Study in Prayer

We have been studying these last few days from John 14:13-14. What is interesting is that this teaching by Jesus comes immediately after His teaching in John 14:12. That makes sense right. 13 & 14 come immediately after 12. 

So, it would be appropriate to believe that verses 13 and 14 must be related to, possibly building on, what was already taught in verse 12, right?

Let’s read John 14:12, 13 and 14 together and see if you can pick up the theme Jesus is teaching us…

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

 Notice that Jesus said in verse 12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…”

Jesus is talking about the works that believers are supposed to be doing here on the earth. How are believers going to do the works of Jesus? Verses 13 and 14 tell us. In JESUS NAME! 

Did you ever notice that Jesus did not actually pray FOR people He ministered to?  Think about that for a moment. Try to think of just one instance where Jesus prayed, “Father, I can’t do this, but you can. Please heal this person…”

 Try a Google search. I’m willing to bet you will not find ONE VERSE that says anything like that! Amen!

 We talk about praying for the sick. But Jesus never prayed for the sick. Never. 

Don’t misunderstand what I’m trying to say here. It IS scriptural to pray for the sick. James 5:14-15 says so. But that is not the ONLY way to pray for the sick. Jesus said what? “The very works I do YOU shall do also.” Amen!

 Are you doing the works of Jesus?

Are you a believer?

Why aren’t you doing what Jesus told you to do then?

Are you allowing the devil to fill your mind with unbelief?

Then why aren’t you doing what Jesus told you to do then?

Why aren’t YOU – yes YOU – doing even greater works than Jesus did when He was on this earth? 

Don’t look at me in that tone of voice! Glory to God! 

 Pastor Bob is not condemning you! I’m just asking!  Why are YOU not walking in the power and authority that Jesus said you should be? Why aren’t you doing even GREATER WORKS than Jesus did on this earth?

Is Jesus a liar? NO!  Did He not command us to do greater works than He did? Then why aren’t we doing it?

 That’s where I’m going to leave this at today. But stick with me the next few days and I’ll answer that question for you. But I’m going to tell you, I’ll be stepping on some Spiritual toes in the process. Praise God!

 Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

Job 42:9

“So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite,

did what the Lord commanded them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.”

Asking in the Name of Jesus pt 5

We left off yesterday studying from the Book of Acts in Acts 3:1-8. This is where Peter and John were going into the Temple. There, at the gate, they met a man who was begging for alms. He had been crippled from birth. Peter stopped and told the man to “look on us.”

Yesterday, we discovered that Jesus was talking about demanding SATAN would loose whatever hold he had on someone, be it physical or whatever. We learned we have that authority and that demons would have to bow to the Name of Jesus – even when WE were the ones using His Name. Amen!

Now, in John 16:23, we see where Jesus told us, “…in that day, you will ask me nothing.” One translation says, “…in that day, you shall not pray to me…” Why? Because He has told us several times now, in our study, that we are to “pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus.”

This is talking about praying to the Father in our place in Christ. Amen! That is how we are to pray. In verse 24, Jesus says, “Hitherto” (or, “up until this time), you have asked me nothing in my name…” In other words, “You have not prayed to the Father in my Name.”  He continues, “Ask – and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

But in John 14:13-14, we  have seen that Jesus is saying something different. Jesus said there, “whatsoever you ask, in my Name, that will I do, so that the Father will Glorified in the Son. If you ask ANYTHING in my Name, I WILL DO IT.”

That is a marvelous promise. Amen! And since Jesus is God – He can’t lie, right? That means what He said is the Truth. Don’t shout me down when I’m preaching good! Praise God!

As I said, here Jesus is saying YOU are to use His Name to DEMAND what is rightfully due to you as a believer. You are NOT demanding God the Father do something. You are demanding that Satan cease and desist in his operations against you or someone you are praying for, by the authority of the Name of Jesus. You are speaking with HIS AUTHORITY that He issued to you.

It is the authority in the Name of Jesus that does it.

When I was a police officer, I could stand in the middle of the highway with my arm raised and traffic would stop. If I was in civilian clothes, I may have been run over. But by wearing the uniform and badge, I was operating under the authority vested in my position. And traffic would obey – or face the consequences.  It was not ME doing the stopping. It was the position I held and being identified as someone who had the authority to command traffic to stop.

As a believer, it is not YOU or your authority that is doing the commanding. It is You using the authority and the position given to you by Jesus. You are operating under HIS authority. Amen!

