The Prayer Promise

How believers can do the works of Jesus

Text: John 14:12-14; 15:7; Mark 11:22-25

Introduction: (What?)

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He delegated His mission not only to the 12 and the 120, but also to all who would surrender to Him until He comes again. In John 14:12-14 He made an assertion that “the one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these because I’m going to the Father.”

The beginning of the fulfillment of this happened on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus had never gone outside of Galilee during His earthly ministry. Although we know that He had preached to thousands, we don’t know how many became followers. On the Day of Pentecost Peter preached to 15 ethnic groups at once that reached into Europe, and 3,000 were saved. That result was “greater” than any response to Jesus’ personal preaching. During the lifetime of the disciples, they were scattered all over the known world, and took the gospel wherever they went.

The rest of the fulfillment is up to you and me today. We have the command to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to obey all that Christ commanded us.” Our problem is that we are not being obedient to the assignment because we don’t think we have the capacity to do it. Today we will look at what Jesus promised that will empower us to finish the task.

Examination: (Why?)

The Promise:

John 14:12–14 ““Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

There are many who take these verses out of context and think and teach that if we add “in Jesus’ Name I pray” to the end of our prayers we will get whatever we ask for. However, given the context (what happened before and after) we must realize that the “whatever” referred to what we need to accomplish the assignment of doing “greater works” than Jesus in reaching people for the kingdom of God. Also, we must realize that praying “in Jesus’s Name” means that we pray about what Jesus prayed about and we do it as He would do it. For example In Matthew 9:37–38 we find Jesus urging His followers,

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.””

When they prayed that, and when we pray it, they and we also make ourselves available to go into His harvest.

But what we have done is come up with what we think is a better idea. Let’s get more preachers and missionaries and send them into the harvest fields while we sit back and clap for them. In the meantime people in our families, and people whom we know in our neighborhoods are heading to hell while waiting for a preacher or missionary to come along.

Here is the kicker though. YOU are the preacher. YOU are the missionary. And since you already have a relationship with them, the job to share the gospel with them is YOURS.

In Ephesians 4:11–13 “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”

Guess who the “saints” are. You and me. The church staff (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) are given the assignment of equipping us to do “the work of the ministry”. We are then given the task of making disciples and helping them grow in their walk with Christ.

I can hear someone saying “But I’m too shy to talk to people about Jesus” or “I don’t know enough of the Bible to talk to them” or “I’m afraid I will offend them.” That’s why Jesus made the prayer promise we read a bit earlier. Notice that He said it twice in back to back sentences. So, if you are too shy, ask for boldness. If you don’t know enough Bible, spend time readying, studying and meditating on Romans 10:9–10 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” and John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” That’s all the scripture you need to share the gospel.

And, BTW, your greatest evangelism tool is your personal testimony. Nobody can refute that. When is the last time you told someone your story of salvation?

2. Accessing the Prayer Promise:

Mark 11:20–25 “Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Then Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.””

The key to accessing the prayer promise that Jesus made is FAITH. The word “believe” that Jesus used in John 14:12 is the same word that he used in John 3:16. So, if you had enough faith to be saved, you have enough faith to pray expectantly about being able to do the works of Jesus.

But you might say “My faith is too small”. That’s what the father who brought his son to the disciples for healing said when Jesus came back from the Mt. of Transfiguration. But he also said, “I do believe, but help my unbelief”. That is a good prayer to pray when you think your faith is too small. When the disciples asked Jesus why they were unable to cast the demon out of the boy, Jesus said;

Matthew 17:20 ““Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”” (think: Kudzu)

In order to grow you faith, you must use it. It is like going to a gym or a rehab to get stronger. The more you use muscles, the stronger they become. The more you use faith, the more stronger your faith becomes.

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.”

John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.”

Application: (How?)

In Acts 3:1–6 “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. A man who was lame from birth was being carried there. He was placed each day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so that he could beg from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!””

How did Peter know to do that? What do you think he expected? I think that Peter was remembering that Jesus said that if he believed he would be able to do the works Jesus did, and even greater works.

Acts 9:36–42 “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

How did Peter know to command Dorcas to “get up”? Again, I think it was because he remembered what Jesus said in John 14.

You may not be able to witness because you don’t have a salvation story to tell. If that is the case, I invite you right now to say to God in prayer, “Lord, I give you my life”. He’ll take it from there.

You may not be able to witness because you are afraid or shy, or unable to speak very well. Ask Jesus to give you what you need. Believe that He will keep His word, and then go and do it.

Don’t wait for a feeling. The lights in a dark room don’t come on until someone flips the switch. Your faith doesn’t kick in until you take the first step of obedience. Do that today.