This transcript was generated by whisper.ai. (upbeat music) - Welcome to day three of our look through John chapter 17 in daily drive time devotions, verses 11 to 16 today. We began to look yesterday at how you and I can be an answer to Jesus' prayer. And yesterday we looked at the fact that we're an answer to Jesus' prayer when we're bringing God glory. We're also an answer to Jesus' prayer in a second way that we see in these verses. We're an answer to Jesus' prayer when we're living in security, in spiritual security. Listen, listen to what Jesus prayed for his disciples then and now. Now, if you're wondering, by the way, if Jesus is really praying for you, if this includes now, or if he was just praying for the 12 disciples back then as he prayed this, if that thought has crossed your mind, when we get to the end of this prayer, he's going to make very clear that he's praying for all of his disciples. So listen to what Jesus prays for us regarding our spiritual security in this world, verses 11 to 16. Jesus prayed, I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I'm coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the scripture would be fulfilled. I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I've given them your word, and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world, any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Protect them, Jesus prays. How do we live in security in this crazy world? Protect them, Jesus prays. Let's just walk through this together. From what does Jesus pray we should be protected? How does he pray we need to be protected? And why does he pray for our protection? Protect them from what? Jesus says protect them from two things. First, protect them from the world. Protect them from the world, this world that we live in. Now remember, the world, as Jesus prays about it here, as he's spoken about it throughout the Gospel of John, usually means this world system, the worldly way of thinking of things, the ungodly way of thinking of things. And if you want to put a different word in place of the word world here, you could put the word selfish. The world system equals selfishness, equals ego driven, equals me and mine. Protect them from the world. There's a strong connection between what Jesus prays here and the world. Jesus uses the word world 19 times in this prayer as he prays for us. Because hello, he's praying for us where we live right now in the world. He's not praying for us for when we get to heaven. He's going to indicate at the end of the prayer that he wants us to get to heaven with him. But right now he's praying for us why we live in this world. And as he prays for us, he prays, they don't belong to this world. They don't belong. You can try to belong, you can pretend to belong, you can hope you belong, you can never want to belong, you can have all kinds of emotions about belonging to this world. But as a believer in Jesus Christ, you don't belong to this world. And Jesus says that's why they're in danger in this world and that's why they experience hatred in this world. Why? Well, Jesus says specifically because I've given them your word. I've given them a different way to live life. You see, the word of God, God's way of living life, God's different system than the world system is the primary object of the enemy's hatred. And if he can't destroy it and he can't destroy the word, he can seek to dilute its impact by not allowing you or I to live out God's word, by tempting us to not living out God's word. Why does the world hate Christians? I know that's a big word, but the truth of the matter is the world does hate Christians. You see it in persecution, you see it in attitude, you see it in heart. Why does that happen? Well, if I don't want to change, I do not like, in fact, I even hate those who are an example of the fact that I can change. As long as there's no one around me that has changed, I can say, well, it's impossible. But one person that's changed shows that it can happen. So all of a sudden I realize I'm choosing not to change. I'm choosing to stay in my sin. I'm choosing to let this habit still reign in my life. It's my choice. It's not by accident. And it's not something that's going to continue in my life except by my choice. Because we follow the word, when we follow the word, we're going to be attacked by the world. And when that happens, we're going to have the temptation, all of us do, to try to fit in, to become like the world so as not to be attacked by the world. Of course you can't because Jesus said it twice in this prayer, you are not of the world. And so protect them, Jesus pray. Protect them from trying to fit in and even more protect them from the persecution that comes because they're mine. In verse 13, we find that our joy is not found in the world but it's found in the word. It's found in following the life that God's given to us. That's where true joy comes from. You can get momentary happiness from doing things that the world wants to do, following after the sinful patterns of the world. Of course you can find a moment of happiness there but true joy, lasting joy, that only comes from the word. That only comes from the life that God has for us. It's interesting, in John chapter 16, Jesus tells us that he has overcome the world. And here in John chapter 17, Jesus prays that we will overcome the world by our faith and our trust in him and his protection of us. Protect them, Jesus says, from the world. And Jesus also prays, protect them from Satan, this evil one. Protect them from the evil one, he says in verse 15. The one who's behind it all, the