of asking the Lord for specific things in prayer, and about the powerful promises he makes to those who will do so. Although the extent and repetition of his promises raise legitimate questions, it is undeniable that Jesus’ desire for his people is that we would grow in him until we receive whatever we ask of the Father in prayer.
This call to effective prayer is high and holy, and Jesus helps us to better understand it in John 15:16 where he says this: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” Let’s take note of several things in Jesus’ words.
First, notice that Jesus chose us and that we did not choose him. Of course, at some point in our lives, we decided to embrace the being and claims of Jesus and to follow him for the rest of our lives. But this decision was the fruit of Jesus’ ancient decision to write our names in his book of life. Life in Christ is all about Christ, and therefore, we must envision our prayers lives as primarily flowing from him rather than flowing to him. The prayers that rise from our hearts matter but only those that first descend from his heart bear lasting fruit.
Second, notice that Jesus appointed us to go and bear lasting fruit. He himself conceived and commanded certain things to come to pass in our lives. And since he is the one who created the universe with nothing more than the word of his power, his “appointment” has irresistible power. In other words, we will—we must—bear the fruit he’s appointed us to bear.
Third, notice that in light of these facts, Jesus invites us to pray in his name and thus receive what we ask of the Father. In other words, Jesus’ desire for our prayer lives is that we would ask him to bring about what he has already determined to bring about. It’s that we would spend time with him and grow close to him until we’ve discerned his overarching purposes in the world and his specific desires for our lives.
As the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (emphasis mine).
Beloved, the way to bear much fruit in Christ is to pray for power to bear the fruit he has already appointed for us to bear; it’s to prayerfully walk in the works that the Father has prepared beforehand.
Prayer Focus: Pray that Jesus will grant us insight into the nature of bearing fruit in him, and the part prayer has to play in the process. Pray that he will increase our passion and confidence in prayer.
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