Day 41: John 16-18

Here are a couple of scriptures that popped out to me:

1. John 16:13-14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

• Just as the Son's meat was to the do the will of the Father and to declare all that the Father revealed unto Him, so the Spirit's primary purpose is to do and say all that the Son desires.
• Notice the wonderfully parallel structure between the Son's relationship to the Father and our relationship to the Son. We are able to have the same intimacy with the Son as He did with the Father because of the Spirit of the Son that indwells all those that believe.
• One of the greatest ways to know whether something said or something done is from God or not is to determine whether or not it brings glory to the Son. "He will glorify me." The Spirit indwells us to bring Jesus glory.

2. John 16:23-24 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

• The key to getting prayers answered is asking "in the name" of Jesus. But what does that mean? Does it mean to tack on "in Jesus name, Amen" to the end of all of our prayers? Certainly it doesn't.
  
• The main focal point of our praying ought to be the person of Jesus Christ. He taught us to pray "hollowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done..." Notice the center of such praying - Jesus. He was teaching us to desire and pray that God's name might be hallowed in the hearts of men, that His kingdom would established here on earth, that men might revere him as King of kings and Lord of lords, that His will might be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, pray those things that please the Father - namely that His name might be greatly praised among every tribe, nation, and people group of the world.
• To pray in the name of Jesus means to ask for the very things that Jesus desires. It means to go to the Father as if you were the representative of the Jesus Christ asking for the very thing that Jesus would ask for in such a circumstance.
• May your praying be radically focused on the will of Jesus Christ and His kingdom!

3. John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

• Ever notice how most people want eternal life in heaven? They just don't want God to be there when they get there. Notice in this verse eternal life is defined by "knowing" the only true God and Jesus. In other words, the end or aim of eternal life is that you get to know Jesus. Paul wanted that more than anything. He prayed that he might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

May these thoughts encourage your study of John 16-18.