father of lies. It's interesting that Jesus talks about Judas as he talks about protection, spiritual protection. He calls him the one doomed to destruction. I have to admit, I don't completely understand the mystery or the motivation of Judas but I do know this. I do know that even though God knew what was going to happen, that Judas made his own choice. And I do know that even after betraying Jesus, Judas would have been forgiven if only he had asked. He didn't. He bought into Satan's lie. Don't buy the lie. Jesus prays, protect them from the evil one. If you're going through a trial right now, a difficulty, talk to God about that trial, that problem. Instead of just pleading that it will stop and letting Satan lie to you that if it doesn't stop, God doesn't love you, ask that whatever occurs, you'll be a victor in Christ. We all face problems in this world. Jesus said, you're going to have problems in this world but I want to give you my peace in the midst of problems. Don't buy the lie. Talk to God honestly about a temptation that Satan is throwing your way, a lie. And ask for a word from him by which you can defeat Satan's lie. Protect them from Satan. Protect them from what? From the world, from Satan. Protect them how? It's interesting what Jesus prays here. He prays, I don't ask you to take them out of the world but to protect them in the world. Not separate them but protect them. Jesus knew how we'd be tempted. He knew we'd be tempted to try to escape this world while we're in this world which we can't do. You can try to get away from the world but you're still a part of this world. And if we tried to follow that temptation, we would lose out on the opportunity to impact the world around us, to be the salt and light that we need to be. So Jesus prayed not for us to escape but for us to be protected. And specifically he said, while they're in the world, protect them by the power, the power of my name. Power of the name that you've given me. Remember the name of Jesus, it represents his character, his purpose, his influence. And by the power of that name, he prays that we would be protected. If you're a parent, you know that there's power in the name of a parent. When a three-year-old needs to tie his or her shoes, he calls out mommy or daddy and the shoes get tied. Or when a teenager needs some money, they call out mom or dad and some money sometimes appears. Or when a newly married couple is going through a difficult time, there might come a moment when they call out mom or dad and you can come in and give a wise word of advice about how they can have a conversation. Why do kids call out their parents' name? Because they know they can do something about it. They know they can make a difference. Well, if a parent's name in this world has some power to it, there's multiplied power in the name of Jesus Christ. He can do something about it. And so the question I have to ask myself, the question I ask you is this. How often do you call on God's name during the day? Sometimes I go all through the day and I'm doing important things, even spiritual things, but I don't call out God's name. Jesus, give me wisdom in this. Jesus, settle my heart in this. Jesus, give me direction in this. Help me to choose in this. Give me strength in this. I want to get better at that. I invite you with me to get better at that. Calling on the power of his name, his purpose, his character, his influence, just throughout daily life. Protect them. How? By the power of your name. And protect them. Why? This one might surprise you. Jesus says, protect them that they may be one. Protect them that they may have unity. He also prays, protect them that they may have my joy. We focused on joy last week, the kind of joy, Jesus's joy that he wants to give into our lives. We're going to focus on unity that they may be one later this week. But right now, that prayer for unity, that's such a part of this prayer of Jesus, don't miss as we walk through this prayer that Jesus's heart is for our unity. Don't miss that Jesus wants us to be one, even as the Father and Jesus are one. Jesus, in this prayer, this high priestly prayer, prays for our protection. At the end of the Lord's Prayer, the prayer in Matthew chapter six, Jesus taught us to pray. You remember, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. And here, in the high priestly prayer, Jesus prays, protect them from the evil one. He taught us to pray it. He prayed it. It's obviously important. So the question is, how often do you pray for your spiritual protection? Rely on Jesus's prayer for your spiritual protection. Let's do it right now. Let's pray right now. And in praying, I invite you to pray. Jesus, I rely on your prayer today. Not only am I praying for my spiritual protection, protection from this world system of selfishness, from Satan who is the liar, but you prayed for my protection. I lean on your prayer today. I thank you for your prayer today. Yes, I'm in the world, but I am not of the world. So when leaning on your prayer, I thank you. And I don't have to be afraid. I pray that I can live with joy. Yes, this world's going to throw some curves. Yes, there's going to be evil things that happen. But that evil is not going to win out in the end. And Satan is a liar, but the truth will win out in the end. And so Jesus Christ, today, I choose to lean on you. And I pray that the security of who you are would guide my decisions, would guide my heart, would guide my relationships throughout this day to day. I pray it in your name. Amen. So tomorrow, we're going to be looking at verses 17 to 19 of John chapter 17.