Jesus prays for us

[AKJVReader]

John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Notice that Jesus does not pray for the world? He here is not talking about the planet but the people who make up the world system. Why does he not pray for them? They are not his but are Satan’s. You say but did he not die for everyone? True he made room for all but until they are his, until they respond to his work on the cross they remain his enemy. James 4:4. he sealing of the Holy Spirit to all believers that is all who are his, He works in us to do His will. This work is work and requires our enlightenment and understanding so that we can agree with the work of God’s Holy Spirit.
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
That we move from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth. This spirit of revelation and knowledge is of him. The Holy Spirit always uplifts and points to Christ. There are false spirits at work today in the “Churches” that imitate the holy Spirit to deceive even the very elect if it were possible. Satan works through religion and good men not just the ungodly. It is the good men that can do the most harm and are most useful to Satan, He is very much at home in religion and even in the life of the believer who refuses to believe on the truth when he hears it. These places voluntarily given to the devil become strongholds when we begin to defend them and justify them. Satan then begins to get place in our will by getting us to agree with him against God’s Revealed word. Sin is the result. So if we have sin we can look to find what is the cause of this sin by the power of the Holy Spirit. But I must caution you at this point. If you are looking to merely gain knowledge Satan can use that against you, for knowledge puffs up. When you get this spirit of revelation and wisdom from God it will always be for the purpose of action in humility to set the captive free and to take back ground given to the enemy.

Pro 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

A wise man knows that sin is the issue. That it is sin that deceives, that makes us believe in a God of our own making, and the closer to the truth the better for then it is harder to detect. For we are not our own but are bought with a price. 1Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The whole world is in sin and separated from God – narrow is the gate and straight is the path, it is a narrow gate because only one at a time can pass through and that passage is only by the cross of Christ, straight is the path because there is no room to follow another or to turn to another way, there is no turning that will lead to heaven. What is the shortest path between two points? This straight line is through the cross of Christ and no other John 14:6 it is not only the shortest but the only way.

 

[kimberlie]

Brother, it's 2:24 in the morning here and I am having a bit of insomnia (again). I can't help but notice this thread.

It's my understanding, in the context of chapter 17 as a whole, that Jesus is praying specifically for the His disciples. It's the eve of their life being torn apart through His arrest and death and He knows that they are going to scatter like a covy of quail (as my grandfather would say).

Look at the surrounding verses and tell me what you think. I'll use the King James Version.

[6] I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. [7] Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. [8] For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. [9] I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. [10] And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

[11] And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. [12] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. [13] And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

[14] I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [15] I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

 

[Alabaster]

Here, Jesus thinks of even you and me---for all believers to come after the disciples:

John 17:20-21 NLT
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.