True Unity

John 17:20 – 23 (The Message)

“I’m praying not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me, because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind – just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they’ll be as unified and together as we are – I in them and you in me. Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you’ve sent me and loved them in the same way you’ve loved me.”


I’m praying not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me, because of them and their witness about me.
The whole of John 17 is a prayer that Jesus prayed just before he was betrayed and went to the cross. This part in particular, I believe is so important for us. Jesus is praying for us here – the people who believe in Him now, who couldn’t see Jesus in the flesh & those who heard and believed in Him after He was resurrected. Future generations. How amazing – He had you and me in mind when He prayed this prayer! Jesus is saying here, that what He is about to pray, is how we witness who He really is on this earth now. Our testimony about Jesus.

The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind – just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us.
The main objective is to have the same heart and mind together, as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father, so that we would be one heart and mind with both God the Father and Jesus. When Jesus was on the earth, He went off all the time on His own to talk, pray and have fellowship with the Father. He only said and did what the Father told Him to do. He didn’t worry about what anyone else thought. He was so united with the Father. How? Through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit told Jesus what the Father wanted Him to do. So how do we have one heart and mind with the Father and the Son? Through the Holy Spirit.


Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they’ll be as unified and together as we are – I in them and you in me.
This is how the world can believe in Jesus, the fullness of what He has done on the cross and the amazing blessings He has given to us. The Holy Spirit is the one who reveals who Jesus really is to us and also can direct us in everything we do. We have to listen to Him over and above everyone else and not be side tracked with confusion, doubt, worry, fear, bitterness etc, which are all not from the Spirit of God. Jesus has already given us His glory, but this world will not see it until we are first unified with the Holy Spirit, who then unites us with Jesus and God the Father. That is how we can be in Him and Him in us.

Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you’ve sent me and loved them in the same way you’ve loved me.
This is mature and true unity! The body of Christ will not be in true, mature unity until we, as individuals are in unity with the Holy Spirit, who puts us in unity with Jesus and God the Father. Just like when Jesus was on the earth with His Father. His Father always came first. When you are in unity with the Spirit, you are so full of His love, joy, peace, power, rest, grace & favor. Not condemnation, judgment, doubt, fear, bitterness, self-righteousness, stress, struggle, striving etc. This world doesn’t need to get any more of this, especially from believers! They need something real and they need to know how much God really loves them. The Holy Spirit reveals true, unconditional love & grace by what Jesus has done, THROUGH US. He is more real than anything else on this earth – spiritual and non-spiritual. I want to be a true witness having true unity