“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

Part Two

The word “ask” in this verse is an interesting one. In the original Greek, it is aiteo (ahee-teh’-o) meaning to “ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.”

Because of its usage in Matthew 5:42, some Bible scholars have interpreted it to mean to “demand.” In that verse, the Lord Jesus was emphasizing that a rude, insensitive, boorish person can ask a favor of us in an insolent manner making us unwilling to comply with his request. He did not mean to imply that we are to ask in this way.

G. Campbell Morgan, a great Congregational minister of yesteryear, commented on John 15:7: “When we abide in Christ and His words abide in us, we can literally demand what we will and it shall be granted.” The word demand here needs some clarification.

Aiteo (or ask) can have the connotation of putting in a requisition. Picture a large supply depot with all kinds of items in storage. As part of the organization, you find yourself in need of a particular item in stock. You obtain a requisition slip, have it signed by the properly authorized person, and send it through channels.

In a sense, your requisition is a “demand” in that it places a “demand” upon the existing supply. However, that “demand” or request is in no way arrogant or authoritarian. It is simply a request for supplies.

Here Jesus tells us that we can “requisition” from heaven’s warehouse, knowing that when duly authorized by His signature (His name), our request will be honored and our need met.

Let’s ask largely and receive largely.