Did you know Jesus prays for you? He started doing this a long time ago, many centuries before you were even born. I’ll show you how I learned this. We need to look at what was going on with him the hour before he was arrested. It was a very difficult for Him. He knew he was about to be tortured and crucified on the cross, which in His humanity was hard to face. He was going to suffer. He was going to feel pain. He was going to bleed out from what they would do to Him. But He freely accepted it because He looked past the suffering to the result.
What did Jesus see on the other side of the cross? He saw multitudes of people coming to God through faith and finding forgiveness from all their sins. He knew His blood would pay the price for every evil act ever done by any human and that anyone who believed could obtain that forgiveness and be born again to a new life. Sin would no longer keep a believer from relationship with God and the result would be eternal life with Him.
But before all that actually happened, He was praying to the Father and getting Himself prepared spiritually and emotionally for what He was about to face. He started to pray for his disciples, those 12 men he had been teaching and training during the previous 3 years. When you read the account of this in John 17:20 you can see that Jesus prays for you, too as he was pouring out his heart to God. Jesus said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message.”
Do you believe? Have you been born again? If not, read this and find out what He wants to do in your life. If you are a believer, read his whole prayer here and see how it applies to you today.
John records in verse 9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You.
Believers belong to God
You’re His property. He takes care of everything that is His! It is a tremendous blessing to belong to Him and relinquish ownership of yourself. You’ll never find a better provider or caregiver. So His last prayer time before His death was devoted to everyone who belongs to God.
(10) All who are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory.
Everyone who comes to Jesus belongs to God. And God gives us to Jesus. So there is a co-ownership. What is the purpose of belonging to Jesus? To bring glory to Him. The things we do, the way we live, and what we speak should all be to bring glory to Jesus. Life is not about glorifying ourselves, but Him. People should see Jesus when they see us. They should see His character, His love, His life radiating out to touch everyone around us.
(11) Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are.
Jesus knew He was leaving the world soon to go be with the Father. He also knew that the disciples (including us) would be staying. He prayed that we would be protected by the power of His name so that we would be united (with each other) just as He and the Father (God) are united. That’s a pretty strong union. The cry of Jesus’ heart was our unity. If we are truly bringing glory to His name, we will walk in unity. We have to get under the shelter of God to receive the protection that will cause us to walk in unity.
(12) During My time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
Protection for Disciples
Jesus protected the disciples by the power of His Name. He guarded them so no one was lost except Judas. There is power in the name of Jesus. Do you want to live your life with His name on you? Get adopted by Him. Then you can live under His protection.
(13) “Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy. (14) I have given them Your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
Jesus taught the disciples the Word of God so that they would be filled with joy. He taught and told them many things. The Word is His gift to us. When you get the Word into your life the world hates you. Why?? Because the Word takes you out of the world and into the Kingdom of God. Not just heaven when you die, but a very real dimension, right here on earth where Jesus is Lord of your life and you live for Him. You don’t belong to the world anymore. You’re not like everyone else. You are becoming more like Jesus and less like those who are unbelievers. They don’t relate to you comfortably anymore. You don’t like to do the stuff they like to do and they certainly aren’t interested in anything you’re into now, like going to church, worshiping, or walking in the truth of God’s word. Jesus wants us to be just as detached from the world as He is. People hate you for that, just like they hate Him.
(15) I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
I know when things get rough many of us often wish we could just die and go be with God. Jesus knew things were going to get rough for the disciples. They were all executed for their faith except John. But He didn’t ask God to take them out of the world to escape their difficulties. He just prayed that they would be kept safe from the evil one. That’s the devil. That prayer was answered. They all kept their faith to the end and fulfilled the will of God in their lifetime. That’s His prayer for you. Glorify Jesus while you’re breathing, but know He’s fighting for you in prayer so that the devil won’t drag you back into your old way of life. Be faithful to the end like the disciples, no matter what happens.
(16) They do not belong to this world any more than I do.
He said it again. He must be serious! Remember, you do not belong to the world any more than Jesus. We are in the world but are not to be connected to it. We are to live like strangers here. This is not our permanent home. This is not the focus of our life. We are part of the eternal kingdom of God beginning the moment we come to Jesus and ask God to forgive us of our sin.
(17) Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.
The Word of God Makes You Holy
Not perfect, because you are still trapped in a human body that has been polluted by the sin that is in the world. You are legally clean in God’s eyes if you are a believer, but you won’t be perfect in this life. So the word makes you holy. That word literally means “set apart”! You are separated from the world to belong to God and exist for His purposes. So while you may still struggle with things from time to time, the word comes to you to pry the fingers of the world and the devil off your life so you can live for God.
(18) Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
God sent Jesus into the world. He sends us into the world. That’s why I’m sharing the Word of God on the internet now and making that a major focus of my life. My website and blog can reach anywhere there is a computer connection. I get emails from time to time from people in other countries so I know people are connecting with what I’m putting out there. So this is an open door for me. to share the truth. You should find your open door and get into some part of this world and share God’s word with others.
(19) And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.
Jesus the Sacrifice
Jesus gave Himself as a holy sacrifice on the cross so that we could be made holy by the truth. What truth? Turn away from sin and your life in this world. Believe in Jesus. Receive your new life in Him. That sets you apart for God and His purposes and makes you a born again believer.
(20) “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message.
As I stated earlier, He was praying for everyone who will ever believe. Did you know that millions of people have received Christ over the last 2,000 years because the 11 remaining disciples (Judas killed himself after betraying Jesus) went out and taught the Word of God? Do you understand how important it is that you share the truth of God’s word with others. You are a disciple, too, if you have given your life to Jesus. The Word of God is like a super virus, but a good one, that spreads throughout the whole earth infecting everyone who has an open heart with the life changing truth. Catch this virus. Get exposed. It’s here right now. Respond to it. It will heal you and change your life.
21) I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.
Jesus prayed that all the disciples: past, present and future, would be one, just like He and the Father are one. That’s awesome unity. He also prayed that we would have a relationship with Jesus and the Father that is just as close and intimate as He and God have with each other. He used the words, be in Us! He wants us to be so close that we live like we are inside God, inside Jesus. That’s not weird because the Bible teaches that God and Jesus live inside the believer. It’s great to be with someone. It’s awesome to be so close that you are in them.
Unity and Oneness
What is the purpose of all this unity and oneness between believers with each other and with the Father and the Son? That the world will believe God sent Jesus. You see, if those who don’t know God don’t come to understand that He sent Jesus, His Son, into the earth to suffer, die and pay the price for the sins of humanity, then they can’t ever be saved or born again. Salvation depends on understanding who Jesus is and what He did.
So Jesus prayed for you the night before he gave his life as a sacrifice to pay for your sin. Jesus prays for you today, too. Respond in faith to what you have read here and watch what awesome things God will do in your life.
Randy Hartwig
(c) Copyright 2010 Randy Hartwig Ministries
