How to Pray John 17

Jesus taught many things, but he prayed one

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Jesus modeled intimacy with His Father in prayer, and the disciples apparently got it, living up to their title as disciples of a praying Master.

“Those most directly responsible for spreading the Gospel and establishing Christianity as a movement considered prayer - not problem solving - the best and most fruitful use of their time (see Acts 6:3-4)”
— Lead with Prayer, p. 144.

While J17 Ministries is a ministry based on a prayer, it’s more focused than a broad-based prayer ministry training others to move deeper into two-way conversation with our God. Our bullseye as a ministry is one prayer in particular, John 17.

The pattern of Jesus’ John 17 prayer

John 17 is what Jesus prayed at the most crucial moment in all of human history. The prayer is so strategic and so tightly structured that it can only be described as divinely inspired, which of course it is! John 17 is not only Jesus’ strategy for how the cross will change future generations until He returns, but the prayer both describes what kind of unity Jesus is praying for, as well as prescribes how to achieve it. Here’s the pattern:

There are only four unique requests Jesus makes in John 17. Each one gets repeated at least once, with the prayer for our unity “that we would be one” showing up four times. Amazingly, the first three petitions are the prescription for how the primary one, our unity/harmony/oneness is achieved. And in both English and Spanish, the first three petitions form an acronym that makes the pattern unforgettable and transformational.

Our GPS for unity

Glorify the Son
Protect us from the enemy
Sanctify us in the truth

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son that Your Son may glorify You.”

John 17:1

Glorify the Son

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How unity is achieved

Unity starts by glorifying Jesus. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “glory” brings with it the connotation of weight or substance—so to glorify Jesus is to acknowledge that Jesus has weight or substance. When unity has not yet been achieved between Christ-followers, or when unity was once present but is currently being threatened, it’s likely Jesus isn’t being given the preeminent position He deserves.

If you find yourself in the middle of conflict right now, ask yourself, “Am I acting in self-interest, or am I seeking to bring glory and honor to Jesus?” Seriously, stop and…

Pray:

God, we join You in praying what Jesus Himself prayed as He went to His knees for our unity. In my marriage and with my children… in our congregation and in my work place… throughout our city…would You help me glorify Jesus and give Him the centrality He deserves? Reveal any areas where my own unresolved wounds could have me act in self-interest rather than glorifying Jesus.

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

John 17:15

Protect us from the enemy

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How unity is maintained

Unity is endangered by an enemy whose chief strategy is to divide and conquer. Do you live as if there’s an enemy who is not flesh and blood, but spiritual? If you’re in the middle of a conflict right now, are you making sure to be particularly cautious before making accusations about others, knowing that accusations are Satan’s first name?

Pray:

God, in our homes, congregations, and City Church, protect us from the enemy who seeks to divide and defeat us. Help me catch Satan when he tempts me to be his mouthpiece of accusation.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

John 17:11,15

Sanctify us in the truth

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How unity is matured

Unity is endangered by our own sinfulness. To be sanctified means to be “set apart” or “made holy.” The root word always has those connotations, as in sanctuary or sanctification. We can join Jesus in praying for God to sanctify us, purify us, and bring us more closely in line with God’s plans and intentions for us. Am I growing in the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Do I have testimonies of this that are recent, not back when I first came to know the Lord? What can I identify that the Lord has changed within me from last year? Last month? Last week?

Pray:

God, protect my home, congregation, and City Church from my own sinfulness. When I fail, help me glorify You by running to Your cross in humility and receiving Your grace and forgiveness. Sanctify and mature me, and fill me with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit.

Finally, “Make Us One”

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The fourth petition Jesus prays is this—Make us One. Unity in the prayer is described as

Unity not uniformity
Public not private
Substantive not sappy
Timeless not timebound
The means to a greater end, not the end itself

To learn more about using Jesus’ John 17 prayer for your city, congregation, and home, check out David Drum’s book, If It Was Easy, Jesus Wouldn’t Have Prayed For It.

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Partnering with Jesus in prayer

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When we pray what Jesus prayed, we can have a high degree of confidence that we are praying according to Jesus’ will, and that the Father will answer such prayers affirmatively. Here are some easy creative ways to partner with Jesus’ GPS prayer for unity from John 17.

Daily at 17:23 (5:23pm) — set an alarm on your phone

Where in my life right now, at 5:23, does Jesus need to be glorified?
Where do I/we need protection from the enemy?
What is Jesus sanctifying and maturing in my life at this moment?
Who can I pray for that needs deeper unity with Jesus and with one another?
John 17:23 says that our unity is how the world around us will come to know who Jesus is and how much God loves them. Who needs to know?

On the 17th of each month — put it in your calendar

Pray through the whole John 17 prayer along with Jesus as a significant part of your time with the Lord

Anytime you encounter conflict with another person

Add that person to your GPS for unity prayer list, and pray GPS regularly for them and the conflict.

J17 Ministries is in the early stages of developing a daily devotional for partnering with Jesus’ John 17 prayer. Pray for us! Do you have something to contribute to it? Message us!

Resources for strengthening prayer

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While our ministry is laser-focused on one prayer in particular, growing in prayer as a whole is certainly part of the picture. Here are some resources that may help you grow in your prayer life: