The Emphasis of Ask

As said earlier: Prayer is the Job - allocating focussed and our best time to seeking God and 'doing business in the spiritual realm' for the area or work that you are involved in. Within that prayer work Jesus gives the clear invitation to 'Ask':

• John 14:13 - I will do whatever you ask in my name ...
• John 14:14 - You may ask me for anything in my name ...
• John 15:7 - If you remain in me ... ask whatever you wish ...
• John 15:16 - ... I chose & appointed you ... so that whatever you ask in my name ...
• John 16:23 - ... my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
• John 16:24 - Ask and you will receive ...
• John 16:26 - In that day you will ask in my name.
  

This seven-fold repeated (there is a clue in itself!) invitation comes in the context of Jesus sending the Spirit (chapters 14 & 16) and abiding in Him (chapter 15). Perhaps we can say that 'abiding in Him' (chapter 15) is cocooned in the promise of sending the Spirit (14 & 16).

Note that it is all 'in my name': even the 15:7 and 16:24 phrases that don't have the 'in my name' words that all the others have, are still clearly in the context of being in Him and therefore asking in His name. As we sit or walk in prayer, seeking the face of God, the mind of Christ, and the manifest presence of the Spirit - on behalf of the area or work we are involved in - we can ask for whatever is needed (that is, what Jesus Himself would desire) for that area or work.

So let us allocate proper time and energy to prayer - with our area of work in mind. And within that, seeking the mind of Christ, not be afraid TO ASK! Ask extraordinarily, ask boldly! Go on ... Jesus invited us to do this. He declared it as an operational practice for us. He marked it out as a promise for us. He even chose and appointed us to do this.

So ... ASK ... in His name ...