When Jesus Prays

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The Lord’s Prayer

What we know as the Lord’s Prayer, in Matthew 6:9-13, should more aptly have the name, the Lord’s Instructions on how to pray. What we find in John 17 should be called the Lord’s Prayer, because this is where we actually read the words of Jesus praying.

All other moments, when Jesus prays, we read He went off to pray, or He prayed in solitude. In this moment, John gives us a glimpse into the words of Jesus’ prayer. John gives us insight into the heart of Jesus and how He intimately prayed to the Father.

When Jesus prays in chapter 17, we find it divided into three parts.

• Part 1 – John 17:1-5, Jesus prays for Himself.
• Part 2 – John 17:6-19, Jesus prays for the disciples. There are 11 at this point in time.
• Part 3 – John 17:20-26, Jesus prays for us. He prays for the church.

Jesus Prays For Himself

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

John 17:1-5 NIV

In part one, Jesus prays for Himself. He knows He is facing the cross, and He comes before God, asking for God to glorify Him so that He can glorify God. This is perfect humility.

I read this as Jesus asking God to give Him the strength and courage to do this terrifying task so that Jesus may bring salvation to all of us and glory to God. This brings me so much hope. Jesus also had to pray for strength.

For myself, when I go through the challenging circumstances of life, it takes all I have. Sometimes it feels like, “God help me” are the only words that I can get out. Knowing that Jesus prayed for courage and strength brings me hope.

This is great encouragement for moments when God asked us to step out of those comfort zones. When He asked us to do the things that scare us. It’s OK to pray, “God be with me, give me strength, give me courage in this moment.”

I love the part of this prayer when Jesus says in verse five, “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” Once again, we get a glimpse of Jesus in existence from the beginning of creation. John emphasizes this in his introduction of his book and then again here.

Jesus Prays For The Disciples

“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”

John 17:11-12 NIV

In part two, Jesus prays for the disciples. He prays for God to protect them. Notice He said, “I protected them while I’m here.” Jesus protected them by the power of His name.

He continues the prayer by asking God to keep protecting the disciples by the power of His name. Jesus reminds God that He will leave them here, in the world, to do His will and to fulfill their calling. Jesus passes on His authority to the disciples (and ultimately us) to teach, to preach, and to heal the sick.

Jesus' name carries more than we can imagine and we cannot toss it around like it means nothing. At the sound of His name, diseases disappear, demons flee, limbs grow back, and wounds heal. Click To Tweet

We see God answer this prayer many times, but here is one example of Paul. In Acts 16:18, when we read of Paul making the demons flee by the power of Jesus’ name. We cannot forget the power of His name. Wow! His name carries more than we can imagine and we cannot toss it around like it means nothing. At the sound of His name, diseases disappear, demons flee, limbs grow back, and wounds heal.

Jesus Prays For The Church

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

John 17:22-23 NIV

In part three of the prayer, Jesus prays for us. He prays for our unity, not uniformity, but unity. Dr. Bill Creasy gives an illustration here of an orchestra.

When I was still working outside of the house, I worked in a music department at the local high schools. My office sat between the band room and the orchestra room.

I loved watching the kids learn their instruments and watching them flourish. Hearing them on the first day of school sometimes sounded like a massacre, but by the end of the year, they turned into a beautiful sound. So, this illustration of the orchestra came alive to me.

One day, the orchestra teacher brought me into the class and had me stand in the middle of the room. All the kids stood in a circle around me and played their music. The sound was incredible. When every instrument is doing exactly what they were called to do, and playing one piece of music, it sounds amazing.

Unity

When we are in unison, using our gifts to the best of our ability, we bring forth a beautiful sound to God. If your gift is hospitality, then be as hospitable as you can. Open your home to others and share the love of Jesus with your guests. If your gift is accounting, then be the best accountant possible. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy. Don’t hold back.

When we all come together using our gifts that we have perfected in Christ, then we’re together in this type of unity. You know what this unity will bring? Revival! We will see revival fire fall from Heaven.

When I look around our world today, I see things heading in the wrong direction. Then I look at the church and it, too, seems headed away from what God intended. If we are not doing what Jesus commanded us to do, “Go, and make disciples of all nations” and the other command, “Love one another” what do we expect?

When people outside the church look into the church and all they see is division and turmoil, why would they want to be part of that? But when they see unity, love, and they see us caring for one another, they will think, “I need that in my life.” Then we can step out in the courage that God gives us and we can share His marvelous, insurmountable, contagious love with them.

When we work together in the perfect unity with the gifts God gave us and perfected in us, then what He will do will be beyond our comprehension.

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