Pray: John 17

• A missional/apostolic prayer based on John 17:1-26. Prayed as a group at LeStats.

Glory and Eternity: We look to heaven and pray

“Father, the hour came, long ago. You glorified your son, that your Son would glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people, that he might give eternal life to all. Now this is eternal life: that we know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. He brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave him to do. And Father, you glorified him in your presence with the glory he had with you before the world began.”

• Continue to pray in thanksgiving for God and His purposes …

Mission and Holiness: Praying for Jesus’ Disciples Today

“Jesus reveals you, God, to those whom you give him out of the world. We were yours; you gave us to Jesus and we have obeyed your word. Now we know that Jesus’ life was a gift from you. He is the Word, God incarnate, and we accept him. We know with certainty that he came from you, and we believe that you sent him.

“We pray for today’s disciples. We are not praying for the world, but for those you have given Jesus, for they are yours. And glory has come to Jesus through his disciples. Jesus remains in the world no longer, but we are still in the world, and Jesus has gone to you. Holy Father, protect us by the power of your name, the name you gave Jesus Christ, so that we may be one as the Father and the Son are one. While Jesus was with the first disciples, he protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave him. None were lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

“Jesus has gone to you, but he said a prayer like this so that all disciples (past and present) would have the full measure of his joy within them.  Jesus has given the disciples your word, and the world has hated them, because your followers (like Jesus) are not of the world. Our prayer is not that you take us out of the world but that you protect us from the evil one. We are not of the world, even as Jesus is not of it. Sanctify us by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent Jesus into the world, he has sent us into the world.  For us Jesus sanctified himself, that we too may be truly sanctified.”

• Pray for each of the disciples around you.
• Pray for yourself.
• Pray for protection and sanctification (holiness, righteousness, separateness) … and pray for us to be embedded in culture, in close relationship with people far from God.

Belief and Unity: Praying for All Believers

“Our prayer is not for today’s disciples alone. We pray also for tomorrow’s disciples, those who will believe in Jesus Christ through our message. And we pray that we may be one, Father, just as you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you. May we also be in you so that the world may believe that you sent Jesus Christ. He has given us the glory that you gave him, so that we may be one as you and he are one— Lord Jesus in us and you in him —so that we may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent Jesus and have loved us even as you have loved Jesus.

“Father, we want those you have given Jesus to be with him where he is, and to see his glory, the glory you have given him because you loved him before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, Jesus knows you, and we know that you sent him. He made you known to us, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for Jesus may be in us and that he himself may be in us.”

• Pray for the message to be received in Normal Heights. Pray for the people around you, that they will believe.
• Pray for unity of all believers.
• Pray that all believers will be with Jesus – that the kingdom of God will be revealed and be an active reality in San Diego.