Me, alone and in civilian clothes, could not stop a bicycle going down the sidewalk at a fast pace. But in uniform and operating under the authority of the law – I could hold up my hand and semi-trucks would stop! Amen!

That is the authority Jesus is talking about us using here. Not “our authority,” HIS authority – that He has vested in us to use, IN HIS NAME. Praise God! I pray that you are getting this…

In fact, I want to pray for you right now that you did get this example and are grasping an understanding of the authority you possess – in and by the Name of Jesus! Amen!

Let’s Pray!

Do me a favor…can you leave a comment down below and I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave a rating and review over on iTunes. All of this helps us to grow and to “Get the Word Out” into all the earth.

Be sure to visit our website at PodcastersForChrist.com and download our free resource, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It is free and it will bless you immensely if you have or are thinking of starting a podcast of your own.

Until next time, this is Pastor Bob Thibodeau reminding you from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 in the Living Bible to “Always Keep on Praying!”  Be blessed in all that you do!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We left off yesterday studying from the Book of Acts in Acts 3:1-8. This is where Peter and John were going into the Temple. There, at the gate, they met a man who was begging for alms. He had been crippled from birth. Peter stopped and told the man to “look on us.”

He wanted to make eye contact. The devil can see Jesus in you. Your eyes are a door way into your Spirit. You’ve heard the expression before of people that seen murderers, etc. and they almost always comment on the evil in the eyes. That is because the eyes allow you to see into the spirit, the soul of man.

Here, Peter wanted the man to see into HIS eyes. And, more importantly, he wanted the demon that was possessing the man to SEE JESUS in Peter! Amen!

The man looked upon them, expecting to receive some monetary gift. But what he got could never be purchased with money. Let’s read this story together. Acts 3:1-8

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Peter exercised his authority IN THE NAME OF JESUS. He demanded the cripple man be loosed, and to get up and walk. Remember, Jesus said in John 14:13 that “whatsoever you ask (or DEMAND) in my Name, that will I (Jesus) do!”

Notice Peter did not pray that God would heal him. He did not beg God to heal him. He did not go into a long diatribe of prayer to prove he had faith. No. He prayed, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS, GET UP AND WALK!”

This account in Acts 3 is exactly what Jesus was talking about in John 14:13-14. Jesus was not talking about prayer!  He was talking about DEMANDING that Satan would loose whatever he was holding onto and that circumstances would immediately change – in JESUS NAME. He is talking about BELIEVERS speaking forth the command of Faith in the mighty Name of Jesus – and demons and circumstances responding. 

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying from John 14:10-14 and John 16:23-24. We’ve learned the actual Greek translation of the word “ask” in these verses indicates a DEMAND. Not begging. We’ve learned that it is the devil that is withholding the answer to your prayers, not God. We’ve learned that when you DEMAND the answer to your prayer, in the Name of Jesus, you are actually talking to the devil that is hindering your prayer, not to God.

In John 14:13-14, the believer is actually standing against Satan and circumstances that do not line up with the Word of God. The believer is exercising his or her Spiritual authority over Satan and the adverse circumstances. We are commanding that Satan bow his knee to the Name of Jesus. At the same time we are praying like this, we are demonstrating and exercising our Faith in the Name of Jesus. Amen!

John 14:13-14 is not talking about prayer as is John 16:23-24.  In chapter 14, John is explaining the believers RIGHT to exercise authority over Satan in the Name of Jesus. It is a DEMAND or COMMAND of something due to the believer because of the rights and privileges God has already provided for, in and through Christ Jesus.

In John 16, Jesus is giving us the PRINCIPLE for New Testament prayer. Jesus is telling us that all prayer must be addressed to the Father, in Jesus Name. “Whatsoever you ask the Father, in my Name, He will give to you.”

Here, in John 16:23-24, Jesus is talking about praying to the FATHER in the Name of Jesus. We discussed this type of prayer at length before. But in John 14:13-14, Jesus is not talking about prayer. It is based on a DEMAND that Satan loose his hold on whatever it is he has tried to bind in your life. Healing, finances, life of loved ones, etc. “Whatsoever you ask (or DEMAND) in my Name, that will I DO!”  This is Jesus making a promise to us. Amen!

In the Book of Acts, we see this principle of using Jesus Name, not as a prayer, but as a demand and a command of Faith. At the Name of Jesus – sickness had to flee! Amen!

