Jesus prays for us

The 17th chapter of John, which is the prayer of Jesus for all who would believe in Him, begins with the word "after". There are several words similar to this that connect passages of Scripture. I always backtrack to catch what is being connected. In this case, it is very important for it is the foundation of His prayer. So let us start with John 16:33.(NLT) I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

There is a great emphasis put on our having faith for that which we are praying. This directs a person's focus on the problem and having faith that the problem is going to disappear rather than on the victory Jesus earned for us. Many have said before and it bears repeating: it is not about you (or your problem), it is all about Him. He HAS overcome the world and He has declared, "It is finished!" When we approach every problem, whether it be disease, financial crisis, or relationships of any kind, it is good to remember that He has overcome the world. Everything in this realm that concerns us has been met in Jesus. We look to Him with faith in Him and lay our problems at His feet. Our ministry to others who bring their problem to us for prayer, is not about us but about Him. We simply, with faith in His Name, obey His command to continue His work by laying hands on the sick, casting out demons, and ministering His peace to the troubled waters and making disciples.

In Luke 11:1, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him to teach them to pray. The prayer (which we call the Lord's Prayer) He gave them is actually a pattern for a life of prayer and will, when followed, teach you to pray. The prayer we are going to study is one of the very rare times a prayer of Jesus was recorded. How I have often longed to know what Jesus prayed and how He prayed in the times He went alone to pray. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit Who helps us to pray! In this prayer I have found so much concerning our relationship to God and each other and seen how we are viewed by Jesus with love and faith.

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,

The relationship Jesus has with the Father is so clear in this verse. We can see His viewing this moment on earth with the clarity of the eternal purpose established before the creation began. His union with the Father, in eternity and on earth, is clearly God taking our place to bring God's declared purpose of making man in God's image into fruition. Jesus wanted only to fulfill this moment in time with the Father's control so the glorification of the Son would bring glorification to the Father. The total submission of Jesus on earth to the Father is as much a part of the creation of man as the creation of Adam. To be in the image of God, our spirit must be made alive. We must have an entrance into the realm of Light. Jesus came for this purpose and He knew all eternity was focused on this hour in time.

Our idea of glorification is not yet in line with the expression of Jesus. In John 12:20-33, Jesus uses this same term concerning His death. Both the Son and the Father use the word, "glorify", in relation to the coming event of Jesus' death. The complete identity of Jesus with the Father and His total submission to His will is what gave glorification to a time of pain, horror and sorrow for the disciples and confusion to many believers. If Jesus needed to pray for this glorification, we need to be aware of the need for this in our own times of testing. How we go through a testing will bring glorification to the Name of Jesus and the Father or our failure to keep in mind the greater picture will result in our having to face the testing again.

Keep in mind that the One in control has gone through and overcome the world.