Jesus' Prayer
John 17:14-15 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
There are vast implications attached to this prayer of Jesus for His best friends. This prayer of Jesus...God talking to God...is occurring at the last supper. John's account of the last supper (John 13-17) is much more full than the other gospels. Jesus prayed and spoke some incredibly intense things to His friends in anticipation of physically departing from them. He spoke of sending the Holy Spirit to them, He spoke of them doing the "greater things than these", He talked to them about "abiding in Him" and the great harvest...the much fruit...that would result. Then finally, He talked to them of intense persecution that would come to them as a result of all these dynamics:
John 15:20-24 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
Jesus also told His friends where the persecution would come from...not just the world, but also from those who claimed to know God:
John 16:2-4 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
After laying out what to expect and warning His friends to remember His words because this would help sustain them through the trouble, Jesus begins praying! This prayer is one of the most intense things He spoke. "Father, don't take them out of the trouble...rather, keep them THROUGH the trouble."
This one verse challenges the entire doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture. Clearly, Jesus' disciples endured intense persecution...many of them were martyred, imprisoned, and/or beaten. No one disputes that Jesus let His first disciples walk victoriously through fire until it was time for them to depart.
But Jesus didn't leave this prayer just to the generation of his personal friends that walked with Him. No! To prevent any future confusion, Jesus made sure we were all included in this prayer!
John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jesus said we are all a part of this grand plan to overcome the world with truth, and in doing so, being kept not out of the world, but through the trouble that is coming world-wide. Jesus prayed that we would be "one" not just with each other in our own generation, but that we would be "one" with all the believers from the last supper until today! And one with Jesus in HIS tribulation. This is exactly what John declared at the beginning of Revelation:
Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John said the same thing Jesus said: "if you care about this book, then we are one." One in what, John?? One in the tribulation, kingdom, and patience of Jesus!
Jesus said over and over that patience would be required to endure the tribulation of seeing the kingdom of Jesus violently manifest on earth. The tribulation is evidence that darkness is REALLY being defeated....with no evidence of tribulation, there would be no real significant change in leadership of the earth.
If you really understand the nature of the slavery being imposed by the evil prince and power of the air on this earth, then you would long for some tribulation to signal the violent overthrow of this usurper. Jesus said this process of overthrowing the darkness is laborsome but worth it...like the delivery of a baby!
John 16:20-23 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
Here we see Jesus prophesying that the sorrow turning to joy would be a long and laborsome process. People don't like process...we generally don't like the patience and endurance required to take part in a laborsome process. Jesus knew this, and warned His disciple to remember His words because the words would help them endure. Then he gave them a hint as to how they would endure! He said "in that day"...what day, Jesus? The day of trouble...the day of my return! “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
This is the whole story of Revelation is short passage: a time of trouble, preparation in advance...increasing intensity...wave after wave...closer and closer contractions leading up to hard labor...great tribulation...and then miraculous birth. A Bride marked with miraculous power ushering in the Kingdom through patient tribulation!
This is what we call victory. There is no victory without something to overcome! Jesus paid for the utter defeat of His enemy and victory of His bride. He is committed to us partnering with Him for victory! If Jesus didn't want to see His closest friends spared from being in the middle of the trouble, what would cause the Church 1,800 years later (the 1830s are when John Nelson Darby first taught of a pre-tribulation rapture...it was unheard of before the 1830s) to adopt a theology that says Jesus has changed His method of dealing with friends and suddenly desires that the Father remove them from trouble rather than keep them through it and let them taste victory!? I believe the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture, which I held for years, is a deception keeping the Church from sober-mindedly preparing for the most intense trouble the earth has ever seen. Preparation is the most important thing the Church is supposed to be doing in this hour:
Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Right now we are supposed to be "knowing" Jesus plan and "preparing to do" all that it requires. There is a huge blessing for knowing the plan:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Being ready to endure the tribulation IS what will lead Jesus' Body to victory. Unfortunately, the Bible is clear that many will not be ready, will be caught running out of steam right at the darkest point, and will fall away:
Matthew 25:8-13 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming
My life calling is to prepare the Bride to "be ready." The implications of what you and I believe about this are massive, because, according to Jesus there is a storm coming of epic proportions. In Matthew 24, Jesus privately told His disciple that they would be subject to both tribulation and THE great tribulation. Then He said that enduring this reality REQUIRES endurance. To search for Bible verses that bring comfort, rather than warn those who need to prepare to endure will cause great offense within Jesus' body. Irresponsible teaching, no matter how popular, will be held responsible for many "falling away" because they were not prepared to endure. Paul said that those that really know Jesus' plans would not be caught off-guard:
I Thessalonians 5:1-4 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
Now is the time to be sober-minded and diligently prepare to endure the most intense yet victorious time the Bride will ever see!
Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
There are vast implications attached to this prayer of Jesus for His best friends. This prayer of Jesus...God talking to God...is occurring at the last supper. John's account of the last supper (John 13-17) is much more full than the other gospels. Jesus prayed and spoke some incredibly intense things to His friends in anticipation of physically departing from them. He spoke of sending the Holy Spirit to them, He spoke of them doing the "greater things than these", He talked to them about "abiding in Him" and the great harvest...the much fruit...that would result. Then finally, He talked to them of intense persecution that would come to them as a result of all these dynamics:
John 15:20-24 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
Jesus also told His friends where the persecution would come from...not just the world, but also from those who claimed to know God:
John 16:2-4 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
After laying out what to expect and warning His friends to remember His words because this would help sustain them through the trouble, Jesus begins praying! This prayer is one of the most intense things He spoke. "Father, don't take them out of the trouble...rather, keep them THROUGH the trouble."
This one verse challenges the entire doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture. Clearly, Jesus' disciples endured intense persecution...many of them were martyred, imprisoned, and/or beaten. No one disputes that Jesus let His first disciples walk victoriously through fire until it was time for them to depart.
But Jesus didn't leave this prayer just to the generation of his personal friends that walked with Him. No! To prevent any future confusion, Jesus made sure we were all included in this prayer!
John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jesus said we are all a part of this grand plan to overcome the world with truth, and in doing so, being kept not out of the world, but through the trouble that is coming world-wide. Jesus prayed that we would be "one" not just with each other in our own generation, but that we would be "one" with all the believers from the last supper until today! And one with Jesus in HIS tribulation. This is exactly what John declared at the beginning of Revelation:
Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John said the same thing Jesus said: "if you care about this book, then we are one." One in what, John?? One in the tribulation, kingdom, and patience of Jesus!
Jesus said over and over that patience would be required to endure the tribulation of seeing the kingdom of Jesus violently manifest on earth. The tribulation is evidence that darkness is REALLY being defeated....with no evidence of tribulation, there would be no real significant change in leadership of the earth.
If you really understand the nature of the slavery being imposed by the evil prince and power of the air on this earth, then you would long for some tribulation to signal the violent overthrow of this usurper. Jesus said this process of overthrowing the darkness is laborsome but worth it...like the delivery of a baby!
John 16:20-23 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
Here we see Jesus prophesying that the sorrow turning to joy would be a long and laborsome process. People don't like process...we generally don't like the patience and endurance required to take part in a laborsome process. Jesus knew this, and warned His disciple to remember His words because the words would help them endure. Then he gave them a hint as to how they would endure! He said "in that day"...what day, Jesus? The day of trouble...the day of my return! “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
This is the whole story of Revelation is short passage: a time of trouble, preparation in advance...increasing intensity...wave after wave...closer and closer contractions leading up to hard labor...great tribulation...and then miraculous birth. A Bride marked with miraculous power ushering in the Kingdom through patient tribulation!
This is what we call victory. There is no victory without something to overcome! Jesus paid for the utter defeat of His enemy and victory of His bride. He is committed to us partnering with Him for victory! If Jesus didn't want to see His closest friends spared from being in the middle of the trouble, what would cause the Church 1,800 years later (the 1830s are when John Nelson Darby first taught of a pre-tribulation rapture...it was unheard of before the 1830s) to adopt a theology that says Jesus has changed His method of dealing with friends and suddenly desires that the Father remove them from trouble rather than keep them through it and let them taste victory!? I believe the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture, which I held for years, is a deception keeping the Church from sober-mindedly preparing for the most intense trouble the earth has ever seen. Preparation is the most important thing the Church is supposed to be doing in this hour:
Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Right now we are supposed to be "knowing" Jesus plan and "preparing to do" all that it requires. There is a huge blessing for knowing the plan:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Being ready to endure the tribulation IS what will lead Jesus' Body to victory. Unfortunately, the Bible is clear that many will not be ready, will be caught running out of steam right at the darkest point, and will fall away:
Matthew 25:8-13 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming
My life calling is to prepare the Bride to "be ready." The implications of what you and I believe about this are massive, because, according to Jesus there is a storm coming of epic proportions. In Matthew 24, Jesus privately told His disciple that they would be subject to both tribulation and THE great tribulation. Then He said that enduring this reality REQUIRES endurance. To search for Bible verses that bring comfort, rather than warn those who need to prepare to endure will cause great offense within Jesus' body. Irresponsible teaching, no matter how popular, will be held responsible for many "falling away" because they were not prepared to endure. Paul said that those that really know Jesus' plans would not be caught off-guard:
I Thessalonians 5:1-4 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
Now is the time to be sober-minded and diligently prepare to endure the most intense yet victorious time the Bride will ever see!
Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
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