by The Father's House on Oct 27, 2024
In today's message, we explored the profound spiritual realities depicted in Daniel chapter 10, which unveils the unseen battles in the heavenly realms that affect our earthly lives. We began by acknowledging the times when our plans don't unfold as expected, whether in relationships, careers, or health. These moments of disappointment often lead us to question the efficacy of our prayers. Daniel 10 provides insight into why our prayers might not be answered in the way or timing we desire. Daniel's experience reveals a spiritual battle beyond our visible world, where angels and demons contend, influencing the outcomes of our prayers.
Daniel received a revelation from God during a time of mourning and fasting, highlighting the importance of persistence in prayer. Despite the delay in receiving an answer, Daniel's unwavering faith and commitment to prayer were crucial. The chapter illustrates that from the moment Daniel began praying, his words were heard in heaven, but the answer was delayed due to spiritual warfare. This delay was not a denial but a testament to the ongoing battle in the spiritual realm.
We are reminded that our prayers are powerful and serve as spiritual reinforcement in these battles. The unseen struggle is intense, and our prayers fuel the angels fighting on our behalf. This understanding should inspire us to engage in more fervent and aggressive prayer, recognizing that our prayers can change the destiny of nations and individuals. We are called to pray for our leaders and for God's kingdom to come, knowing that our prayers have the power to pull down strongholds and bring about God's will on earth.
As we navigate our spiritual journeys, we must remain steadfast, patient, and expectant, trusting that God hears us and will provide the strength we need. We are encouraged to put on the full armor of God, standing firm in the face of spiritual opposition, and to never give up, even when the battle seems overwhelming.
**Key Takeaways:**
1. **Heaven Hears Immediately:** From the first moment we pray, our words are heard in heaven. This should encourage us when we feel our prayers are ineffective. Even the smallest whisper from a believer is amplified in the heavenly courts. [57:21]
2. **Patience in Waiting:** Delays in answered prayers are not denials. Daniel's experience of waiting three weeks for an answer teaches us the importance of patience and persistence in prayer, even when the answer seems delayed. [59:45]
3. **Consistency in Prayer:** We must remain consistent and persistent in our prayer life, not giving up when answers are delayed. Daniel's perseverance in prayer, despite the delay, is a powerful example of faithfulness. [01:01:21]
4. **Expect Supernatural Strength:** In the midst of spiritual warfare, God provides us with supernatural strength. As we engage in prayer, we can expect God to renew our strength and empower us to continue the fight. [01:04:34]
5. **Stay Ready for Battle:** Spiritual warfare is ongoing, and we must be prepared for continuous battles. Putting on the full armor of God equips us to stand firm against the enemy's schemes and remain vigilant in prayer. [01:05:24]
**Youtube Chapters:**
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [37:09] - Introduction to Spiritual Battles
- [40:59] - Daniel's Revelation and Burden
- [47:13] - The Unseen Spiritual Conflict
- [50:33] - The Power of Prayer in Warfare
- [52:38] - The Call to Aggressive Prayer
- [54:24] - The Armor of God
- [57:21] - Heaven Hears Our Prayers
- [59:45] - Patience in the Wait
- [01:01:21] - Consistency in Prayer
- [01:04:34] - Expecting Strength in Warfare
- [01:05:24] - Staying Ready for Battle
- [01:06:51] - Invitation to Renew Commitment
- [01:07:26] - Call to Salvation
- [01:08:42] - Closing and Prayer Team Invitation
**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Daniel Chapter 10**
**Bible Reading:**
- Daniel 10:1-14
- Ephesians 6:12-13
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
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**Observation Questions:**
1. What was Daniel's response to the revelation he received from God, and how long did he mourn and fast? ([40:59])
2. According to the sermon, what was the reason for the delay in Daniel receiving an answer to his prayer? ([47:13])
3. How does the sermon describe the role of angels and demons in the spiritual battles that affect our prayers? ([47:13])
4. What does the sermon suggest about the immediate response of heaven to our prayers? ([57:21])
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**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does the concept of spiritual warfare in Daniel 10 challenge or change the way one might view unanswered prayers? ([47:13])
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that persistence in prayer can influence spiritual battles? ([50:33])
3. How does the sermon interpret the role of patience in waiting for answered prayers, and what might this teach about God's timing? ([59:45])
