John 17
October 5, 2022
“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. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (v15-17)
Jesus’ goal is not to beam us up from this world so that we can avoid pain on Earth. Otherwise, we would all go straight to Heaven as soon as we turned to and trusted Him. No, Christ’s goal is our “sanctification” (v17), which means to be set apart from the world and set apart for God. In other words, Jesus is glorified, and we are transformed, as we learn to live in the world, but live by the Word (v17).
Lord Jesus, what a gift that You are praying for me even now - for spiritual protection from the evil one (v15). I know Satan’s agenda is to sabotage Your sanctifying work in my life. But I thank You for Your Word, which is the means of my sanctification, and the spiritual protection against his schemes and lies. May my mind be informed, not by the false ideologies of this world, but by the truth of Your Word.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
