Praying for the Church: Oneness with the Father & Christ

Yesterday evening, I was reading through John 17, the part were Jesus Christ prayed to the Father for all believers that we may be one with them (the Father and Christ) just as He, Christ Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him. This quickly reminded me of all the divisions that have been taking place in the body of Christ, the church lately and how that has negatively impacted how unbelievers perceive the gospel.

During the week, I had a conversation with an old friend from university concerning the gospel of salvation and he subtly told me the reasons why he did not believe in Christianity. According to him, the bible has been corrupted over time, it is too difficult to read due to contradicting sections of the text and there are too many conflicting doctrines within the church. I tried my best at the time to respond to his concerns, mainly highlighting the fact that salvation is a personal matter between an individual and God which one cannot sub-contracted to any church leader or denomination.

To build a relationship with the Father, you need to understand His promises through reading His word frequently and asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. It is God after all, who gives wisdom to the wise, and understanding to the discerning I told him. However, after the conversation, I myself was left with the feeling that more can be done to unite the church, for Christ Himself said that when we are one with God, the world will be able to believe that He was truly sent by the Father in John 17:21. So the divisions within the church have a cascading effect which affects unbelievers ability to see the glory of the Son in us, and the Son's glory in the Father. We are after all, ambassadors of the kingdom of God.

For this reason, I would like to share a prayer for the church. Through this heartfelt intercession for the Body of Christ, I am praying for the church that we may be one with each other and with God just as our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ had hoped according to John 17.

Read John 17 for scriptural understanding

Prayer:

Dearest, heavenly Father, in your Son's, Lord Jesus Christ's prayer recorded in John 17, His plea was that all believers would be one, just as you Father are in Him and my Lord Jesus Christ is in you. Today, I stand in agreement with my Lord and Savior. It is my prayer that we, believers in Christ can also be in you so that the world can believe that that He was truly sent by you to reconcile us with you. I thank you Father, for the glory that you have given us through your beloved Son, whom you have loved before the creation of the world. I pray that by this glory, we may be brought into complete unity - Christ in us and you Father dwelling in us too.

I pray Father, that we, all believers may have all things common; worshiping and praising together with glad and sincere hearts, with one heart and one soul. May the world come to the knowledge that you have loved us, even as you loved your Son, Jesus Christ. Though the world may not know you, you have made it possible for us to know you through your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For that we are forever grateful Father. I pray that we may grow to love each other as believers, for if we do not love a fellow believer whom we have seen, how then can we claim to love you, Father since we have not seen you physically?

We acknowledge the fact that, we shall be hated in this world for your name and your Son's name's sake. But we pray that you will strengthen all of us so that we may all endure till the very end of the age. For your word says that only those that will endure till the end will be saved. If you Father are with us, who can stand against us? May your grace and peace abide with us always in Jesus mighty name I pray.

Amen.