JOH 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.”

 

            There are three concepts revealed in this verse—the believer in fellowship, the believer in doctrine, and the believer in prayer. “Abiding (or remaining) in Christ” is a reference to the Church-age believer in fellowship with God. The word “abide” is used because the filling of the Holy Spirit only occurs when the believer resides in the predesigned plan of God. Being filled with the Spirit is synonymous with living in the predesigned plan of God. The believer has fellowship with God on the basis of the fact that the Holy Spirit controls his soul. The believer in fellowship can perform good deeds and Christian service, which are produced in the execution of the predesigned plan of God. Only the filling of the Holy Spirit can produce divine good. The filling of the Holy Spirit is the first spiritual skill, and the only way through which the believer can have fellowship with God.

            “My words” in verse seven are the thinking of Christ, the Bible. Therefore, the phrase, “My words abide in you,” is a reference to consistent perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine (i.e., inculcation of doctrine). This is the second spiritual skill.

            The third spiritual skill is the execution of the predesigned plan of God by advancing through the three stages of spiritual adulthood (spiritual self-esteem, spiritual autonomy, and spiritual maturity). Spiritual maturity results in maximum fruit bearing in three categories—visible production of divine good, which can be seen by others who observe your Christian service; invisible production of divine good, which has maximum impact in life; and prayer. Invisible impact can not be seen by others and is the basic function of the “pivot” (those who preserve their nation through their faithfulness to God’s Word) of mature believers. This production is best because it always makes a role model out of Jesus Christ, thereby manifesting an invisible impact in the historic phase of the angelic conflict. “Ask whatever you wish” in verse seven does not apply to believers out of fellowship, new believers, or even adolescent believers, but to believers who have the three categories of fruit bearing, and visible and invisible impact. “And it shall be done for you” does not imply that all your dreams will be fulfilled. It does mean that God will do exceeding abundantly above all you could ever ask or think. God only gives this promise to a few believers who are fruit bearers in spiritual maturity. By the time you reach maturity, you will be asking for the right things. The concept is “Ask for what you wish as a mature believer and God will provide it for you.”