Bill Johnson - Pray, So Your Joy May Be Full
If you’re praying and not receiving any answers, He’s not the problem, but guilt and shame won’t fix the issue either. John 16 describes how Jesus informs His disciples that the sorrow and sadness of His departure will be met with overflowing joy. Jesus is going to reveal a secret here: Did you know that Jesus is referred to as the most joyful human being to ever live? The book describes His joy as surpassing all of His brethren. The language suggests that His joy was greater than all the joys of those around Him combined. We just don’t see that in the TV shows about Him. In «The Chosen,» He appears happy, which I appreciate for that reason and more. But here He says in verse 23, «In that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. Until now, you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.» Say that with me: «That your joy may be made full.» Let’s make it personal: «That my joy would be made full.» Say it again: «That my joy would be made full.»
So here’s God providing a prescription; He’s giving you a blank check. As these blank checks are cashed, you will discover dimensions of joy in Him that you have only seen in the person of Jesus. I remind you, what was the only thing Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them? They didn’t say, «Teach us how to multiply food,» or «Teach us how to heal the sick.» No, they asked, «Teach us how to pray.» Why? I believe it’s because they saw something in His life. When Jesus went up on the mountain to spend time with the Father, His prayers exemplified a joy we cannot even fathom. When Jesus gives them unlimited blank checks and says this is how to access joy, He is inviting them into His personal daily breakthrough—joy beyond all human reasoning—which is at least partially connected to His answers to prayer.
Chris Gore told us years ago—he just returned from New Zealand—that Jesus never taught on how to deal with unanswered prayers because He never had any. That’s worth remembering. Jesus prayed and made a difference. So here’s the truth: If prayers aren’t being answered, it’s not God’s problem. Let me rephrase it; it’s not His fault. If there are no answers to prayer, it’s not God’s fault. If you’re praying and you’re not receiving answers, He’s not the problem, but guilt and shame won’t fix the issue either. I was designed for a seamless connection; that is my nature. I was created to hear from God. It is in my DNA to produce fruit for the glory of God. Is that happening? If it’s not occurring, at the place where I’m laying down my life, then I need to take Jesus aside. In other words, «Lord, I know You’re not the problem. I don’t know what is, but I have said yes to a lifestyle that brings You glory through continuous answers to prayer.»
I desire to see the impossibilities of life bow to the name of Jesus through my lips. That is the longing of my heart, and my motive is clean: I want You glorified. It doesn’t matter to me if anyone traces that back to my prayer. What I need to see is that I yielded, You spoke through me, a miracle took place, and now all of creation and humanity celebrate the goodness of a perfect Father because of that answer to prayer. We owe the world around us answers to prayer. James talks about prayers not being answered because you ask amiss. Don’t ask with wrong motives, outside of His purpose and plan. I get that, and I’m grateful that He shuts down those prayers. But sometimes, does this make sense? Sometimes you pray the wrong thing for the right reason, and sometimes you pray the right thing for the wrong reason. Don’t stop; keep pressing in until that prayer is purged and purified. Don’t stop! God, it’s in Your Word. I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but it matters to me to see what You’ve promised happen before me. If it’s not to happen through my hands, I’m fine with that; just do it through someone else. But we need to see this change. We must see this turn.
Now I’m declaring Your Word into this situation, doing all I know to do: pray and act. Take time when you go to bed at night: «God, teach me, even as I sleep, how to pray more effectively.» All I want is the name of Jesus to be exalted in the earth; that’s all I want. I want the Father glorified because He thought of this redemptive plan in offering His Son as a sacrifice to restore people to an eternal destiny of representing Him on this planet until it is transformed. It was Your plan; it’s perfect. We celebrate it now. Let it be fully implemented in and through my life for the glory of God. I ache for this. I yearn for this dimension of prayer—for me and for you—not that my will can be done, nor for the building of my kingdom, but because I was designed to fit seamlessly into a Kingdom where God is forever glorified. That’s what I was made for, and prayer is my part in seeing heaven come to earth. Amen.
All right, go. Prayer is such a huge mystery to me sometimes. Sometimes the most simple, off-the-wall, extreme, outrageous prayer, prayed only once and taking three seconds, is answered. I mean, crazy stuff! Yet, other things are labored for over great periods of time, and they just meet with great resistance. Recently, someone had a dream about me, sent to me last week. I won’t go through the dream, but it contained a prophetic picture that described my determined, focused walk. As long as I keep walking, the enemy trying to destroy has to run to keep up. I love that image; they become exhausted while we keep plowing forward. I just love that picture. I’m just kidding! What are you going to do, Bill? I’m just not going to quit, that’s all I know. I’m just not going to quit. I will keep going in the direction I said yes to. Yeah, but what about Nobel? Don’t distract me; I’m going to keep going. Why? The enemy gets exhausted trying to keep up with your walk. I believe it’s a profound picture.
So, Father, I pray—I’ve prayed this many times in the last couple of years—take us into this kind of season in prayer where we truly see the unusual, not for entertainment’s sake, but to exalt the name of Jesus in the earth, for the Father to be honored throughout all creation because Your plan worked. I pray that You take every person in this room and launch us into a significance of prayer unlike any other season. I want to ask quickly: Is there anyone here who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus but wants to know what it is to be forgiven by God, to be part of a family? You want to understand what the Bible refers to as being born again. You become different from the inside; it is a work of grace He does in us as a gift. If you want that, if you’re hungry for that, if you’re online, let a pastor know. If you’re in one of the other rooms, let one of the pastors know. If you’re in this room, raise your hand. I want to see you right where you are, and I want to agree with you because we’re going to believe that the miracle of a new creation for you starts today. Is there anyone in that position? All right, we’re going to assume you’re all in. We’re going to have a ministry team down here ready to pray for people. Are you coming up, Ruth? Come on up.