Praying like Jesus prays

 

READ John 17-21

Yesterday’s devotion about prayer resulted in a spiritual attack in which I felt guilty of everything and yet nothing was named. This is one of Satan’s strategies to keep me from praying. I struggled all day, was angry at nothing and had no ambition to do anything. Finally I prayed that if this was from the Lord, I would accept it, but if not, that He would put a stop to it. He did.

Prayer is the weapon of the saints. Satan will do whatever he can to disarm God’s people. He knows that we are wonderfully and powerfully able to “toss mountains into the sea” and to break his power over events and people who are in his grasp. It is with great emotion and a plea for God’s protection that I read the high priestly prayer of Jesus this morning and see the instruction in it for my own prayers.

Jesus begins with a request to be glorified. He finished what God sent Him to do and made the Father known to those given to Him. His next words are significant.

“For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:8–9)

I tend to pray much for the world; it is in such a mess, but Jesus prayed for His people. He said not one was lost and wanted each one to be filled with His joy. He wanted all who believe to be sanctified, meaning to be set apart for Him and increasing in godliness to be like Him. This happens through knowing the truth, knowing God’s Word.

He also prayed we would be left here, sent like He was sent yet kept from the evil one, protected from His schemes, lies, and destructive power. He prayed for our unity for that is our major witness that He was in this world. He also prayed for those who would believe because of our testimony as we share His Word with others:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just 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 have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:20–23)

Jesus prayed that our presence would be with Him, not in heaven (yet) but recognizing the reality that He is with us that we might be aware of His glory. He said:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:24–26)

The bottom line is that the people of God would be filled with the love of God, implying that His love would motivate all that we do. To help us, Jesus would make God known to us continually and in such a way that His love would shine out of our lives.

Reading this, and yesterday’s battle after writing about the power of praying in the name of Jesus, I realize the power of praying as Jesus prayed. This list of Jesus’ requests are God’s will for Christians and to pray in God’s will and in the name of His Son puts the person and activities of our spiritual enemy in great jeopardy. He tries to stop us from praying, period, never mind praying as Jesus prayed.

Lord Jesus, please deliver me from this enemy who so easily blocks prayer, even my desire to pray. I know that You hear and answer. So does he! Keep me alert and aware so I can pray for myself and others as You pray for us. May Your people be united in this battle — with the goal that You are mightily glorified.

 

Punishment or grace?

 

 

A character in an old television program often said, “God is going to get you for that” no doubt having the view that God carries a big stick and will PUNISH any sort of bad behavior. In the show, this line was meant to be humorous, yet it often echoes serious human thinking that is not funny.

For instance, OT Job was hit with incredible losses including his health. His ‘friends’ were certain that God was punishing him for some secret sin that this godly man would not admit. They were wrong, but they had no other explanation.

While sin usually has consequences (a big reason to avoid it), punishment for sin is not a total reflection of the character of God. That said, the OT does call sin’s consequences punishment. For instance, 1 Samuel 3:11–14 tells how Eli’s sin brought suffering to his descendants:

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Despite these severe consequences, a few of the OT saints realized that no matter what happened because of their sin, it was less than sin deserved. Ezra said, “And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved . . . .”

The NT agrees and plainly declares that sin deserves the worst possible and permanent consequence —physical and spiritual death and separation from God forever. Why is this? For one thing, sin is going our own way, ignoring God as if He is not holy, not wise and has no business telling His Creation how to live. Sin blinds our eyes to His goodness and to our selfishness. Sin has no interest in God.

Some ask why God saves some people and not others yet the real question is why does God save anyone? All have sinned and fall short. All turn away, even what we might call the best of humanity because in doing our ‘best’ we are relying on ourselves and feeding personal glory, not the glory of God who alone is worthy.

 I know that this topic sounds harsh, at least until the Gospel is revealed. It says that because God loves us He had mercy on us and offered His Son to take the punishment we deserved — death and separation from Him. As Jesus cried, “Father, why have You forsaken me?” the world groaned and the people cheered, not realizing that this was the greatest event in history. The principle of sin and being punished for sin was laid on an innocent Person, One who had never sinned but was willing to bear all the sin of all people in all of history — so that we do not have to experience that punishment ourselves.

This gift is not automatic. It is a choice; take it or it is not mine. Believe in Jesus and be rescued, saved, redeemed, or ignore Him and bear that punishment that I deserve. The kicker is that word ‘deserve’ because admitting it, even recognizing it put a wedge between me and God. Sin blocks spiritual understanding, creating an “I will do it myself” attitude instead of receiving the greatest gift ever — eternal life from God who could have punished my sin rather than transferring what I deserve to Jesus.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. On those days when life is handing me negatives, I sometimes say, “This is better than I deserve” but this is said too lightly and still smacks of self-centeredness. Instead, as I focus on Jesus, I am overwhelmed by what He took on Himself and didn’t deserve. He did this in obedience to the will of His Father yet He was so innocent that in His sin-bearing He didn’t seem to understand why the Father turned away. His sacrifice in taking my punishment can scarcely be grasped, never mind the multiplied reality that it covered all sin for every person for all time. This is ‘good’ news yet made even better by the truth of His innocence and the fact that death could not hold this One who did not deserve such a horror — so after three days He walked out of that tomb and lives forever — fully accepted as my Lord, my Redeemer, my Savior and my God.