John 16:23-24 23 In that day you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. ESV
In verse 23 Jesus said in that day; the days after He returned to His Father. He told us that we are to ask the Father in His name. Praying in the authority of Jesus allows us to pray in union with Him, which ensures that we are not praying outside of His Will.
Saint Augustine said: “Prayer in Christ’s name must be consistent with Christ’s character, and that He fulfills it as Saviour.” When we are asking in conformance with the will of God, we can be sure that He will make our joy to be full (fulfilled). His will for our life is always designed to fulfill our joy and keeping His commandments is a way to ensure that His joy permanently abides in us. Notice that John did not say it would always make us happy, but it will make our joy “full” (pleroo; fully or perfectly supplied, accomplished, satisfied).
Having our character changed by the Holy Spirit is not always a happy condition, but the result, being conformed into the likeness (character) of Jesus is joyful (Rom 8:29). Joy is our strength and so we are advised to ask in the name of the Jesus that we might be strong. Like Jer 5:16, when we eat the Word, joy results and strength follows. Nehemiah told us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10) and like everything with the Lord, it all comes together for our benefit.
Now, back to John 16:24. Remember that Jesus was talking to His disciples, who had been questioning Him directly. Look at the preceding verses:
John 16:17-18 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” ESV
He was preparing them for the time when He would no longer be with them. In so doing, He set the precedent for the church from that time forward. It is the Father whom we ask, but we ask in the name of Jesus because He is the One who gave us access to the Father so that we can ask. He is the foundation upon which we stand when we petition the Father with our requests.
John Calvin said, “We have the heart of God as soon as we place before him the name of the son.” And God wants us to go to His Son because He has given everything to Him.
Eph 1:22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. ESV
We need to remember the power of His Name and why we use it … not as a Closing Comment to our prayer.