John 15:7 – What Do You Want?

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7)

Let’s unpack this memory verse. It’s important to know from the start that this is not Jesus telling his followers that he is a magic genie in a bottle who will grant all wishes. That is not who Jesus is or ever will be. Jesus is talking about the importance of our relationship with him here.

Context (John 15:1-17): Jesus describes himself in this passage as the “true grapevine.” That image would have spoken more directly to his audience, but we are all familiar to a degree with the importance of pruning to keep our plants healthy and growing. We also know that branches cut off from the tree soon wither and die. Jesus doesn’t want us to be separated from him, but to abide in him, be in relationship with him, and trust him with our lives.

Jesus knew that when we are in communion with him, our prayers would inevitably focus more on God’s will rather than our own selfish desires. That’s why he boldly declared our requests would be granted. Jesus desires a relationship with us, and our faith is made stronger when we trust Jesus.

This verse is our reminder to never stray from our connection with Jesus. It’s nearly impossible for us to fall prey to the evil one’s schemes when we’re so closely yoked to Jesus. I picture having a wall of protection around me able to deflect evil. While we can never escape sin, we can shield ourselves by trusting in Jesus’ protection.

I asked the girls at the orphanage the other day what they would wish for if a genie popped out of a magic lamp. I know that sounds like a loaded question for a Bible class, but we were talking about the kingship of Jesus. We know Jesus as king, not our personal genie granting wishes. I was amazed that their answers weren’t more selfish. They wanted to be nicer to their friends and be better behaved. I may have had to lift my jaw off the floor!

Those little girls were abiding in Christ in that moment. What they wanted aligned with what God would want for them. I’m confident if they had prayed those wishes as prayers, Jesus would have granted them.

We know from other teachings in Scripture that God answers prayers that are in alignment with his will. It is God’s will that we abide in him and trust him with our lives. We can have bold confidence that our prayers will be heard and answered when we pray as Jesus would pray.

The best ways to nurture our relationship with Jesus are spending time with him in prayer and reading his word regularly. Don’t be surprised if when you try to be more intentional about spending time with God that distractions will abound even more. It’s as if Satan is out to do everything in his power to keep us off track, focused on the world and unnecessary tasks. That’s why Jesus reminds us to abide in him, away from the grasp of evil.

You can probably look back over your week and see those instances of time wasted that could have been spent with Jesus. Don’t let that realization defeat you but rather inspire you to do better. Remember, God is patient with us. He wants to shower us with abundance. We just need to be ready for it. This verse will help us prepare to ask for what we want.

Let’s pray. Lord, you are wise and powerful, and I want to honor and respect you completely. Forgive me for the times I have acted in ways I think are helpful but do nothing to further your kingdom. Help me to focus on what you desire for my life. Reveal yourself to me through your Word, and open my heart and mind to accept and act as you lead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.