International House of Prayer Kansas City’s Mike Bickle is convinced that the five chapters in the Bible between John 13 and John 17 are extremely critical for believers to digest during these chaotic and uncertain times in human history. He’s so convinced of the power of Jesus’ words in these chapters that he has devoted more than half a year of study of these Scriptures, 20 to 30 hours a week, he says.
They are important to the body, yet Bickle says many believers who study them don’t take them to heart or put them into action. John chapters 13 through 17 gives an account of the upper room gathering between Jesus and His disciples on the night before He was crucified.
“John 13 through 17 is the greatest teaching by the greatest teacher for the greatest time in history,” Bickle says. “The Lord really struck me with this—intensely. There is nothing in all of the Bible that equals those five chapters. Jesus is unpacking His heart at the deepest level right before He dies. Many people agree that John 13 through 17 are their favorite chapters in the Bible. But almost nobody studies them intensely or does anything with them.
“In that process, I determined I was going to take 100 Friday nights and devote myself to teaching this line by line. I want to be taken through this with my heart open. Even if I only had four people in the room, I would do this because I know I need to do this for me. But I also know that everyone needs this. I’ve been teaching on this since last March, almost one year now. I’m blown away to how little is actually said about this. But, the Holy Spirit has prompted me to put this in the center of conversation in my church. It’s not that people are ignoring it. It’s just that they haven’t gotten it.”
Bickle says there is a strong connection between John 13 through 17 and Matthew 24 and 25 that believers must take to heart as well. With John 13 through 17, Bickle says Jesus says, “here’s how I’m going to get you through” what He previously taught in Matthew 24 and 25.
“I call it the heart of the overcoming bride,” Bickle says.
Watch the video above to see why John 13 through 17 is so important in this hour of history. {eoa}
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