The prayer of all prayers that Jesus Christ pours out of His heart to God the Father Almighty prior to his arrest and impending crucifixion and death. Allow the Son of God and His words to penetrate every fiber of your inner being as you read the following verses from His prayer found in John 17. It is the very essence of who we are and how we become One as true followers of Christ in the Spirit.

Whether we choose to accept this truth or not - we belong to God who has created us, given us life and who sustains us daily. (see Gen 1:27; Job 12:10; Ps. 100:3, 139:13,14; Eph. 2:10)  

Jesus looked up to heaven and said in John 17:1 “Father, the hour has come, Glorify Your Son, that your Son also may glorify You. v2 As You have given Him authority[sovereignty] over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. v3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  v4  I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." (emphasis mine) Jesus says glorify Me – to glorify God – as You have given Me all authority – to give eternal life – to all those who know and believe in You – the only true God and Son – whom You have sent. 

Jesus then prays specifically to God about His disciples (and to us) who have been with Him since the start of His ministry teaching them (us) all things and to be witnesses to the rest of the unbelieving world. Jesus sheds light and understanding on What it means to be One with God and Himself through the power of the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity)

Jesus Christ says in v9 “I pray for them, I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. v10  And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I AM glorified in them.[us]  v11b  Keep through Your name those[true followers] whom You have given Me, that THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE." (emphasis mine) Here Jesus tells us that we are as One with both He and the Father to those who truly believe in Him. v13 I come to You that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves." (emphasis mine) It is God who has chosen those who will become true believers and followers of Christ. We play no part in this process (which is called regeneration or conversion) for the natural man does not seek God and is blinded by the truth and the light of the Gospel. 

v15 “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. v16 They[true followers} are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”  (emphasis mine)  True sincere believers who have been born again [regenerated] as found in John 1:10-13, 3:3-8. Living according to the Spirit of Christ and not of the sinful flesh. (see Romans 8)

v17“Sanctify them{us] by Your truth, Your word is truth. v19  And for their sakes sanctify Myself, that they may also be sanctified by the truth.” (emphasis mine) To Sanctify is to be made holy by the truth and power of God’s word and to lead people to Christ who are lost and in need of salvation.  All need the gospel of Christ to escape the evil and corruption that is in the world.

v20 "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.” The Apostle Paul sums it up as found in Romans 10:9,10 “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. v10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Jesus goes on to pray in John 17:22 “that the glory which You have given Me, I have given them[us], that they MAY BE ONE JUST AS WE ARE ONE; I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME; that they may be perfect in ONE.”  v24 “ Father, I desire that they [us] also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they[us] may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” 

And Jesus prayed in v25 “O righteous Father ! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these[us] have known that You sent Me.  v26  And I have declared to them[us]  Your name, and will declare it , that the love with which You loved Me may BE IN THEM[us] and I in them[us]"

Spend time and truly embrace this prayer from Christ Jesus Himself and reflect on what it means to become as One with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

My friends what truly matters in your life is understanding who has created you, fashioned you, molded you, and given you all that you are today !!! 1 Corinthians 8:6 “There is only One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and One Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live." Let your thoughts, attitudes and behaviors be directed in complete reverence, wondrous, and fearful awe of all His greatness and almighty power.

Start today – Don’t delay and change your life - Let the power of God’s words speak to you and be filled with a peace and joy beyond measure.  

 Find additional inspiration and encouragement found in the books “Finding Calm in the Storm of Everyday Living” or “Heart and Soul” either going to Amazon directly or hitting the home page of the store and scrolling down to books.