You Can Have Whatever You Like

Wow, I have not submitted an entry in quite some time now, but I am honored and excited to share this revelation with you this day.  Last night as I was reading the book of John, chapters 14, 15, and 16, and I noticed that when Jesus explicated his betrayal, death, and resurrection, Jesus made many promises.  I was not amazed that Jesus made so many promises, but I was more so amazed because one promise Jesus made occurred a total of six times.  When analyzing the text, readers can identify the amount of times Jesus makes this particular promise, and readers can also observe how often Jesus made this promise within and between other eschatological signs in which the disciples should anticipate.  The promise that occurred six times within these three chapters state, "Whatever you ask of me, in my Name, I will give it to you."

My issue with this promise is not necessarily how often it was declared, but my interest is intrigued with the reason why Jesus had to say this so many times within one overall textual and eschatological thought.  In a sense, this eschatological discourse of Jesus' physical time spent with the disciples before Jesus would be examined, can possibly be similar to the departing words of a father on his death bed departing from his sons and daughters; or the departing words of a husband that has to go off to a war that has a high death/risk alert; or a mother that has to sell her children for her children's longevity of life.  Imagine yourself in a situation where someone that is the most important, most loved, most honored, and most revered person in your life encountering the arduous task of telling you that they will depart from you; and your faith and trust in this person is does not strongly and willingly yield to their promise that is nearly impossible to accomplish.  It is hearing the promise says, "Although I am away from you, you can ask me for anything and I will give it you; and I am also going to come back for you."

The reality is that humanity does not have a confidence in humanity to believe that once one is gone then they will come back.  Secondly, humanity can not give anyone anything that they would ever want or need.  The reality is that humans are not capable of fulfilling these two promises because anything could happen.  However, this is what separates Jesus from humanity; Jesus can fulfill promises as if promises did not have a possibility to fail.  This dynamism of Jesus' promise is so incredible and impeccable because Jesus had to repeat his promise many times in order for the disciples to truly believe that Jesus would grant whatever they needed.  There are a few dimensions to the dynamism of Jesus' promise: 1) Because humanity flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously fails humanity with unachievable promises, empty philosophies, and endless assurances, humanity is immune to reneged promises; therefore causing disbelief; 2) Because Jesus understood that humanity has been flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously failed by neglected and failed promises, and in addition, Jesus also understands this phenomena, Jesus must repeat His assurances to us because we do not understand Christ's reality of time; and 3) Because of the many events that can occur in a span of time, human's attention is often diverted to other areas of life that may detract the attention away from Christ; therefore, we must constantly listen to what Christ is constantly attempting to tell us.

This dynamism can pose a challenge to making adjustments to our lifestyles and daily prayer lives.  One challenge that Jesus' statement presents is the misunderstanding of believing that Christ's children can have anything that they have ever desired to obtain.  This is not what Christ is saying!  Christ is stating that as long as His children remain in Him and He remains in His children, then His children can ask for anything and it will be accomplished for them.  Our requests, petitions, and desires that are asked of Christ must be what Christ wants; and not what we want.  Sometimes Christians ask God to do things in their lives that are totally in disagreement with what Christ wants for them.  In other words, when our desires are Christ's desires, when our wants are Christ's wants, when our ways are Christ's ways, then we can ask for anything and Jesus will supply those things that are requested.   We are only able to accurately request and petition our desires to God when we confidently know what Christ wants for us; sometimes Christ is just waiting to give us what we need, but only when we ask for the right thing at the right time.

When Christ's wants are our wants and our wants are Christ's wants we are able to freely ask Christ for whatever we like and want.  Yes, it is possible to have whatever you like.  The rapper, T.I. poetically versed, what I call a dirge for humanity, when he lied and said that, "you could have whatever you like."  This is not true and because T.I. spoke an untruth that is what makes it a dirge; it is the beginning of death one's life of dreams and fantasy.  The world cannot give you whatever you like especially if Christ's wants, desires, needs, and agenda is your agenda, needs, wants, and desires.

The next adjustment that must be made with understanding the dynamism of Christ's promise is the adjustment in your prayer life.  In this text, John 14, 15, and 16, Jesus is speaking, and very rarely do a couple of the disciples say anything.  My point is that Jesus spoke in John 14, 15, and 16, but Jesus is still speaking, and you are not listening to some of his repetitive promises He is making.  Sometimes, your prayer life is as such that you approach the throne and bow before the Lord just rambling at the mouth.  The question that I pose is this:  Since when have you seen a servant approach the throne of a king and the king is doing the listening to the servant?  In order for the servant to know what chores need to be accomplished, that servant must approach the kings throne with open ears and a good level of comprehension.  We must listen to the promises of Christ so that we are able to confidently function in this world that is managed by the prince of darkness and evil rulers/spirits in high places.  You cannot have whatever you like if you are constantly talking.  Notice, pimps do not like their women to talk too much because it would be an indictment of the pimp's power over his women.  Most managers do not like for their employees to talk too much because it is a direct offense against their power.

When you want what Christ wants for you, and you ask, Jesus will give whatever you ask!  Yes, this is a promise that the world cannot achieve.  This is a promise that your husband, wife, brother, best friend, cousin, grand mom, baby father, baby mother, ant, grand dad, or anyone in this world can achieve.  Only Christ can accomplish His promise!  I love this beautiful poetic prophetic utterance of Isaiah,

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
   neither are your ways my ways,” 
            declares the LORD. 
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
   so are my ways higher than your ways 
   and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow 
   come down from heaven, 
and do not return to it 
   without watering the earth 
and making it bud and flourish, 
   so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
   It will not return to me empty, 
but will accomplish what I desire 
   and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Christ sits at the throne, waiting for you to approach the throne, to worship Him, but to listen to His voice; for the purpose of you asking for anything and whatever you want so that He can achieve it for you!  Go in peace.  I pray this blesses you!

In Christ,

Servant of the Lord,

DWWII