23 All Believers Prayed for

All Believers Prayed for

What a wondrous heart, was the heart of Jesus! How vast and comprehensive! How exquisitely tender! How full of love, even to overflowing. He loved his own people — all of his own people. He loved them from eternity. His love ran through all time. He comprehended the whole of them. He felt intensely interested in them all, and in each one. Having prayed for himself, for his disciples, for all who believed on him — he then looks forward and takes up into his prayer all of his people to the very end of time. Hence he says, "I do not pray for these alone — but also for those who will believe in Me through their word" (John 17:20).

Every Believer is the Special Object of the Savior’s INTERCESSION. He prays for all who shall believe — for all whom the Father had given him, for all who were entrusted to him. Faith proves our saving interest in Christ. Being chosen in him, being predestined to the adoption of children by him, and being preserved in him — we were virtually united to him, and had a saving interest in him. But we know nothing of that interest, we enjoy none of its benefits experimentally — until we believe in him. The moment we believe, we are manifestly entitled to all the benefits of his life and death.

Every believer is the object of Christ’s eternal, unfailing love — that love which preceded ours, and prevented our falling a prey to Satan, being ruined by sin, or cut down by the stroke of justice. Who can tell the evils, the dangers, the miseries — which were prevented by the love of Jesus!

Every believer is the special object of the Savior’s CARE. He took charge of us in the everlasting covenant, and he exercised his care over us until we were called by grace, and brought into vital union with himself. He cared for us in infancy, in youth, and in manhood. He cares for us still, and he will care for us even to the end. No goldsmith was ever so careful of his precious metal,
no shepherd was ever so careful of the lambs of his flock,
no mother was ever so careful of her first-born son
— as Jesus has been careful of us!

Every believer is the special object of the Savior’s CONCERN. Jesus was concerned for our persons, and for our salvation, before time commenced; and, therefore, he engaged to become our surety in the everlasting covenant. His concern for us . . .
fixed his eye intently upon us,
placed his everlasting arms beneath us, and
prompted him to do everything he could for us. Nor is he less concerned for us now, nor will he be at any future period of our pilgrimage here below. The weakest believer has his name on the heart and in the prayer of Jesus — equally with the apostles. Peter, James, and John, were not more on the heart of Christ than we are; nor did he pray more tor them, than for us. All of his people are . . .
loved by him alike,
cared for by him alike,
prayed for by him alike.

Oh, what comfort we may find here . . .
when the heart is straitened,
when the soul is burdened, and
when the spirit is bowed down,
when we feel prayer to be a task and a burden,
when we feel as if we could not pray — but were only mocking God! What comfort is it to think that Jesus has prayed for me! That he is praying for me at this very moment! And when I come into the swellings of Jordan — Jesus will be interceding for me then. The Nature, Instrumental Cause, and Warrant of Faith Are Here Pointed Out. It is faith in Christ. Not merely believing what Christ says, which is assent or credence — but believing in Christ himself. A man may believe all the four Gospels, yes, the whole word of God — and yet not believe in Christ — many do, and, it is to be feared, stop there, to their own undoing. To believe in Christ, is . . .
to have confidence in him,
to rely upon him,
to make him the sole object of our trust. The man who believes in Christ, renounces himself and everything of his own, and relies on the person and work of Christ alone for salvation. Where there is true faith in Christ — there has been a vivid sense . . .
of sin,
of misery as the effect of sin, and
of the wrath of God as the desert of sin. The Holy Spirit has revealed Christ as exactly suited to the necessities and desires of the soul; this draws forth the soul to Christ. The going out of the heart to Christ, and embracing him as God’s gift for man’s salvation, is faith.

Then comes the constant making use of Christ . . .
to prevent evils,
to conquer foes, and
to obtain both temporal and spiritual blessings.

It is faith through the Word, which is the instrument that produces it; for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Faith is produced, not by tradition, or baptism, or any ceremony, or sacrament — but by the Word of God. It pleases God to use the Word, and generally the preached Word; as it is written, "For in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe." This is suitable to man’s nature — for it appeals to man’s understanding, and through that it reaches the heart. There it works, producing a thorough change, which leads to a new course of life.

