John 16:24

DISCOURSE: 1704
THE BENEFIT OF PRAYER

John 16:24. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

THIS world is justly characterized as a vale of tears. Even they who experience the most happiness, find many interruptions of it: nor is there any way of securing permanent tranquillity, but by waiting upon God in prayer.
The Disciples were sorrowful on account of the approaching departure of their Lord, with whom they had hitherto enjoyed the most familiar fellowship. Our Lord tells them, that though they would no longer be able to inquire [Note: ver. 23. ἐρωτήσετε.] of him, yet, if they would ask [Note: ver. 23. αἰτήσητε.] of the Father in his name, he would grant them whatsoever they should need; and that the answers which they should receive to their prayers would abundantly overbalance the loss of their present privileges, and fill them with unutterable joy.

In the direction given them, we may notice,

I. Our duty—

It is comprised in one word, “Ask.” Now this is,

1. An easy duty—

[We do not mean that it is always easy to pray, (for there is nothing more difficult when the heart is indisposed for that exercise;) but that is the easiest condition that could possibly be imposed — — — and that, when the heart is in a proper frame, prayer is as easy to the soul, as breathing is to the body: it is the first, and most natural, effort of a living soul: “Behold, he prayeth [Note: Acts 9:11.]!”]

2. A reasonable duty—

[Man is a dependent creature; and it is but reasonable that he should acknowledge that dependence at a throne of grace, and ask for those mercies which he stands in need of. The very heathens have felt the propriety of supplicating their deities, and have established ordinances whereby they might conciliate the favour of their gods. It is true, that God knows our necessities before we ask: yet is it highly proper that we should spread them before him, in order that we ourselves may be humbled under a sense of them, and that God’s mercy in relieving them may be more clearly seen.]

3. A necessary duty—

[Though God cannot be prevailed upon by dint of importunity [Note: The expressions, Luke 18:7. must not lead us to think of God as though he were wrought upon as we are.], yet he has appointed prayer as the means of obtaining his blessings. He has said, “I will be inquired of to do it for them [Note: Ezekiel 36:37.].” There is no room therefore left for us to speculate upon the use of prayer: it is quite sufficient that God has required it as means to an end: and if we will not comply with his injunctions respecting it, it is utterly in vain for us to expect his blessings.]

4. An acceptable duty—

[Prayer offered to the Deity without any respect to the mediation of Christ, is not acceptable: but when presented in a humble dependence on his atonement, and intercession, it comes up before God as incense, and prevails beyond the utmost extent of our conceptions. It is to prayer offered in this manner, that the promise in the text is given [Note: ver. 23, 24.]. And this has been the qualification of all acceptable prayer from the beginning. Abel was heard on account of his sacrifice [Note: Hebrews 11:4.]. The penitents under the law obtained mercy in no other way [Note: Hebrews 9:22.]. The Jews, when unable, by reason of their captivity, to offer their accustomed sacrifices, were to look towards the temple, which was a type of our incarnate God [Note: 1 Kings 8:47; Daniel 6:10.]. And to that same Jesus must we look, trusting in him as “our Advocate with the Father, and as the propitiation for our sins [Note: 1 John 2:1.].” Nor did any one ever ask in this manner without obtaining a supply of all his wants.]

To counteract the backwardness of our hearts to this duty, let us consider,

II.

Our encouragement to perform it—

The promise of acceptance is without any limit or exception—
[There is no exception with respect to the persons who may apply to God. The vilest person in the universe, provided he ask in the manner prescribed in the text, shall be heard as readily as the very chief of the Apostles. His past iniquities, of whatever kind they have been, shall not operate as any bar to his acceptance with God — — —

Nor is there any limit respecting the blessings we implore: provided they will really conduce to our good, and to God’s glory, they shall be given. However “wide we open our mouths, God will fill them [Note: Psalms 81:10; John 14:13.]” — — — The frequent and solemn repetition of this truth by our Lord himself, must of necessity remove all doubt upon the subject [Note: Matthew 7:7.].”]

And instances of its accomplishment occur in almost every page of the sacred writings—
[Whether Abel’s prayer was answered by fire from heaven which consumed his sacrifice, or by some other token of the Divine favour, the acceptance of it was equally manifest, and the fact is equally encouraging to us. To recount the various instances that occurred from that period to the times of Christ and his Apostles, would be a pleasing task, but would occupy many hours. Suffice it to say, that whether men’s prayer has been offered for themselves [Note: John 2:1; John 2:7.] or for others [Note: Exodus 32:11.Acts 12:5.], and whether it has been of a more stated and solemn kind [Note: Psalms 18:6.], or only in a sudden ejaculation [Note: Nehemiah 2:4.], it has equally prevailed; it has prevailed speedily [Note: 2 Kings 20:2; 2 Kings 20:4.Daniel 9:20; Daniel 9:23.], and to a most incredible extent [Note: James 5:17.]; and shall yet prevail, by whomsoever it may be offered [Note: James 5:16.]

This encouragement to prayer is greatly heightened by what is added respecting,

III.

The consequence of a due and acceptable performance of it—

God delights in the prosperity of his people; and desires that they should be happy here, as well as in the world to come. It is with this view that he has enjoined prayer as a duty; because, when performed aright, it is the means of filling the soul with the suhlimest joy.

1. It tranquillizes the most perturbed mind—

[Let a person under any sudden irritation or calamity betake himself to prayer, and he will speedily find the tempest calmed, and his agitations quieted. No other thing will operate like this. It will enable him to educe good out of every evil: it will not only blunt the edge of all his trials, but will turn his sorrows into joy [Note: Psalms 30:8; Psalms 40:1.]

2. It brings God nigh unto the soul—

[God in answer to prayer will take away the veil which intercepts our views of him, and “manifest himself to us, as he does not unto the world.” What an exhibition of his glory was that which he vouchsafed to Moses! What a bright display of Christ’s excellency was that which the three favoured Disciples were admitted to behold on Mount Tabor! We say not indeed that any similar vision of the Father or the Son shall ever be presented to our bodily eyes: but God will certainly “shine into the hearts of those who call upon him, to give them the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 4:6.];” and will enable them to say, “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ [Note: 1 John 1:3.].” What ineffable delight must such manifestations bring with them! — — —]

3. It gives us an earnest and foretaste of heaven itself—

[The happiness of heaven consists in the vision and fruition of God: and this, as far as it can be enjoyed by faith, is enjoyed in prayer. There is not any one who has abounded in the performance of this duty, but has had frequent occasion, when in his closet, to exclaim with Jacob, “This is none other but the house of God, this is the gate of heaven [Note: Genesis 28:17.]!” In such seasons as these a man has no occasion to search out evidences of his acceptance with God, or of his title to heaven; for the very intercourse which he has with the Deity is, if we may so speak, heaven brought down to earth; it is an actual anticipation of heaven, and a pledge of his complete possession of it in due season.]

Address—
1.

To those who ask without receiving—

[Think not that God has violated his promise. The reason of your not receiving is, that “you ask amiss [Note: James 4:3.].” Your petitions are cold, formal, hypocritical; and you have not a due respect to the name of Jesus in presenting them to God. Perform your duty as you ought, and you shall never complain of a want of acceptance in it.]

2. To those who have received answers to prayer—

[Let not your communion with God puff you up with pride, but rather abase you in the dust. If once you grow vain and secure, you will provoke God to hide his face from you, and to withhold the communications of his grace. Rejoice in the glorious privileges you possess; but “rejoice with trembling.”]