Jesus Prays For the Church

Complete Joy

Jesus states that he speaks the words in the world so that the church may have fullness of joy. This means that fullness of joy comes by abiding and living in the words of Christ. He tells us this in John 15:7-8

John 15:7–8 NASB95

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Joy comes from having access to the treasures of heaven. We can receive them when Jesus word abides in us and we ask for them. The word must be in us so we can ask for the right thing with the right motive. James 4:3-4

James 4:3–4 NASB95

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The abiding in God’s word reveals truth in our hearts and transforms our passions from fleshly to righteousness. For example you may read the word and ask the Lord for a million dollars. There is nothing wrong with this if you are asking for the right reason. If you are asking so you can spend it on your own pleasures the word is not abiding in you.

So how can you know you are asking with the right motives? You bring glory to God by bearing much fruit and make disciples. Let’s go back to our example of asking God for a million dollars. If God has a work that will take a million dollars He will supply it and use it in a way that you bear fruit and make disciples.

The key to joy is living in the word of God. John 8:31-32

John 8:31–32 NASB95

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Consistent abiding and living in the word of God leads to perpetual joy.

Complete Sanctification

Jesus states that the world hates those who live in God’s word. Why? Because God’s word is not only opposed to the world system but seeks to save people from the world system. You may ask, “what is the world system?” It is the system that Satan endorses and tempts people to live in. It is described in 1 John 2:16-17

1 John 2:16–17 NASB95

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

The lust of the flesh is Galatians 5:19-21

Galatians 5:19–21 NASB95

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

People of the word of God do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. This is explained in Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The lust of the eyes are the insatiable desire for the material goods of the world. Matthew 6:22-24

Matthew 6:22–24 NASB95

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

When we desire the material things of this world above the things of the kingdom, we have covetous eyes that need restoration. Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21

Matthew 6:19–21 NASB95

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We are to good stewards of the resources that God gives us and use them for storing treasures in heaven. This can be done by advancing His kingdom on earth.

The reason money is such a sensitive topic is that it is the source of our pleasures. Money buys the things we want. God blesses us with money to buy the things we want but our wants should be secondary. Everything we have belongs to the Lord. We should honor Him with what He has entrusted to us. It is when giving gets in the way of getting what we want that we fall to temptation.

Boastful pride of life is exaggerated self-esteem. Solomon wrote extensively about the pitfalls of pride.

Proverbs 11:2 NASB95

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 29:23 NASB95

A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Proverbs 16:18 NASB95

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

Proverbs 8:13 NASB95

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

Proverbs 16:5 NASB95

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

Proverbs 18:12 NASB95

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.

Proverbs 26:12 NASB95

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 25:27 NASB95

It is not good to eat much honey, Nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.

There are many more but I think you get the picture. The Word of God instructs us to do the opposite in James 4:10

James 4:10 NASB95

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Jesus knows that we live in a world full of the temptations of the world. He prays that we do not fall to the temptations of Satan but instead live in the Word of God.

Complete Evangelism

Jesus prays for those who will believe in Him as the church shares the gospel. People come to faith in Jesus Christ by sharing the gospel. Paul reminds us of the purpose of the church in Romans 10:13-17

Romans 10:13–17 NASB95

for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

We hold the key to eternity in the knowing of the gospel it is our charge, duty, responsibility, and commission to share the gospel. Matthew 28:19-20

Matthew 28:19–20 NASB95

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”