Guaranteed!

As I read a favorite passage recently, I wondered about Jesus’ thoughts as He prayed that beautiful prayer of John 17, specifically verse 23:

. . . May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

When Jesus prayed this, did He simply hope (wish) the church would come together in unity?  Certainly, He must have been aware of strife due to their differences of opinion and attitude, their selfishness even after being with Him three and a half years, their failure to grasp so much about Who He was and why He was with them, and their individual weaknesses.  If these things were at work while He lived with them in the flesh, did He really believe they would change enough to be brought to complete unity in the Spirit?

Jesus was a man with human emotions and feelings like ours, so this would have been one of the times He had to make the decision not to go by what his flesh told Him; otherwise, He wouldn’t have prayed from the Father’s heart for His body.  Jesus had also grown in faith throughout His short natural life, so He wouldn’t waste His time praying, or even saying, anything He didn’t expect to happen.  No, Jesus decided to pray in faith because He knew the Father was well able to accomplish the impossible.

Observing the body of Christ today might lead us to doubt the effectiveness of Jesus’ prayer that day so long ago.  It almost seems as though the differences among us are greater now than they were then.  Knowing how or when it will happen is not a prerequisite to believing in the effectiveness of His prayer (Proverbs 3:5-6).  That’s where our faith comes in.  If Jesus prayed for the body to come to complete unity for the world to know His great love, it will happen!

Jesus’ attitude in prayer is to be our attitude in prayer – not wishing, but believing with certainty what we pray will be done, regardless of what we see in the natural.  It’s because of the Holy Spirit in Jesus, the man, that He was able to pray in faith.  This same Holy Spirit lives in us, and is ready to help us overcome the natural inclination to pray from our heads.  At the same time, He enables us to pray what our Father speaks to our hearts.

Do you believe you can pray in the same faith with which Jesus prayed?  Do you believe what you ask for according to the Father’s will is as good as done, no matter what you think, see, feel, or how long it might take?  Jesus didn’t limit His faith in what God could or would do then.  Since He lives in you, don’t limit your faith in what He can or will do through your prayers now.  Be strengthened in your faith as you agree with Jesus’ prayer for unity in the body of Christ; then, apply the same faith of Jesus to all your other prayers, and know they will be accomplished by His Spirit.  It’s guaranteed!

Hebrews 10:23 NIV  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

© Copyright 2010  Kay V. Stocking