It is agreeable to God’s counsel, who so determined in his infinite wisdom and love. It commends God’s grace, which is therein revealed, and thereby communicated. The Word is made powerful by the presence and agency of the Holy Spirit; and thus it becomes the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes. The Word is the warrant of our faith. It reveals Christ, in his person and personal glories, in his glorious righteousness and precious blood, in his infinite love and almighty power, as able and willing to save all and every one who applies to him. It calls upon every one who hears it to come to Christ, to come as a sinner, to come immediately — to come for a present, perfect, and everlasting salvation. It not only calls us to Christ — but it commands us to believe, and tells us that if we believe not, we make God a liar. The call indicates love — the command interposes authority.

Now, if the Word sets forth Christ before us, presents Christ to us, calls us to him, and commands us to believe on him — it must be a clear and full warrant for our faith. The gospel Scripturally preached, and clearly understood — warrants every sinner who hears it to come to Christ confident of being saved by him, and to exercise instant faith in him as the Almighty and All-sufficient Savior. Lord, help us so to preach the gospel, and so to hear the gospel, that millions may believe to the saving of the soul!

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." This declaration of Jesus looks both backward and forward. Backward, to all who had believed, through the preaching of John, himself, or his disciples — for their sanctification and preservation he prayed. Forward, to all who in all ages, and in all places, would believe on his name through the Word preached, printed, and read. The loving and large heart of Jesus grasped the whole who were to be saved by him.

Christ seeks what he merited. He merited the salvation of his people, and procured for them all spiritual blessings; he therefore only asks for what he might claim, and entreats what he deserved. He pays the price — and then asks for the blessing. He satisfies the law — and then pleads with the Lawgiver for privileges.

Jesus comforts the believer. What can give us more comfort than the knowledge that Jesus has prayed for us — prayed for us before we sought him — prayed for us before we were born! He knew what we would be, knew what we should need — therefore he prayed for us. His prayers are registered in his Father’s book of remembrance, and will be answered in our happy experience.

Jesus encourages us to believe. Believing, we prove our interest in the prayers of Jesus. Believing, we may expect an answer to the prayers of Jesus. Believing, we please and honor Jesus.

Jesus sets forth the excellency of faith. It is that which brings us to him, connects us with him, and so pleases him that he prays for every one who has it. Faith always honors Jesus, and Jesus always honors faith. The Word is necessary to faith. It is the seed from which it springs, the instrument by which it is begotten, and the food on which it lives. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." The Word makes known Christ — that we may believe on him. To show the necessity of preaching the Word, the apostle asks, "How shall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

Faith is necessary to prayer. We cannot pray aright without faith. God is the object we address in prayer — we must believe in him. Jesus is the only way of access to God — we must believe in him. And the Word is our only warrant to expect good things in answer to prayer — therefore we must have faith in it.

Prayer is necessary to salvation. "Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." The prayerless soul is a lost soul. How important, then, is the publication and proclamation of God’s Word, as it . . .
begets faith,
leads to the Savior,
entitles us to claim a saving interest in the Savior’s prayer,
and nourishes our souls unto life eternal!

Believer, how full of comfort is this precious portion! Jesus stands before his Father, with his eye fixed on us, with his thoughts full of us, with his heart glowing with unutterable love to us — pleading with his Father for us. He anticipated our needs. He entered into all our feelings. He sympathized with us in all our sufferings. He prayed for us. His prayer for us was heard in Heaven, was registered in Heaven, and is ever before the eye of our Father in Heaven!

Let us, then,
when our hearts are cold and dead,
when our minds are confused and troubled,
when we attempt to pray and cannot —
let us then remember for our comfort, that Jesus has prayed for us. For every believer, the feeblest, the most fearful, the most imperfect — his prayer has ascended! For them his prayer was heard, and in them his prayer shall be answered.

Precious Lord Jesus, how wondrous is your love! How amazing is your pity, your sympathy, and your compassion! How deep and tender is your concern for all, and for every one, of your people. May I drink into your spirit, and imitate your lovely example. Give me grace to sympathize with your little ones, to pray for them, and by earnest intercession, endeavor to bring down blessings upon them.