…Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth.

Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching,

That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.

I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one:

I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me.

… that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them and that I [Myself] may be in them…

John 17:17–23, 26 (AMP)

Here is a question, in context of this prayer (of the dialog that lead up this prayer in John 13-16) how did Jesus define Him being made one in us and us in Him?

It is correct, Jesus made a focus on loving one another in this dialog. However, there was another focus as well. This focus was repeated (if not more) as much as the command to love. What could this be?!

This command was to ask Jesus for anything in prayer and He will give it to you. Before His death Jesus kept focusing the conversation on the fact He was going to give them the Spirit, as He had the Spirit. Jesus kept trying to expand the disciple understanding of their standing and identity as sons of God. Jesus kept repeating that they were to ask and then receive what they ask for! Jesus was about to leave the earth and was passing the torch to His church. They were to pray and by answered prayer defeat the kingdom of the devil (Acts 10:38, Luke 24:49), and usher in God’s kingdom of power and love.

In essence Jesus was making a divide with love between man and man, and love between God and man. Or, horizontal love and vertical love.

We love the church by preferring them as we prefer ourselves with favor; or that is, we wash our feet and so we wash the feet of the elect.

However, how is God’s love united in us and us in Him, in the vertical sense?

…If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]…

John 15:7–9 (AMP)

Jesus defines the context as “love.” Then defines this love as how His love stays in us and we in Him. The answer given is an antecedent and consequence. This vertical love is maintained by us keeping His word in us. Then the necessary result or proof of His love in us and us in His love, is answered prayers. The proof of God’s love alive in our souls, is getting the very thing we ask for. Many might be repulsed by this, but it is how Jesus defines vertical love in disciples. It was not some overly tan guy, sitting in a over-the-top gold chair on TBN saying this. God said it.

Thus, when Jesus prays Him to be one and united in us, so as to prove God love is in us, you cannot define this without the context of Jesus defining oneness and unity on both the horizontal and vertical love. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 instructs us that our inner man grows stronger as we know and believe in God’s great love for us!

In essence, God proves He is our loving Father and we prove we are His loved children by asking Him to give us what we want, and as a Father He actually gives it to us. He loves us, what other outcome did you expect? This is how we prove our oneness with God, to the world around us. This how we show that God’s love is us and that Jesus is in us, and we in Him. We ask and He gives us whatever we ask from Him. This fruit bearing is proof of His love in us, and us in Him.

My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you… abide in My LOVE

Lord make us one with You, and one with each other. Amen.