JOY: COMES FROM THE GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE FOR "YOU!"

                                                                

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  JOY: ASK ANYTHING

“…IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV).

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“….You may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!…” (JOHN 15:7 NASB).

Ask means “to request” or “to inquire.” It is the Father telling his children to make any request or inquiry of him they desire; boldly and without limit.  ASK. “..Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE…” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV).

The believer is assuredly welcomed and encouraged to BOLDLY ASK, not BEG, the Father for ANYTHING. “….You may ask for anything you want…” (JOHN 15:7 NASB).

It is, again, another one of God’s BLESSINGS directed specifically toward the believer. He WANTS them to ASK him for ANYTHING. “…You can ask for anything in my name...” (John 14:12-14 NLT). “…As many as are the promises of God, in Him (Jesus) they are yes …also … Amen …” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB).

In addition, when the believer’s requests are according to God’s will they SHALL be granted. “…And this is the confidence that we have in him (Jesus), that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us…” (1 John 5:14 KJV). “…[We] … Receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him…” (1 John 3:22 NIV). “…If we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him…” (1 John 5:15 NIV).

Further the indwelling spirit works “IN” the believer to ASK so that God can purposefully BLESS them, express his GOODNESS, and GRANT their requests “…It is God which worketh IN YOU both to will and to do (ask) of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV). “…You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it...” (John 14:12-14 NLT). “…Ask and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7 NIV). “…everyone who asks receives…” (Matthew 7:8 NIV). “…I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son…” (John 14:13 NIV).

BEFORE receiving and asking God for ANYTHING there are two things usually in place: 1.The believer is abiding in the UNION with Christ and 2.they are abiding in the UNION with the WORD. “…IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV).

REMAINING in UNION with Christ and the WORD is advantageous when asking ANYTHING, according to his will, since it PROVIDES the confidence that God is certain to HEAR. “…And this is the confidence that we have in him (Jesus), that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us…” (1 John 5:14 KJV).

REMAINING in UNION with Christ and the WORD is advantageous for enabling the believer to ASK, according to God’s will and RECEIVE. “…Everyone who asks receives…” (Matthew 7:8 NIV). ^“… May he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV). “…It is God which worketh IN YOU both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).

 REMAINING in UNION with Christ and the WORD is advantageous to the relationship between God and the believer. God himself, through his indwelling Holy Spirit, works within the believer, as a guarantee of the covenant UNION. “…Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant…” (Hebrews 7:22 NIV). “…Jesus Christ is in you…” (2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV).

The indwelling spirit, Jesus Christ, is the guarantor that when the believer ASK anything, according to His WILL, God “SHALL” certainly HEAR and GRANT their every requests. “…Christ in you, …” (Colossians 1:27 KJV). “…Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant…” (Hebrews 7:22 NIV). “…IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS (Jesus) ABIDE IN YOU, … ASK … AND IT SHALL BE DONE…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV).

“…This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him…” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB).

Jesus DEMONSTRATES how to ASK God for ANYTHING. “…Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me...” (John 11:41-42 NLT). AND God GRANTED Jesus’ requests. “…he that was dead came forth…” (John 11:43-43 KJV).

The UNION with Christ and the WORD is advantageous for guiding the believer and directing their footsteps; even in their ASKING ANYTHING of the Father. “…I will guide you along the best pathway for your life…” (Psalms 32:8 NIV). “…The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: …” (Psalms 37:23 KJV). “…I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along “unfamiliar” paths I will guide them … These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them…” (Isaiah 42:16 NIV).

The UNION with Christ and the WORD is advantageous for endowing the believer with the POWER to ASK anything, accordingly, along with the inward confidence of being HEARD and SATISFIED. “…This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him…” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB).

The UNION with Christ and the UNION with the WORD is advantageous for LEARNING and becoming AWARE of what God has DONE for the believer individually and collectively.

The JOY of ASKING ANYTHING is “NOT” about the believer deserving, earning, or being worthy of what they are requesting of God. It is simply God’s LOVE and GRACE toward the believer that prompts HIM to GRANT ANY request. “…YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV). “….You may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!…” (JOHN 15:7 NASB).

It is also about the believer CHOOSING, by their own volition, to REMAIN in UNION with Christ and the WORD. “…choose LIFE…” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV).  “Jesus saith…I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6 KJV). “…THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK unto you … they ARE LIFE…” (John 6:63 KJV). “…IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU…ASK…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV).

“…ask anything according to His will, He hears … [you]…” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB). “…It is God who works IN YOU… to will…” (Philippians 2:13 NIV). ^“…May …God  … work in … [you] … what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).

Because the believer REMAINS in UNION with Christ and with the WORD they are EMPOWERED to ASK, according to his will, ANYTHING and it “WILL” be GRANTED. “… [They] … can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth [them]…” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).  Therefore, “…[they] … know that [they] … have the requests which [they] … have asked from Him…” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB).

REMAINING in the UNION with Christ and the WORD is HOW God supplies ALL the believer’s needs, including their need to ASK anything, according to God’s will. “…I will supply all your NEED…” (John 12:32 KJV). “…The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray (ask) as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes (ASK) for us with groanings too deep for words; and … He intercedes (ASK) for the saints according to the will of God…” (Romans 8:26-27 NASB). “…It is God who works IN YOU… to will…” (Philippians 2:13 NIV).

God-given JOY is NOT about what you DO for God, but it is about being AWARE of what God has personally, individually, and directly DONE for YOU! “…The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy…” (Psalms 126:3 NIV). “…Rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things…” (Joel 2:21 NASB).

It is the AWARENESS of what GOD has done for YOU that brings JOY. Being able to REMAIN in the UNION with God and the WORD allows believers to “… rejoice in the salvation he brings!..." (Isaiah 25:9 NLT).

“…How shall we escape, if we neglect SO GREAT SALVATION…” (Hebrews 2:3-5 KJV). Salvation is God’s work of redemption, it is the expression of his love, it is undeserved grace, it is endless, daily mercy, it is a free gift, it is the remission of sin, it is deliverance from sin, it is spiritual blessings, it is justification, and it is ultimately eternal life. “…The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy…” (Psalms 126:3 NIV).

Being EMPOWERED to ask ANYTHING, according to God’s will, is another one of the GREAT THINGS God has done for YOU! “…The LORD has done great things for us, …” (Psalms 126:3 NIV). “…The Spirit … helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray (ask) as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes (ASK) for us… He intercedes (ASK) for the saints according to the will of God…” (Romans 8:26-27 NASB). “…we are filled with joy…” (Psalms 126:3 NIV).

“…ASK ANYTHING…” is “NOT” about asking God to GRANT your selfish motives and lusts. “…You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives…” (James 4:2-3 NASB).

“…ASK ANYTHING…” is for the believer to ENJOY and find GLADNESS in the GREAT THINGS God has DONE for them individually and collectively. “…The LORD has done great things for us …” (Psalms 126:3 NIV). “…we are filled with joy…” (Psalms 126:3 NIV).

Believers choose to be GLAD that God is their REDEEMER whose LOVE has proved to be GREAT, RICH, GENEROUS, FULL OF GRACE and MERCY, and GLORIOUS!

Being AWARE of what God has DONE is a MAJOR source of JOY! “…The LORD has done great things for us …” (Psalms 126:3 NIV). “…we are filled with joy…” (Psalms 126:3 NIV). “…Christ in you, …” (Colossians 1:27 KJV).

Therefore, “…IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS (Jesus) ABIDE IN YOU … ASK … AND IT SHALL BE DONE…” (JOHN 15:7 KJV).