Jesus' Prayer

We live in a generation of immense intensity and immense promise. To watch the events of our day unfold through the lens of Biblical prophecy and to see the things Jesus promised actually happening is almost unreal. The weight and incredible privilege of living in this generation is almost too heavy and glorious for me to comprehend. It really is the most blessed generation to ever get to be a part of. Men and women of God throughout the generations have longed to see the days we get to live out.


One of the last things Jesus prayed for was that the Church would be one, as God is One (John 17:23). Jesus will get what He prayed for. The Bible is clear that He will get it in the generation that witnesses His return. Jesus addresses 7 distinct church groups in Revelation 2 and 3, but once the Tribulation starts in Revelation 6, the Church is only referred to as one Bride. We are the makings of a Bride who has "made herself ready" through the time of tribulation:


Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.


In southwest Michigan, we are witnessing the most amazing sovereign move of God toward this reality. I believe the whole Church in SW Michigan is appointed to be a forerunner...a model to the nations...of what this John 17:23 promise will look like. All the loyal followers of the Lamb looking to bless and uphold...to honor one another...for the role they are called to in the Body of Jesus. With Jesus as the head, and each local Church being the hands and feet, the ears, the eyes...I believe we are to be working together with an intense loyalty to Jesus being our common bond.


Paul promised the Ephesians that someday in the future they would see this realty take shape. Till that day, the five-fold ministry would hold the pieces of the Body close enough to see this coming together begin, but in that day, a new governor would begin to draw the body together:


Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.


Paul told the Ephesians exactly how to walk into this reality:


Ephesians 4:17-18, 22-23 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,


Paul said that this one-ness in the Body would happen through a change in what each individual person in the Body allowed themselves to be led by, changing from being led by the heart (mind, will, and emotions) to being led by the Spirit. He was talking about a new level of commitment to sanctification that would overtake the Body some day.


Sanctification is a fancy word that means getting your unrenewed heart to agree with your renewed spirit.


Man was made in God's image, triune in nature. I am body, spirit, and soul. So were Adam and Eve. They walked in perfect fellowship with God, because the breath of God, the Holy Spirit, was breathed into Adam's spirit on the day He was made. When great great grandpa Adam rebelled against God, it was promised He would die. God doesn't lie, when the juice was still on Adam's chin, his spirit died. Shame took up residence in the place designed for the Holy Spirit to dwell. Soon after, Adam's heart, and generation by generation, the hearts of Adam's offspring, began dying. Eventually, each body died, even though it was originally designed to live forever.


In the greatest victory the world has ever witnessed, Jesus came as a man and turned the tables on death. When He paid the price for sin, He made possible a new opportunity for living to anyone who would respond and put their trust in Him for forgiveness and leadership. All who have put their trust in Jesus are made brand new in their spirit immediately. The dwelling place of the Holy Spirit is completed renewed, and the Holy Spirit takes up residence there:


John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.


If you belong to Jesus, the fullness of God, the third person of the trinity, lives in your spirit. The Holy Spirit is inside you. If I will let Him, He desires to take the lead, rather than the mode I am used to, letting my mind, will, and emotions take control. The more I talk to the Spirit inside me, drawing on His presence for love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, wisdom, revelation, and wonder working power (just to name a few), the more He trains my heart to follow Him. It is up to me. I can ignore His presence and keep my deceitful heart running the show...or I can let the Spirit inside me bring my heart back from the dead!


Pride, jealousy, anger, fear, vengeance, looking out for number one...these all originate in my heart...primarily in my emotions. These are unity killers. Our heart is naturally inclined to fight for position or recognition. It is easily offended, it is fearful of not getting the recognition we think we deserve. It likes to be right and win arguments. It is only when I put these tendencies to death...instead choosing to talk to the Spirit...that I have a shot at agreeing with Jesus about what His Bride looks and acts like. These are the types of conversations that will radically change my heart:


"Holy Spirit, thank you for self-control. Let me feel in my heart what IS in my spirit."


"Holy Spirit, the love you have for this difficult brother or sister, let ME feel it to." "Holy Spirit, make me gentle as you are gentle."


"Holy Spirit, the fullness of faith is in you, give me faith that I don't need to establish myself, but that you will establish me according to YOUR design"


These conversations change everything! I want to be a leader in seeing Jesus get everything He wants. He is worth it! I want greatness in God's kingdom. Jesus said the greatest among us will look to be a servant to everyone...that those who humble themselves will be exalted by Jesus. He wasn't kidding. True humility isn't self-deprication, it is simply agreeing with God.


It takes God living inside me to love God with this kind of obedience. He is worth the effort to learn to talk to the perfect source of life and power residing in me to learn how to look for the lowest place...to see the unity Jesus promised this generation would walk in.


It is prophesied that the Church in this region will live in this reality. All prophecy is an invitation. Because of love, because of free will, prophecy requires agreement on my part. I say yes! Holy Spirit, help me to live out the yes in my heart.


Matthew 23:11-12 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 18:4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.