The Answer

You come depending upon the merits of the Lord Jesus, and he answers your prayer. He is the way to answered prayer.


Scripture: John 14:4, Jeremiah 33:3

Transcript

Alright, thank you very much. And hello again, radio friends. How in the world are you? You doing alright today? Bless your heart. I hope everything’s alright at your house. I’m glad to be back with you, this is your friend Bob Cook. We’re looking at John 14. Our Lord Jesus said, “I’m the way,” in answer to the question, “How can we know the way?” He said, “I’m the way, the way to the Father, the way to know Him, the way to hear Him, see Him work, the way to have the basis for belief, Jesus and what he says and does.” Then just continuing, “He’s the way to greater works. He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

No need to stumble over that phrase, “greater works than these shall he do.” Our Lord Jesus traveled a very comparatively few miles in his earthly ministry. He spoke to some thousands of people but comparatively few by comparison with the population of the world. And he said, “Greater works than these.” One Spirit-filled person speaking through radio or television will reach more people in 10 minutes than our Lord Jesus reached in his lifetime. The extent of the influence of the message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ is multiplied a thousand fold and there is no limit to what God can do through a life that’s yielded to Him. DL Moody heard that said, and it is reported that he said, “By God’s grace, I’ll be that man.” And so he yielded himself and all of his magnificent talents to the blessed Spirit of God and the Lord used him to shake both sides of the Atlantic and many parts of the world now by his ministry and his ongoing influence through the Moody Bible Institute and other works.

“Greater works than these shall he do.” There is no limit to what God can do through the life of a person that is yielded completely to Him. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. There’s an awesome truth connected with this, you get just about what you want. “Ye have not because you ask not,” says James. You get what you want and if you only want a little bit, Japanese say “sukoshi.” [chuckle] Little bit. I learned enough Japanese when I was visiting in that beautiful land to remember some of these words. Sukoshi is little bit, takusan is a lot.

If you want just a sukoshi of God’s blessing, that’s what you’ll get. But if your heart is hungry for more of God and if you want Him to work through your life, wait before Him, pray and then obey the blessed Spirit of God. There isn’t any limit to what God will do through your life. “According to your faith,” Jesus said, “be it unto you.” And Romans 12 said, “God has given his gifts to us according to the measure of faith.” How much do you wanna believe God for? Trust Him, trust Him. Here’s this veteran missionary who comes home from the field with heart trouble. And the doctors say, “You can’t go back to the field, it’ll kill you.” He says, “Well then, let it kill me. I’m going back.” And he waits before the Lord and he finds that the Spirit of God is indeed giving a clear witness to his own spirit that he ought to go back to the field, and so he returns and what happens? 20 more years of victorious service for the Lord. I don’t know what God did to that ailing heart but He kept it beating. This has happened so many times. You can have what you want from God. And if you only want a little bit, if you want an up and down experience, if you want a failing experience, if you want a self-centered experience, that’s what God will let you have. “He gave them their request but sent leanness into their hearts,” said the Psalmist.

You get what you ask for, why don’t you ask big? Why don’t you believe God for something more than the small dimensions of your life? Dare to dream of something great that will garner and glorify God and see Him fulfill your dreams, young person. Oh listen, there is possibility for you. Somebody listening to me in a in a retirement facility and you’re anchored to your wheelchair because arthritis has tied you in knots and your poor old joints don’t move anymore like they used to and you say, “Listen to that man, Cook. He says I can have what I want.” Has it ever dawned upon you, beloved? I mean you there with arthritis. Can’t move, can’t get about, can’t run and jump like you used to. Has it ever occurred to you that you can pray clear around the world before breakfast and that your prayer can affect somebody in Burma or China or Japan or some parts of Asia or Europe? You, my friend, have possibilities you haven’t even explored yet by the grace of God. “Greater works than these shall he do,” Jesus said, “because I go to my Father.” He’s the way to greater works. Are you bored with the present? Are you bored with what’s going on? Nothing going on but the rent? Ask God to give you a vision for His greater works. “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Let it be God’s greater works, and you’ll always find fruition and satisfaction.” It’s a good truth, isn’t it? Now you put it to work in your own life, you’ll find it works.

