June 20, 2021 · John 17:13–19

Prayer for Sanctification - John 17:13-19

“Part of sanctification is joy. Being holy means being joy-filled, and you've experienced those times when you're feeling close to God, There's a joy that comes with that. Remember, it's really important. Because sometimes I think we feel like God called us just to use us, And it's almost like he's, oh yeah, I've called you for a purpose. I'm going to use you to do this and this and this, and no one likes to just be used. Now, of course, if you use by God, he's going to use you for things that give you the sense of fulfillment. But the reality is he calls you. Yes, he wants to use you to be part of his mission to help change the world, and that will help you feel that you've accomplished your purposes. But he doesn't just do that to get something out of you. He does it because he loves you and he knows it's going to give you joy. He wants to sanctify you to give you joy. So we need to remember this. When we think about this, Jesus literally said he was praying for them and then for us that we would have the full measure of joy, the fullness of joy. Now, you remember, this is a man who's facing the cross who's talking about joy.”