… who will end the old year and begin the new year praying, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Teens who commit to pray this prayer—to really pray this prayer—are committing to do a number of things. They:
Are Committing to Know Their Bibles
This prayer is the next-to-the-last words in the Bible. And that’s because you cannot really pray them until you know about and believe everything that’s come before. God. Creation. Paradise. The Fall. Sin. Depravity. Hopelessness. Promises. Prophecies. Hope. Jesus Christ. Birth. Suffering. Death. Resurrection. Ascension. Promises. Great Commission. Holy Spirit. Waiting.
Praying, “Come, Lord Jesus,” is the only proper response, if you know all these things. It’s a prayer that says, “I’ve heard, I’ve read, I believe. Jesus come, and have every knee bow before You.” (Philippians 2:10-11). It’s a prayer that says, “I don’t believe the worldview of our culture. I reject it all. And I believe God’s Word. And I desire Jesus’ glory to be seen.”
Are Committing to be Led by the Holy Spirit
This prayer in verse 20, is prayed also in verse 17, but with one addition: In verse 17 the Holy Spirit is also praying. “And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’” The Holy Spirit longs for Jesus to return. The Bride echoes the Spirit’s desire, because the Spirit lives in the Bride.
Repeatedly we are told in the New Testament to put away the desires of the flesh and set our minds on things above. And this way of living is described as, “living according to the Spirit,” or as “walking by the Spirit.” If we are living according to the Spirit than His desires become our desires. And He desires Jesus to come. And so will you.
Are Committing to Pray the Promises of God
Three times in Revelation 22, Jesus Christ says, “I am coming quickly” (verses 7, 12 & 20). At least 42 other times in the Bible, Jesus’ second coming is told. In Acts 1:11, an angel promises Jesus’ disciples that He will come again, in the same way they saw Him go.
45 times.
That’s how often God has promised that Jesus will return. Praying the promises of God means that when Christ says, “I am coming quickly,” then we respond with, “Come, Lord Jesus.” This is one of the most frequent promises. It should be our most frequent prayer. The Puritans taught that the greatest comforts and assurances that we can hold in this life, come from God’s promises. Know it. Desire it. Pray it.
Are Committing to Flee from Sin
A teen who really prays, “Come, Lord Jesus,” is a teen who’s felt and seen the pain of sin in his and her own heart and life and world. You’ve see it and desire to be free from it. And you know when the Lord Jesus returns, sin, and it’s effects will be no more. Finally! (See Revelation 21:4, 21:27; 1 Corinthians 15:54). But until then—as you are waiting and praying—you’re spending your best energy fighting sin. If you long to be holy then, you will desire to be holy now.
Are Committing to Make Everything in Life Second to Jesus Christ
Teens have so much before them: School, career, marriage, children. Life! And when we’re in the midst of any one of these it feels like that is our main pursuit in life. We can be so focused on it.
This prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus,” puts all of these second. To Him. It’s an admission that He can interrupt all of these other plans in your life, and that that’s your desire. It’s a prayer that says: “Christ is first. He is best.” It’s a prayer that says, “I live by faith, and not be sight.” We ‘see’ school all these other things, but Jesus we don’t see. But we believe and we long to see. This prayer is a confession that you feel this distance between you and your Savior. You sense that something’s missing, something not yet complete. He’s not here. And so you cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Can you picture the day? The day when He returns? You can hardly imagine, I know, but from God’s Word you begin to hope: Free from sin with your own two eyes seeing Him face to face. Your loved ones, your friends! Oh yes! Them too! But to see God… That’s the hope of glory.
So what about you? Are you that teen? Will you commit to finish this old year and begin 2018 praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”?