John 14

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth..."

Whatever you ask in my name I will do...

This scripture has challenged me for years. Jesus does not leave much room in His choice of words. He doesn't say "somethings", or "maybe", or "I'll think about it". He  uses "whatever you ask"

I lose sleep wondering just how this can work:- how does God handle conflicting interests in prayer? Farmers pray for rain while their children pray for sunshine. What is God to do? Make it rain at night perhaps?  
One way I have approached this is to think perhaps God only answers the prayers that are aligned with His will - He only does what He was going to do anyway. But that reduces prayer to an illusion that God is listening and responding. 

In this passage of scripture some very significant dynamics are playing out which must be understood....

Jesus is not talking to everyone. This promise is not given to everyone.

In the previous chapter Jesus washes the feet of all His disciples, and gives them the command to love one another. In the next chapter one of His disciples are missing. Judas is nowhere to be seen, he doesn't receive this promise.

Between the foot washing and the command to love Judas excuses himself from the table, he has more important business to attend to. But he stays to have Jesus wash his feet, and honor him with bread dipped in sop. He stays for that. 

I cannot help but notice the parallel between Satan's first temptation of Jesus to satisfy his craving with bread and Judas actions here. Judas receives from Jesus honor, but when that stops he's gone. He's only there for the bread, not the love each other nonsense. There to receive from Jesus and when that doesn't deliver he'll cash Jesus in for bread of another kind. 

No, Jesus is not talking to Judas when He says "whatever you ask in My name I will do"
Who is Jesus talking to, who does that promise apply to?

To those who are captivated by the call to love.

You see the call to power and the call to love are the same call. Love is power.
Love demands of us to go seek the lost, to heal the broken, to spend our lives in the service of Christ, and unlocks the resources of heaven to do so.

Are our prayers powerless? Let check our hearts and motivation and have the courage to ask ourselves "why am I really here?"