Ask Whatever You Wish

At times I am utterly amazed at the promises that the Lord gives to us in scripture. They seem to be too good to be true, especially when people use them to fill their own selfish ambition or wants. This past week I’ve been stuck on Jesus’ incredible promise from John 15:7. He said to his disciples, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” For a long time I have understood that remaining in Jesus and his words is the buffer that would keep a person from going off into the realm of asking God for a bigger house, car, more money, etc. Although that is true, this week I decided to take a look at the original language for the word “wish”. I was surprised to find out that this word carries the meanings of “to will, have in mind, purpose and intend.” That seemed to be a little stronger than “wish” in my mind, so as I read further about its meaning, here’s what I discovered. “[To wish] indicates not only willing something, but also pressing into action.” (p. 728, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) As I reflected on this new information and the context of Jesus’ words in John 15 about bearing fruit as a disciple, it seemed clear to me that the Lord is ready to pour out from heaven anything that we could possibly need when we are ready on earth to do God’s business. Not only that, we should anticipate the resources of heaven being released as we mobilize for the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. Asking for whatever we wish is a promise fulfilled as we truly live in love for God and love for people who need to know Him.