The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / THE PRAYER OF CHRIST

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 262 of 365 THE PRAYER OF CHRIST One of the great blessings of being a follower of Jesus is to know that right now he is interceding for his people before the Father (Ro 8:34; Heb 7:25). While we do not know exactly what Jesus says to the Father, we do have an example of Jesus' prayer here in John 17. First, Jesus prays that the Father would protect his church. He not only prays for physical protection, but even more he prays for spiritual protection - that the church's faith would stay strong after Jesus left them to return to his Father (17:11). Second, Jesus prays for his church to be sanctified, that they would be made holy; that they would know the truth of God and reflect the glory of God on earth (17:17, 19). Third, Jesus prays for those who will believe through the message of the disciples (17:20). Jesus prays that his church will grow and that many people in all the earth will come to know him through the faithful ministry of all his disciples. What an amazing gift to believers today to be able to read this prayer and know that Jesus was, and still is, going to God - directly and personally - on their behalf. Jesus, I want what you want. Please protect your church, physically and spiritually. Sanctify us through your Word. Grow your church today. Amen. John 17:20-26 NASB 20 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. Their Future Glory 22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;  23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.  24Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;  26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."