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of praying for leaders and nations, and how might this affect the destiny of nations? ([50:33])
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**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a time when you felt your prayers were not being heard. How does the idea that "Heaven Hears Immediately" change your perspective on that experience? ([57:21])
2. Consider a situation in your life where you are currently waiting for an answer to prayer. How can you practice patience and persistence in this waiting period? ([59:45])
3. The sermon encourages aggressive and fervent prayer. What specific steps can you take to make your prayer life more consistent and persistent? ([50:33])
4. Think about a leader or nation you feel called to pray for. How can you incorporate regular prayer for them into your daily routine, and what specific prayers might you offer? ([50:33])
5. The sermon mentions putting on the full armor of God. What does this look like in your daily life, and how can you prepare yourself for ongoing spiritual battles? ([54:24])
6. Identify an area in your life where you feel spiritually weak. How can you seek God's supernatural strength to empower you in this area? ([01:04:34])
7. Reflect on a personal or family struggle that feels overwhelming. How can you apply the sermon’s message of not giving up, even when the battle seems intense? ([01:05:24])
Day 1: Heaven's Immediate Response to Our Prayers
From the moment we utter a prayer, it is heard in the heavenly realms. This truth should encourage us, especially when we feel our prayers are ineffective or unheard. Daniel 10 illustrates that even the smallest whisper from a believer is amplified in the heavenly courts. The spiritual realm is attentive to our prayers, and this should inspire confidence and persistence in our prayer life. Understanding that our prayers are heard immediately can transform our approach to prayer, encouraging us to pray with faith and expectation. [57:21]
Daniel 10:12 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.'"
Reflection: Think of a prayer you have been hesitant to pray because you doubt its impact. Can you bring it before God today, trusting that it will be heard immediately in heaven?
Day 2: Embracing Patience in Prayer
Delays in answered prayers are not denials. Daniel's experience of waiting three weeks for an answer teaches us the importance of patience and persistence in prayer, even when the answer seems delayed. The spiritual battle that delayed Daniel's answer is a reminder that there are unseen forces at work. Our role is to remain steadfast and patient, trusting that God is working behind the scenes. This patience is not passive but active, as we continue to pray and trust in God's perfect timing. [59:45]
Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."
Reflection: Is there a prayer you have given up on because of delayed answers? How can you renew your commitment to pray for it with patience and trust in God's timing today?
Day 3: The Power of Consistent Prayer
Consistency in prayer is crucial, especially when answers are delayed. Daniel's perseverance in prayer, despite the delay, is a powerful example of faithfulness. Our prayers are not just requests but acts of faith that engage the spiritual realm. Consistent prayer strengthens our relationship with God and aligns our hearts with His will. It is through persistent prayer that we can experience breakthroughs and see God's hand at work in our lives and the world around us. [01:01:21]
Luke 18:1 (ESV): "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."
Reflection: Identify a specific time each day this week to dedicate to prayer. How can you make this time a non-negotiable part of your daily routine?
Day 4: Expecting Supernatural Strength in Warfare
In the midst of spiritual warfare, God provides us with supernatural strength. As we engage in prayer, we can expect God to renew our strength and empower us to continue the fight. The spiritual battles we face are not fought with our own strength but with the power that God supplies. This understanding should encourage us to rely on God and seek His strength in every situation, knowing that He equips us for the battles we face. [01:04:34]
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel spiritually weak or weary? How can you actively seek God's strength and renewal in this area today?
Day 5: Staying Ready for Spiritual Battle
Spiritual warfare is ongoing, and we must be prepared for continuous battles. Putting on the full armor of God equips us to stand firm against the enemy's schemes and remain vigilant in prayer. This preparation involves being spiritually alert and ready to face challenges with faith and courage. By staying ready for battle, we can effectively engage in spiritual warfare and see God's victory in our lives and the world around us. [01:05:24]
Ephesians 6:11-13 (ESV): "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."
