Wednesday, June 24, 2026

If Jesus says, ‘Ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you,’ why do so many of our prayers seem unanswered?

I want us to see that Jesus does not merely promise answered prayer. He also tells us how to pray and get answers to all of prayers.

This study takes us into some of the strongest promises Jesus ever gave about prayer in John 14–16. We ask a serious question: If Jesus says, “Ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you,” why do so many prayers seem unanswered? In this lesson, we look at Christ’s promises in John 14:13–14, John 15:7, John 15:16, and John 16:23–27 and show that the certainty of answered prayer is rooted not in our emotions, eloquence, or worthiness, but in the authority of the exalted Christ, His finished work, and His ongoing intercession for His people.

We also work through the conditions Christ gives for confident prayer. What does it really mean to ask in Jesus’ name? What does it mean to abide in Christ and have His words abide in us? How do faith, obedience, and praying according to the will of God shape the believer’s prayer life? This lesson also addresses an important question raised in class: why does John 15:7 say “it shall be done for you,” while John 15:16 says “He may give you”? We show why this is not a contradiction, but a difference in emphasis between Christ’s direct promise in John 15:7 and His purpose in appointing His disciples to fruit-bearing ministry in John 15:16.

If you have ever struggled with unanswered prayer, uncertainty in prayer, or understanding how God’s promises in prayer fit with God’s will, this lesson will help you think biblically and pray with greater confidence. Jesus does not merely tell us to pray. He teaches us why we can pray, how we must pray, and how prayer becomes one of God’s appointed means for producing fruit to the glory of God.