John 17:6-19 Prayer for the Disciples
“I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours. All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified. I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You.
Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them. I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.”
“I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.”
Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and has already prayed for himself. Now Jesus is praying for his disciples. These men have followed Jesus faithfully for three years, have absorbed his teachings, and have even participated in his ministry of healing and deliverance. But Jesus knows that these men are about to endure one of the most severe tests of their lives, for Satan wants them to flee in terror and to become so discouraged that they will never dare to speak of Jesus again. Everything Jesus has done up to this point might fall apart if God does not protect the disciples.
“Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” Jesus is invoking the Name of his Heavenly Father as protection for the disciples because he is about to enter hours of torment, interrogation, mutilation, and eventual death. All those nights that Jesus was praying by himself, part of the prayers were prayers of protection over the disciples. Only Judas has chosen to withdraw from that protection, and his defection will serve to fulfill Scripture.
“But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them. I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Whether or not the disciples realize it, following Jesus for three years has changed them forever. Now these men are Jesus men and Satan hates them. Not only does Satan hate them, but anyone under Satanic influence will also hate them. But Jesus is asking his Heavenly Father to give the disciples unshakeable joy, so that they will be able to endure anything the world throws at them.
“I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.” The only protection the disciples have against Satan is God’s Word which is also ultimate truth. That truth also sanctifies the disciples, making them holy and spiritually untouchable to Satan. Because Jesus is sanctifying Himself, the disciples will also be sanctified.
Joy, truth, and sanctification/holiness-these are the things Jesus is praying for his disciples in this final high priestly prayer. All the time Jesus is praying, he is fully aware that the disciples are likely to panic when he is arrested, but he knows that ultimately, the disciples will prove faithful. These prayers ensure protection for the disciples. But God doesn’t play favorites, and all believers can claim these prayers that Jesus is praying here.
We are currently in the midst of a complicated situation that only God can sort out. One of our chief prayers is that God will send His Light and His Truth into the situation. We are also praying for the Joy of the Lord to flood the hearts of all involved, for Holy Joy drives out despair and darkness. The speed of darkness is the speed of light, for light and darkness cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
May God give all reading these words His Joy, His Truth, and His Holiness!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, sanctify us with Your Truth. Your Word is Truth. Give us Your Joy. And cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit so that we will be holy. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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