“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” Jesus said this to His disciples shortly before His death. Until then they had not prayed for anything in Jesus’ name; but from this point on they were to pray in Jesus’ name. Jesus had to finish a work before His name would have such power that they could pray for what they wanted in His name. We read, “Who . . . did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant . . . And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” Phil. 2:6-10. When the work was completed, Jesus had brought about a full atonement for mankind with all their failures and sins. He nailed the handwriting of ordinances which was against us to the cross. The throne of grace has now been established, and the access to it is Jesus. All the powers of Satan want to bar the way to it, but they are forced to make way for the name of Jesus. Peter made the lame walk in this name. In this name they overcame death. We can come to the Father in this name and ask Him for whatever we want, and we will receive it. Whoever experiences this has fullness of joy. But who experiences it in this way? Jesus said to His disciples that they would experience it in this way if they would forsake everything, and deny themselves daily. If I seek my own by loving the world and the things of the world, I cannot pray in the name of Jesus. In that case my joy can never be full. His disciples seek what is above where Christ is seated. They have a throne of grace. In the name of Jesus they have great boldness before this throne, for the only thing they desire is to do the Father’s will, like the Master. In this longing and desire they are neither helpless nor powerless. Jesus has become their Savior, and in His name they can pray for everything they need of wisdom and power, in order to do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven. Now we understand Jesus’ word, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name.” But from this moment on they were to pray and receive. In the old covenant God-fearing men also had access to the Father. They also prayed and received; nevertheless there was something that was lacking which prevented their joy from being full. They lacked what we have: access to the Father in the name of Jesus so that our joy can be full. Acts 13:39. Jesus says, “I am the door.” It is difficult for a man to fathom the meaning of these words. On Calvary Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” Then the veil was rent in two from top to bottom. Now all things have become possible to those who believe. Jesus is the door, and by Him we have access to the fullness of God. Only disciples partake of divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4-5), and are fashioned into the image of the Son. This was the work that was lacking in those who lived in the old covenant. And what else is there that can give us fullness of joy? There are so many people who feel they lack something. Most of them have given up all hope of ever laying hold of it. Nevertheless, Jesus is the door to it and we can pray for it in Jesus’ name. We can lay hold of it with Him as our mediator, so that our joy can be full.Sigurd Bratlie