Our last article focused on what is typically referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Therein, Jesus gave an example of prayer for His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13). Now we turn our attention to John 17, which is a more extensive prayer from our Lord. The prayer breaks down into three sections:
- V 1-5, His prayer regarding Himself, seeking for God to be glorified in Him;
- V 6-19, His prayer for the apostles, and the mission which was ahead of them;
- V 20-26, His prayer for the unity of all believers, including you and me.
Praying for Ourselves
Do you pray for yourself? Jesus prayed concerning Himself (John 17:1-5). Granted, our prayers won’t be quite like His. He prayed about the authority given to Him, the eternal life He would offer, and the glory He shared with the Father. It is right that we pray for ourselves, and more than just seeking the forgiveness of sins.
Are you familiar with the prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10)? Some have exploited this prayer. Years ago, Bruce Wilkinson had a series of books and related products which billed the prayer as “a prayer that God always answers.” His books treated the prayer as a magic spell or incantation, and he encouraged his readers to cite the prayer regularly.
Jabez was a humble man, concerned with serving God. His is not a self-serving prayer but seeks to bring God’s glory into his life. It is a prayer about growth, about increasing one’s capacity to accomplish God’s will.
It is right for us to pray that God will work through our lives. We should desire God’s blessing upon us; that He would help us to expand our borders (that is, go beyond our comfort zones). We should pray daily to experience the closeness of God in our lives, and that we be sustained by His strength and grace in every trial and challenge.
Praying about our Duties
Jesus made it His aim in life to glorify the name of God. He did this by obeying God’s will, by accomplishing what the Father commanded. We are called to bring glory to God’s name (Matthew 5:16). We need to shine before our fellow man, not doing our own will to impress them and receive glory for ourselves, but doing the will of God to His glory. Paul acknowledged that we belong to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:20), thus as His possession, we ought to bring glory, not shame to His name.
Finishing the work He was sent to do is how Jesus glorified the Father. It is the same for us. Hear the words of James,
…he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (JAMES 1:25)
It is right for us to pray for the work we are involved in, that we might have the courage to take advantage of every opportunity; that we might show ourselves as good examples to our brethren, friends, family, coworkers, and community. May our duties as the children of God be on our minds and in our prayers.
Praying for Religious Leaders
Jesus prayed for the apostles, “…I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world” (John 17:6). They were the men He would send into the world to proclaim salvation. He prayed for them yet again in verse 9, and yet once more in verse 11.
We should pray that those charged with stewardship in the local church would cling to God’s word and lead with constancy, courage, and compassion. The writer of Hebrews urged us to,
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you,
whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. (HEBREWS 13:7)
Remember their example and follow it, but also remember them in prayer. Lift their names to God; pray for their strength, fortitude, and faithfulness. Again, the Hebrew author wrote,
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honourably. (HEBREWS 13:17-18)
Verse 17 seems to be specifically about those who serve as elders within a local congregation, but verse 18 broadens the scope, “pray for us,” presumably speaking of the writer and his companions and fellow workers in the faith. May we pray for those who labour in the kingdom, watching out for the souls of others.
Praying for Protection from the Evil One
Jesus spoke to the Father,
…I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one… (JOHN 17:15)
Rather than remove His people from the world, Jesus prayed that they be kept safe. In John 17:14, 17-19, His prayer focused on the word of God, a message which will sanctify those who follow it and equip them to overcome the evil one. He exemplified them for us in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, answering each of the devil’s temptations with “It is written,” followed by the direction of God’s word.
Why not just remove His people? Why keep them in the world? Because we are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), to influence those around us for the gospel’s sake. We cannot do such if we are not in the world. Though we must be in the world, we cannot be of the world. Thus, the Lord’s prayer to the Father in Matthew 6:13 parallels the thought of John 17:15, as Jesus declared, “…do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Praying for Unity
Friend, do you realize Jesus prayed for you? He prayed for all who would believe the message of the gospel. He prayed for our unity. Notice:
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (JOHN 17:20-23)
God’s people are called to be united (1 Corinthians 1:10; 12:12), the Lord prayed for our unity, and He has provided for our unity in His word (Ephesians 1:1-16). The unity of the Father and Son is used as an example. They are entirely in agreement. We may have distinct personalities, but our character is to be the same (an imitation of Christ). We are to share the same morality and the same focus on truth.
Have you ever considered why there is so much unbelief in the world? There are certainly many reasons from apathy to atheism. Jesus identified religious division as a contributing factor to the problem of unbelief. There are seemingly thousands of different groups calling themselves “Christian,” and yet they cannot agree on some of the basic teachings of Scripture. There is not much we can do about the religious world in general but within our local congregations let us strive to attain and maintain unity. Our unity in doctrine, practice, and morality, founded and grounded in God’s word, will help people to develop faith in Jehovah God.
Praying for Heaven
Having His disciples with Him in heaven was important to Jesus (John 17:24-26). Indeed, He wants you and me there too. He wants all to be there, else He wouldn’t have gone to Calvary.
Here’s the question – do we want to be there? How great is our desire to be with the Lord? Does the hope of heaven and the pursuit of this eternal home by God’s mercy enter our prayers with frequency? Do we thank the Lord for the hope set before us? Do we express our appreciation for His grace and mercy whereby the heavenly inheritance is possible? Do we anticipate the Lord’s return and the glory of God’s presence? Is heaven in our prayers?
Conclusion
Consider a quote from Matilda E. Andross on the importance of prayer.
There is no other activity in life so important as that of prayer.
Every other activity depends upon prayer for its best efficiency.
There are a lot of important things to do in life. If we pray as we ought it will touch all of them: family relationships, our workplace, community, and brethren. We’ll ask for safe travels, we’ll express thanksgiving for blessings, we’ll pray for national leaders and open doors for the gospel. Prayer should intersect every aspect of life.
______________________________
This article appeared in Meditate On These Things, 2024-11
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
Return to the article archive