Reflection: What specific piece of the armor of God do you need to focus on today? How can you intentionally put it on and stand firm in your spiritual battles?
Awesome. Well, it's great to see you this morning. Wow. Awesome. It's been a couple of weeks since we did this knee replacement, and I'm up and good because I got the best doctor in the world, Dr. Mitchell, sitting right over here. It's not often that a doctor will come and see you after you get out of the hospital. I shouldn't tell that because then everybody else would be wanting flowers and the doctor. Sorry. But I appreciate it so very much.
And today we're going to finish up this series we're in of breaking the cycle. We've been looking at Daniel's breakthrough prayer in chapter 9, but today we're going to look at chapter 10. I believe it kind of puts everything in perspective. And as we're doing that, I hope that you're joining us with our YouVersion plan every day. We have a new one this week we're going to do. It's called Courageous Prayer. It's a 21-day prayer, and, man, it's good. Anita and I have been doing it in advance to make sure it's worthwhile. So go ahead and do the little QR code there, put that in, and then join us every morning as we are doing that. It's going to be wonderful.
It's good to see all the Freedom Ride t-shirts riding with us on our motorcycle ride, raising money for military Bible sticks. It's going to be a great time, so be sure that you do that. All right, let's pray.
Father, we thank you today. Thank you for the worship. Wow. Thank you for everybody that's here and those, Lord, that may be watching later online. We thank you. We love you. I pray you'd help me today to say exactly what you want me to say. Don't let me say anything I shouldn't say. And I pray at the end of today that you, most of all, will be glorified, that your church would be edified, and that the enemy would be terrified in the name of Jesus.
Do you ever have times when things aren't going just the way you planned? Has that ever happened to anybody else besides me? I mean, you plan something, you pray for something, and then it doesn't work. It doesn't happen.
Maybe, for instance, you were thinking about you're going to get married, okay, and you got it in your mind. You're going to get married. You got these ideas of evening casual strolls and summer evenings and romantic dinners every night and a perfect house always just right and the lawn perpetually trimmed and everything good, but it's not going as planned, right? Your spouse doesn't seem as interested. Your friendship isn't there. Your dream is dying.
Or maybe it's about work. I mean, you thought, this is a job for me. This is the one. And they tell you, oh, you can get advancement. You're going to make it. There's an advancement. Just do this and that. And they keep saying, yeah, it's going to happen. It's going to happen. But it hasn't gone the way you planned. All the things they said to you didn't work out, and the whole situation looks dead.
Or maybe it's a family member that's close to you. Your plan was, I'm going to raise children, my wife and I, and then our children will raise children, and they'll love God, and then they'll all come over for dinner on holidays, and I'll cut the holiday bird, and every family member will love God and serve Him and love each other. But it hasn't happened that way, right? The kids are apathetic towards God. They're not following the things.
Or maybe it's a medical condition. I mean, your plan was to have a healthy life. You ate right. You did right. You did all those things. But then you go to the doctor for your annual physical, and he says, there's something. I need to check. I need you to go get an x-ray or MRI or whatever it is, and things didn't plan out the way that you wanted them, right?
And so you prayed and you thought, you know, this is not, I believe in prayer. I believe God answers prayer. I believe he does that. But today we're going to look at chapter 10 because it's going to help us to understand a little bit about why our prayers are not answered always the way that we want them to be answered.
I think what you're going to see today in Daniel chapter 10 is a picture of what happens in the heavenlies. Beyond this earth, in the heavenlies, there's a perpetual battle that's going on between demons and between the angels of God. So he gives us a, Daniel sort of pulls back the curtain from what we can't see and lets us see that. It's in the visible realm.
So look at verses 1 through 4. Daniel gets a revelation from God. He said, in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long. Would you underline that? The appointed time was long. In other words, the fulfillment of this is years down the road. So the time was long and he understood the message and had understanding of the vision.
In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks, three weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came to my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled. And then verse 4, after those three weeks of waiting and praying, now on the 24th day of the first month, as it was, I was by the side of the great river that is the Tigris.
