Have You Ever Heard the Lord’s Prayer?

Now before you answer and click off of this page, hear me out. I am not referring to the model prayer of Matthew 6 in which Jesus is teaching us how to pray. I am referring to the prayer of Jesus Himself in John 17…the prayer of the Lord. It is a remarkable advocation. You see, He did not become our Advocate…He has always been our Advocate. And in John chapter 17 we are privy to His prayer life. Can you imagine that?!? We get to hear the very prayer of Jesus, Son of God, Son of man.

“Our Father who art in heaven…” That is how we begin what is called the Lord’s Prayer. It really isn’t. It is a model prayer…a guide to praying. By the way, Jesus said in the verse before this prayer that we were not to ever pray a prayer with “vain repetition.” Oops! I think many of us are guilty of simply praying the Lord’s Prayer that very way. Time to rethink that, wouldn’t you say?!?

Five times in the real Lord’s prayer of John 17, Jesus refers to believers as a gift from the Father to Him (Jn.17:2, 6, 9, 24). Whoa! Our Savior calling us gifts! We so often refer to Him as the Gift and are amazed when His heart reflects that same gratitude.

His great love for us is further revealed as He asks the Father to protect us from evil…not necessarily from trouble, but from the evil one. How does He protect us? By the power of His name! (Jn.17:11-12)

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (Jn.17:15)

And if that weren’t special enough, He then asks the Father to sanctify us…to set up apart for the sake of holiness (Jn.17:17). Believers are sanctified by the Word of God, that is, we are set aside for a holy purpose. (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of purpose)

To further demonstrate His love for us through His prayer, Jesus prays for all believers to be in unity…for the Church to be united in purpose and faith. (Jn.17:21-23). We are to be one in love, supporting each other, praying for one another, and encouraging one another with the love only Jesus can supply.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 Jn.4:7-11)

 Jesus ends His prayer by promising to be with us forever.

Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (Jn.17:24)

He wants us to be with Him in His glory seated next to the Father. What an amazing prayer! And even now, Jesus continues to pray for us. He was and always will be our Advocate. Take a moment to bask in the peace, power, and promise of the real Lord’s prayer. Amen.

But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb.7:24-25)

< Back to all posts