He’s the way to answered prayer. Verse 13 and 14, what’s it’s say? “Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the sight. If you’ll ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Now, we ask in Jesus name, that is to say when you come in his name that means you are pleading his merits. You are depending upon what he has done and what he is. What has he done? Died for you. What is he? Your living High Priest and intercessor. So, when you come in his name, that means you’re depending upon what he has done and what he is for you. God wouldn’t receive you without the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. “By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto his name.” God wouldn’t even look at you without Jesus’ atoning work. But because he did die for you and rise again, and ascend to the presence of God the Father, and he ever liveth now to make intercession for you because he is your Savior through shed blood and through his intercessory work now, are you following me? Then you can come and say, “I come to you, Father, because Jesus died for me, and because he lives to name my name before You. Here I am, I’m coming in his name.” Not a formula, but a relationship. That’s the basis, the basis for answered prayer.

Now, he says, “You ask the Father in my name, and I’ll do it.” “I’ll do it,” he said. “You ask the Father in my name, I’ll do it.” So, you come depending upon the merits of the Lord Jesus, and he answers your prayer. He is the way to answered prayer. I’d like to challenge some of you who’ve given up on some of the impossible situations in your own life. And you say, “Nothing works, nothing happens. I’ve been praying about this and nothing happens.” Come on, Jesus is still on the throne. He’s still naming your name before the Father. God still answers prayer. The promise there in Jeremiah 33:3 is still true, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Oh, once again, bow before your Blessed Lord, and pour out your soul to Him, and let the Spirit of God guide you in what you pray. “That we don’t know what we should pray for as we ought”, says Paul in Romans 8, “but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” He helps our weakness.

Sometimes you don’t quite know what to pray. Depend on the blessed Spirit of God, who indwells the believer, to help you pray in the will of God. But the point is do pray and do believe God, and do depend upon the Lord Jesus to give you the answer that is in His eternal plan for you. He’s the way to answered prayer. And then, he’s the way to a love relationship with God. Oh, this is precious. “If you love me,” he says, “Keep my commandments. I’ll pray the Father He’ll give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever. Now, I’m talking,” he says, “About the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I won’t leave you orphans. I’ll come to you. At that day, you’ll know that I’m in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. And He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” A love relationship with Almighty God.

I said to you a moment ago most people are scared stiff of God. They get brittle and tense when you bring up anything having to do with God. The normal Christian life is one in which through the Lord Jesus Christ you become acquainted with your Heavenly Father. And you can say sincerely, “Our Father, who art in Heaven.” Yes, the Father, He loves you. His great arms of love encircle you. His power protects you, and His wisdom guides you. He is your Father, and when you have committed your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you get a love relationship not only with your Savior, but with all of the Triune God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The great reality of Almighty God is not simply now a remote fact to which you refer, but a present reality that warms your spirit, and reassures you as you plod on though life. “I will love him, and manifest myself to him.” To hear from Heaven is the choice privilege of the believer.

Now, that’s the answer that Jesus gave, “How can we know the way?” He said, “I’m the way to the Father. I’m the way to know God, to hear Him, see Him work, and to have the basis for belief. I’m the way to greater works. I’m the way to answered prayer, and I’m the way to a love relationship with God.” Now, time will be run out before we go any farther in this passage. But I have to ask you, where are you in all of this? Do you feel comfortable with your Lord? Do you spend time just letting Him love you and you expressing your love to Him in prayer? As you read the Bible, does it speak to you? Does the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and teach you things? Where are you in all of this? I have to tell you, the normal Christian experience through commitment to the Lord Jesus, that’s the key, the normal Christian experience through commitment to Christ is to know him as the open door to the Father’s presence and the revealer of all God’s wonderful truth to your waiting heart.

Father God today, O, may we love Thee, and serve Thee, and hear Thy voice and obey it. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Till I meet you once again by way of radio, walk with the King today and be a blessing!



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