The scene was dim, and a dark cloud of sadness was hovering over the room. Jesus had just told these men, who had given up everything to follow Him, that He was going to die. Adding to their confusion was watching Jesus, the Son of God, doing the work of a common servant by washing their feet, and then finally, Jesus reveals that someone in the room would betray Him. For the disciples It probably doesn’t get any worse than this.

Jesus understood their angst and wanted them to know something, and I believe He also wants you to know this as well. When life is difficult, and you don’t understand why negative circumstances keep happening in your life listen to what Jesus has to say, “If you ask anything in my name, I will give it to you.” If Jesus tells us something one time, you can put your life on the line for it, but what if He says it 5 different times! Yet, that is exactly what He does. In case you missed it the first 4 times, Jesus repeats again, “If you ask anything in my name, I will give it to you.”

The Apostle John was in the room that night and many years later (about 60 years) he wrote a letter, we call it 1 John. As he looked over his own past years of ministry he wanted to encourage his friends and in 1 John 5:14 he writes,

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (15) and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

I would love to have seen John’s face as he remembers the countless times in his own ministry where he turned to this promise only to see Jesus come through for him again and again. So much so, that John with “confidence” wants you to know this promise works. When you are alone, afraid, lacking direction, and in need of help turn to Him and ask for the peace, the wisdom, and strength you need for any and all the trials this life offers, and watch as God gives you those things that you ask for.