Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do that the Father may be glorified in the son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
– John 14:12–14
Yes, yes. What amazing words to live according to today.
John 14:12–14 Is a Confirmation of the Promise of the Holy Spirit
To see that Jesus told us, promised us that when he ascended to the Father, he would send his spirit and we, who believe in him, would do not just the works that he did, but greater works because his spirit would be poured out, not just upon one person, but upon every person who believes in him, and that we would live asking for him to work in his name for his glory, with this promise that he will do whatever we ask in his name, according to his word.
What we read in John 15, the whole basis for this podcast, that when we pray according to God’s word, we have what we’ve asked for. I’ve mentioned before, like the twofold secret to prayer. Number one, make your wants, God’s wants. Then two, ask for whatever you want. That’s what this podcast is about. It’s what Jesus’ promised in John 14, and to come in John 15, is about. So let’s live in it. Let’s pray this.
John 14:12–14 Promises Greater Works Through the Spirit of God
God, we want to be a part of greater works, even though what we read about in the Bible that you were doing, Jesus, yes, we want to see more and more people repenting and believing in the Gospel. We pray for that today. God, we pray for the spread of the Gospel in our lives. We pray for the spread of the Gospel all over the world for the Harni people of Pakistan.
God, I’m praying about your salvation among them, this Muslim people group where there aren’t any followers of Jesus right now and thousands of other people, groups like them. Cause the gospel to spread. Send out laborers to all the people groups of the world and cause repentance and faith to rise all over the world, greater works than even what was seen when you were here, Jesus. And give us confidence to pray. God, give us faith to pray that what we ask in your name, you will do.
Praying for the Work of the Spirit
God, we want to see your spirit move in power and praise you just for the glimpse that our church family has had over recent days of you working in supernatural, powerful, unexplainable ways. And God, we want to see more in all of our lives. We want to see more and more and more of you. Lord, we don’t want to just go through motions in our lives.
We want to see supernatural works, greater works that you are doing as you are at the Father’s right hand, and pouring out your spirit and interceding for us and answering our prayers as we intercede for others, as we petition you for things in our lives, in your name, in the world around us, in your name. God, we pray. Help us to live in the fullness of your promise in John 14:12–14, asking all kinds of things in your name today according to your word, trusting that you hear us and you answer, and seeing we pray greater and greater and greater works than even what we read in the Bible, for your glory, that the Father might be glorified in us today. In Jesus’ name, according to John 14:12–14, we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
