John 17 shows Jesus in the priestly role of intercessor. Jesus taught his followers to become intercessors for personal needs, for unbelievers and for believers.

A. Praying for personal needs. Luke 22:39-45 shows Jesus praying for Himself. Jesus prayed for personal physical and spiritual needs. In verse 42, he asked His Father if he could physically avoid the coming cup of pain. But he prayed in obedience for spiritual strength through "not my will, but thine be done." He prayed "in agony" and "very fervently."  

Christ’s obedience allowed Him to ask in John 17:5, "Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created" (CEV). This is quite a glimpse into all that He gave up for us isn’t it?

Praying for personal spiritual and physical needs is not the selfish and greedy praying that comes from seeking God’s hands instead of His face. It is praying to acknowledge the weaknesses in our lives and the specific places we want for Christ to take control. This personal praying acknowledges that God is the source to meet all of our physical needs. This is very difficult in a culture that so easily confuses needs with wants.

A church bulletin captured this prayer, "So far today Lord, I’ve done all right. I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I’m thankful for that. But in a few moments, Lord, I’m going to get out of bed. And from then on, I’m going to need a lot of help."

Here are biblical examples of personal prayer needs:

• Pray in repentance and belief in Christ (Mark 1:15).
• Pray in confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
• Pray for our daily bread (Luke 11:3)
• Pray that we can forgive everyone (Luke 11:4a).
• Pray that we can will not be led into temptation (Luke 11:4b).
• Pray for God’s will and not our will to be done in our lives (Luke 22:42).
• Pray for the fruit of the Spirit to characterize all that we say and do (Gal. 5:22-23).

Spurgeon told his students, "How much of a blessing we may have missed through remissiveness in supplication we can scarcely guess, and none of us can know how poor we are in comparison with what we might have been if we had lived habitually nearer to God in prayer."

B. Praying for unbelievers. In Luke 23:33-34 the High Priest continued to pray for others even as He died on the cross for the sins of humankind. In John 17:20 Jesus prayed, "Father, I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me" (CEV). The On Mission Prayer Map lists six ways to pray for unbelievers:

• Pray for receptive and repentant hearts (Luke 8:5-12).
• Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to the truth of Christ (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Matt. 13:15).
• Pray for them to have God’s attitude toward sin (John 16:8).
• Pray for the person to be released to believe (2 Cor 10:3-4; 2 Tim 2:25-26).
• Pray for a transforming life (Rom.12:1-2).
• Pray for God to send them into His harvest field (Matt. 9:35-38).

"No Soul is ever been born into God’s Kingdom unless there has been prayer." Stephen Olford

C. Praying for believers. The book of Luke concludes in 24:50-53 with Christ praying a blessing on His followers as He ascends back into Heaven. The response of the disciples was to spend "their time in the temple, praising God" (CEV). In Luke 22:32 Christ told Peter, "I have prayed that your faith would be strong" (CEV). In John 17:9b Jesus prayed, "My followers belong to you and I am praying for them" (CEV).

The On Mission Prayer Map suggests praying for believers by asking these eight things:

• Christ to send believers into His Harvest fields (Matt. 9:38).
• Christ to keep Christians in His name and character (John 17:11).
• Christians to have Christ’s joy made full in themselves (John 17:13).
• Christ to guard and protect believers from the evil one (John 17:15).
• Christ to sanctify (set apart) believers in the truth of God (John 17:17).
• Christians to be unified in one mission, purpose and spirit even as the Father and Son are one (John 17:21-22).
• Christians to be where Christ is and join His work (John 17:24).
• Christians to be filled with spiritual wisdom, pleasing in all ways to Christ, strengthened spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and bearing fruit in every good work (Col. 1:10-11).

Prayer is essential for followers of Christ to be Christlike. Those who respond to Christ’s teaching on prayer can become prayer warriors. A prayer warrior confronts the gates of Hell with biblical, intentional, specific prayer for personal needs, for believers and for unbelievers.

II. Response Time: Pause for a brief prayer time. Ask for these things: Pray for the Holy Spirit to make us prayer warriors, to become like Christ in prayer, pray for someone who does not know Christ, pray for your best friend and pray for an area of spiritual need for yourself.

"Prayer will make a person cease from sin, or sin will entice a person to cease from prayer."