TEXT: John 17:16-19
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.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
We are in a series of messages titled “Praying Through the Bible: A Series on Every Passage and Verse Regarding Prayer in the Bible.” The purpose of this series is to encourage and motivate you to pray to the God of the Bible. We highlighted each of these over 500 verses and passages in the Prayer Motivator Devotional Bible. So far, we have completed 195 messages in this series.
This is message #196 titled, The Profound Prayer that Jesus Prayed, Part 12
Picking up from where we left off in our last message, we are going to continue looking at why Jesus prayed for His disciples, that God would “sanctify them.” The purpose of the disciples’ sanctification is for them to be set apart, consecrated, hallowed (made holy) by God so that God can use them.
This sanctification is done, as Jesus prayed, “through [God’s] truth: thy word is truth.” The first way this is carried out is through the revelation of Jesus Christ who is ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ His Spirit living inside of the disciples, and in all believers, transforms us little by little into His likeness.
The second way this sanctification process is carried out is through the reading, studying, and application of the Word of God, the Bible. One of the things Jesus did after He rose from the dead is walk with two of His disciples on the Road to Emmaus and explain the Old Testament Scriptures to them. When this Bible study was finished, the disciples said, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Jesus had set these disciples hearts on fire by explaining the Word of God to them and helping them see what it meant — that Christ was ordained to suffer and die for the salvation of the world. That made them rejoice for the Gospel; that made them ready to share the Gospel.
We, of course, have the New Testament as well as the Old. But the work of Christ in the believer’s heart is the same. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is here to explain the Scripture to us just as Jesus explained it to those disciples on the Road to Emmaus. The Word of God, rightfully divided, will not only give us knowledge and instruction, but it will act as a purifying agent in our hearts and lives. The truth of God’s Word will hold the devil’s lies at bay. This truth will serve to move sin out of our lives and keep us from giving in to temptation.
It will also set our hearts on fire, and give us the impetus to serve God in the capacity that He is sanctifying us for –That is to send us into the world as servants of Him. Jesus prayed, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”
A vessel that is sanctified or set aside is not set aside to look impressive, or so that people can come by and say, “Oh, look at that pretty vessel.” You likely have a car in your garage. The car is a vessel — it is intended to carry people and things from one place to another. Even though the car is set aside for that purpose, it is useless as long as it just sits in your garage. The vessel only becomes useful when it is on the road carrying people and things to and fro.
God is sanctifying us so that we can become useful vessels. He means for us to do some kind of work for Him. The process of sanctification is ongoing, of course; it will not be complete until we get to Heaven. But, after some time, God intends to send us into the world to fulfill a mission for Him. We ought to pray for the patience to be willing students, readily learning the Word of God and applying its truths to our lives so that we can be ready when God tells us to “Go.”
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Now, if you are with us today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your first prayer needs to be what we call the Sinner’s Prayer. First, please understand that you are a sinner, just as I am, and that you have broken God’s laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have done the most important thing in life. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Gospel Light House of Prayer International 