“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
In John chapter 15, Jesus compares God to a tender of vines and depicts himself as the vine and born again Christians as branches of that vine. He says that the branches need the vine and the vine needs the branches, because it’s the branches that bear the fruit. God prunes and dresses the branches, making them capable of bearing more fruit. But, without the vine the branches can’t bear any fruit. Yet, that’s what the branches are for – bearing fruit.
God is the ultimate authority in this universe that He created. Jesus, His son came to make disciples, so that they could spread the gospel, making more disciples. As each disciple brings people to the throne of God, the Holy Spirit takes over and brings that person to the saving knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus meant by bearing fruit – leading people down the path toward a relationship with Christ. Along the way God puts trials and tribulations in our path, not just to test our resolve, but to strengthen us and mature us. After each episode of God pruning and dressing our knowledge, skills and faith, we become more capable of bringing more people to Gods throne of grace. Jesus is the true vine and we as His branches (disciples) need to bear fruit (help to bring more people to Christ).
If we abide in a personal relationship with Christ and do as He asks (commands) we shall ask and it will be done (“…ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”) Please understand that it is done in God’s time, with our best interest in mind and in accordance with His perfect will. His answer will be yes, no or wait. He knows all that was, is or will ever be, so He cannot be wrong. His decisions sometimes hurt and sometimes bring great joy, but either way His will is perfect, fair and trustworthy. Sometimes we can see God work in our lives with such clarity, other times you wonder what He’s doing and why. Just like Job trusted in the Lord’s judgement while heaps of burdens were showered down upon him, we too need to abide in Him, trust Him and obey His precepts. His ever present Spirit and our relationship with Him will carry us through anything.
Cultivate disciples, trust in Him and His Word, and He will grant you the desires of your heart, in accordance with His perfect will.