Written by Jo Gower, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
This could be a world changer: praying more like Jesus day by day.
Christ Jesus is the Intercessor of all Intercessors. In John 17:1-26 we read that He prayed for Himself, for His disciples, and for us (all believers).
Prayer for Himself
Father, the time has come. Glorify your son, that your Son may glorify you. (Jn 17:1 NIV)
This is not prideful or selfish. We can read what happened leading up to this Passover meal, He had gotten up from the table to begin the process of washing the disciples’ feet. He wanted them to see how far His love would go (Jn 13). He shared with them that it was time for Him to leave the earth but consoled them explaining that He would send the Holy Spirit as their mentor.
Prayer for His Disciples
Jesus prayed aloud for them and their difficult future. No doubt He knew His disciples would not have a chance against Satan until He was glorified (Jn 7:39).
Being glorified? It will prove that Jesus fulfilled His (and man’s) destiny. It liberated humanity from Satan’s dictatorship. It put mankind positioned over Satan for the first time since Adam and Eve abdicated. Then the Holy Spirit could come to the infant church's aid with supernatural power.
Being glorified forever reversed the degraded condition of the whole human race. Adam’s fall brought shame, sin, and Satan’s oppressive rule. But Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Jesus, the last Adam, placed Himself between hell and humanity. In Jesus, God became man and picked up the fallen battle flag that once flew as a symbol of man’s rule over the creation, the flag that fell along with Adam and Eve. Jesus took that flag and raised it again and was glorified… on our behalf! (Heb 2:5-18).
So, Jesus’ prayer for glorification isn’t silly selfishness. It is the same prayer He taught His disciples earlier: “Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done” (Mt 6:10). As always, the Father’s will was Jesus’ prime request. And it’s the Father’s will that one man be glorified on our behalf.
Should we pray to be glorified also?
Yes!!! Paul wrote that, in God’s eyes, we’re already glorified by His grace (Ro 8:30). In the Father’s mind, we’ve already been raised to sit with Jesus in the heavenly realm; this allows Him to “show us off” to the angels and the dark supernatural world. He proves to them that He, not Satan, is truly God and deserves worship (Eph 2:6-10).
So, by Christ’s unselfish work, we share in His position. When He was glorified, so were we. His prayer, “Glorify your Son,” made our glorious destiny a reality.
Jo Gower’s John 17 Personal Prayer Story
For the last few years, I’ve been part of a group that prays over our neighborhood schools. After praying year after year, I decided it was time for a refresher course.
John 17 seemed the perfect prayer to refresh my prayers. It’s Jesus' longest prayer recorded in God’s Word. My desire was and continues to be to intentionally focus on praying more like Jesus. It has helped me to read Christ's prayer slowly and experience its majestic heights—the Son talking with His Father.
I was reminded that Jesus was praying for the church's deliverance from Satan's power. This incredible prayer still protects God's church from the evil one today. It is powerful to pray this same portion of John 17 over our friends, families, communities, and schools.
I sent out a text to some prayer partners to renew our commitment to pray for the local school for another year. I encouraged them to use John 17 as a model: Jesus asks for our protection from the evil one in verses 11 and 15. He prays for our unity in verses 21-23. He even asks the Father to sanctify us (to set us apart for His holy service) in verses 17-18.
How would you bloom in your prayer life after learning to pray like Jesus did?