Acts 3:1-8 

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Peter exercised his authority, in the Name of Jesus, and made a DEMAND that the cripple man be freed and to get up and walk. Immediately, the devil that was binding him had to comply – the man jumped up and walked and started rejoicing. This served as a testimony to those standing all around that the Name of Jesus carried power and authority! Amen!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

Yesterday, we left off how the Book of John covers prayer entirely different from the other Gospel writers. 

In John 14:10-14, we read:

“Do you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

We have taught on this scripture before. It talks about prayer, but not in the way most believers think it does. 

As we look at John 16:23-24, we will be able to see the difference between these two passages more clearly. 

“And in that day, you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever YOU ASK THE FATHER FOR – IN MY NAME, He will give it to you. Hitherto now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

In John 14:13-14, the Greek word for “ask” implies “to demand as something due.” In other words, we could say, “whatever you demand in my name, that will I do.”

When you demand something that is due to you in the Name of Jesus, you are not demanding anything of God. God is not the one hindering you from receiving it. Satan is!  

You are simply exercising your authority over the devil in Jesus’ name. You are simply standing in your position of authority against Satan in the Name of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Whatsoever you shall ask (or demand) in my name, that will I do.” The Greek is actually more explicit than the English translation. It says, “Whatsoever you shall demand your right in my name…” Based upon your rights in Jesus, you are YOU. And YOU have the right to use the authority HE gave to you to stop Satan in his tracks! You have the right to use the Name of Jesus as your authority over him and his demons and command him to release to you whatever it is he has been withholding. You have an inheritance in Christ and the authority to stand in and operate in that authority over the thief – all in the Name of Jesus.

The devil cannot stand in the presence of a believer who is using his or her rightful authority and KNOWS they are standing in that rightful authority.

Remember the “armor of God” in Ephesians?  When you are wearing your armor like the Bible says, the devil doesn’t know if it you inside that armor or Jesus. And he wants nothing to do with Jesus! Jesus has already whopped up on him real bad – and then paraded him around like a defeated dog in front of all those other demons, mocking him.

The devil doesn’t know if it is you or Jesus himself in that armor. All he knows is the power of the Words being spoken. It isn’t until you raise up your face plate on the helmet and say, “It’s only little ol’ me in here,” that the devil realizes he may be able to trick you not taking everything from him.

So keep your face plate down; keep speaking the Word of God; keep operating in the rightful authority that Jesus gave you to use – and TAKE BACK what belongs to you – ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

Praise God!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

The past few days, we have been talking about persistent prayer. 

One of the major ways we are taught to pray, in every prayer, is to pray in the Name of Jesus. We covered this before in the section on the Lord’s Prayer.

One thing I want to bring to your attention is in the Gospel of John. Strange as it may seem, John does not record anything in his Gospel that the others recorded in regards to prayer. Then, to compound the issue, what the others, Matthew, Mark and Luke, recorded concerning prayer, John ignores.

WHY?

Well, for one, it would be impossible to record everything that Jesus said or did. Impossible. So impossible, that John actually wrote in John 21:25, “that if everything was written down that Jesus did or said, the entire world itself could not contain the books it would take to record it.”

That is A LOT of stuff! Amen!

But, the Bible does record many, MANY things Jesus did things Jesus said. These things are recorded as an example for us. Example means something you can use in similar circumstances.

Do you remember when we were covering the Prayer of Petition? I said to do your research and find scriptures that either directly apply to your situation or at least could be inferred to apply to your situation. 

Now, none of the Gospel writers even attempted to write down everything Jesus said or did. It would have been an impossible task. Mark recorded some of the things that Matthew recorded, as it concerns prayer, but not everything. And Matthew covered that in chapter 21 of his Gospel. But Matthew also recorded what Jesus taught about the power of agreement in prayer. We covered this before, too. It is from Matthew 18:19. Amen.

But the Book of John covers the subject of prayer from an entirely different point of view than any of the other Gospel writers. Actually, we have to put together all of the things John said about prayer in order to obtain a true picture of what God expects us to know.

I’m just going to give you one section here today, in the time I have left. That section is from John 14:10-14:

“Do you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

We have taught on this scripture before. It talks about prayer, but not in the way most believers think it does. 

I’m not going to get into the next section because then this session would go way, way over time. But, let just say, the most important part, and we will take it up here tomorrow, is the last part of this scripture, in verse 14, that says, “If you shall ask anything in my name, I WILL DO IT.”

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2