We are accurately taught that we make requests based on the promises that our Father has made to us. So we look for promises in the scriptures but many times out of context. We thus make prayers that go nowhere because we have not rightly understood the premise for the promise! A commonly quoted promise is in John 16: 23-24—And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

1. What is the context here?
2. What prompts our asking? And
3. Can we ask anything?

Let’s take the same scripture going back to vs.19 the beginning of the conversation that terminated in the promise! Please reflect on John 16:17-24 (TPT). Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean, ‘Soon you won’t see me,’ and, ‘A little while after that and you will see me in a new way’? And what does he mean, ‘Because I’m going to my Father’?” So they kept on repeating, “What’s the meaning of ‘a little while’? We have no clue what he’s talking about!”

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and it was obvious that they were anxious to ask him what he had meant,  so he spoke up and said, “Let me make it quite clear: You will weep and be overcome with grief over what happens to me. The unbelieving world will be happy, while you will be filled with sorrow. But know this, your sadness will turn into joy when you see me again! Just like a woman giving birth experiences intense labor pains in delivering her baby, yet after the child is born she quickly forgets what she went through because of the overwhelming joy of knowing that a new baby has been born into the world. “So will you also pass through a time of intense sorrow when I am taken from you, but you will see me again! And then your hearts will burst with joy, with no one being able to take it from you! For here is eternal truth: When that time comes you won’t need to ask me for anything, but instead you will go directly to the Father and ask him for anything you desire and he will give it to you, because of your relationship with me. Until now you’ve not been bold enough to ask the Father for a single thing in my name, but now you can ask, and keep on asking him! And you can be sure that you’ll receive what you ask for, and your joy will have no limits.

These disciples did not understand what Jesus said and rather than direct their question to the One who could answer their question, they were asking themselves! What an exercise in futility? And so, the Lord gave them the answer to the question they had. They were not bold enough to ask because they did not recognise their relationship with the Father; that they could ask questions on issues and circumstances of life and get answers!

Yes, they had a need, but not one that related to ‘bread and butter’, rather one that was related to understanding God’s purpose, plans and actions relating to on-going events! When you have the understanding, you will be full of joy.

Let’s take another example, from our text in Jeremiah 33:3 (AMPC), another popular promise quoted by believers as premise to pray with—Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).

Again, context matters for correct reading and application of promises. You need to go through Jeremiah 20 all the way to 32 to understand the travail of the prophet who had to stand by the word of God against lying priests, lying prophets and vacillating kings concerning the Babylonian invasion of Judah and their going into captivity. Jailed, beaten and incessantly persecuted by all, Prophet Jeremiah came to a point when the weight of persecution and opposition to what he preached drove him to the statements in Jeremiah 32:16-25, note particularly vs.25a! His words could be read as ‘Lord it doesn’t make sense that I should be buying land as you have commanded me and I have obeyed’! The Lord’s response to counter the question or perhaps doubt setting in the heart of this faithful prophet is the premise of the promise in Jeremiah 33:3.

Beloved of God, know of a certainty that God is more interested in your approaching Him through the name of the Lord, to get clarity on unfolding events of the world that could make you stumble out of His will, but we would rather focus on the mundane that are of little consequence and value in our walk with Him; He already answered to those in Matthew 6:33. Pray aright and claim promises accurately. This is critical in this time. Shalom

Pastor Afolabi Oladele