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(Read John 17:1-5)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to teach on “Minimizing Your Humanity and Maximizing Your Divinity.” If you have been following this series you know that we have covered passages in John chapters 5, 6, 8, 12, 14, 15, and 16. This morning we cross over into chapter 17 where Jesus prayed to the Father, for His disciples, and for all who would come later. In essence this is a prayer Jesus prayed for you and in my opinion, if you want to call any prayer “The Lord’s Prayer,” it should be this one. The prayer covers the entire chapter, so we will study the prayer in bite-sized chunks.
Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. When you are led of the Holy Spirit you will be able to discern the timing of God. Jesus said, “Father, the hour has come.” This was a reference to the cross. Jesus knew He was born to die, but He also knew He had to accomplish many things before He went to the cross. As He walked with the Father, being led of the Holy Spirit, He was able to discern when He had finished his course and when the time had come for Him to die. Paul is another example. After doing all He was able to do, by the grace of God, Paul was able to discern when he had finished his assignment and when the time had come for him to die. The Apostle wrote over half the New Testament, but in his last letter he penned these words, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). Likewise, when you walk with God and you are led of the Holy Spirit, you will be able to discern God’s timing. The right thing, at the wrong time, becomes the wrong thing. This is why it is so important to set your watch to God’s timing.
2. Walking with God will help you develop confident humility. Jesus prayed, “Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone.” Jesus knew who He was and what He was called to do. He had no problem acknowledging and accepting His divine assignment. In like manner, when you identify yourself in God and you wholeheartedly connect with your divine assignment, you can be completely humble and very bold at the same time. You can pray like Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify me, that I may glorify thee.”
3. You bring glory to God in the earth by FINDING, FOLLOWING and FINISHING your divine assignment. In His prayer Jesus said, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” Do you want to bring glory to God with your life and living? Do you want God to be pleased with what you accomplished during the years He gave you? If so, then your focus is simple: FIND, FOLLOW and attempt to FINISH your divine assignment, by the grace of God, before you die. Success can be achieved no other way. Success is not about how much money you have, or what you drive, or where you live, or how you dress. Divine success is tied to divine purpose. It’s that simple.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for the example You gave me in Christ Jesus Your Son. Jesus lived the way I am supposed to live. While He was the only perfect human to ever live, Jesus minimized His humanity and He focused solely on You, on Your divine assignment for His life, and on Your grace. I live the same way. I minimize me, so that You can maximize You through me. My singular focus in life is to FIND, FOLLOW and FINISH your predetermined purpose for me, before I die. I am not focused on money, I am focused on You, and You will see to it that all the money I need to complete my assignment comes into my hands. I am not focused on fame, I am focused on You, and You will see to it that I come in contact with all the people You need me to come in contact with to complete my assignment. I humble myself before You, and at the same time, I walk with divine confidence and supernatural boldness, as I pursue my purpose. I respectfully ask You Father to glorify me, that I may glorify thee in the earth. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