In other words, he said, I got a revelation. He was mourning. What was he mourning about? Well, first of all, Cyrus, when Cyrus became king, he allowed some Jews to leave and go back to Jerusalem and start rebuilding the walls, but they were having difficulty. It wasn't going the way it had. And so Daniel has this burden. You say, well, why didn't he return with them? Well, he's in his nineties right now. And maybe he felt like that he could make a greater impact here. I don't know, but he had that burden.
Then as he had that burden for his people, then God gave him a revelation of end times. We don't have time to go into those 71 weeks today and all that's in there. Maybe soon we'll be able to walk through that part of Daniel. But anyways, he sees the end time. He sees how that the world turns against God. He sees the Antichrist rising. He sees all of that. But in the midst of that, he also sees God's glorious redemption.
And so he has a burden. He wants to pray to see that thing fulfilled. And so he's walking around. He's by the Tigris river. And evidently his eyes were downcast because in the next verse, he says, I lifted my eyes and looked. You know, it's amazing things sometimes when you feel downcast and down and out and everything's going bad and it's not going right. That if you just lift your eyes a little bit towards him, lift your eyes a little bit towards him.
How many times has that happened in your life? Just lift your eyes a little bit and look towards him and allow him to speak to you. And so he says, I lifted my eyes and I looked and behold a certain man. Man, you got to underline that word, right? That phrase, certain man, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz.
And this body was like beryl, his face was like the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like torches of fire, his arms and feet were like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great terror fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves.
Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. So he says, I'm here and he said all of a sudden I was touched by this man. Now we look at this and if you're a Bible scholar, it doesn't tell us who it is, but I'm sure you're thinking who was this man?
Some people say, well, he was a special messenger from God, an angel. Some people say, well, he was Gabriel because he's already been introduced to Gabriel in previous chapters. But I believe when you look at this and study it, this is the pre-incarnate Jesus before he was born because look, when you look at all of the descriptions, his face, his eyes, and all of that, and then you turn to Revelation chapter 1, verses 12 and 16, that's the very same thing that John saw when he looked into heaven and he wrote that.
And the first thing that happened to John when he saw that revelation of God, who he is, what did he do? He fell on his face. There was no strength; he couldn't move. And so it is with Daniel. He said, I fell on my face; my strength was gone. I was overwhelmed by his presence. I've never seen anything like that. I'm telling you, when you get a revelation of the real Jesus, of who he really is, you can't just casually waddle into his presence, but there's something there that will change your life.
So he says, who is this man? Well, I believe he was the pre-incarnate Jesus. Now look, verse 12, and he said to me, another which was Gabriel. Now Gabriel comes and touches him, and then he said to me, do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day—say first day—from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humble yourself before God, your words were heard, and I've come because of your words. Wow, Daniel, when you uttered those words 21 days ago, God immediately heard you, and I was bringing the answer.
But then he goes on to say, here's what happened. Verse 13: but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there for a long time with the kings of Persia. Now I've come to make you understand what will happen to the people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.
So in this chapter 10, Daniel gives us a picture, and he said, I was bringing the answer back, but in the heavenlies, I got tied up with this demonic representation that was controlling the area of Persia, which is Iran today. And he said, I fought, I fought, and I couldn't get through. I couldn't bring the answer, and Michael came and helped me get through.
So what he's saying to us is beyond what we can see right now, in the unseen realm, there's a spiritual battle that's going on. How many of you ever read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti? I'm telling you, the greatest fictional book that you'll ever read about what we're talking about today, about how that our prayers become ammunition for angels that are fighting against demons.
Abraham Cooper was a brilliant journalist, a theologian, and the prime minister of the Netherlands. And he writes, "If once the curtain were pulled back and the spiritual world behind it came into view, it would expose to our spiritual vision a struggle so intense, so convulsive, sweeping everything within its range, that the fiercest battle ever fought on earth would seem, by comparison, a mere game. Not here, but up there. That's where the real conflict is waged."
So, Daniel is saying in this, there are actually demons and there are angels, whether you believe that or not. And they're in a spiritual combat today because they don't want your answer to come. They don't want the breakthrough of God in your life. They don't want to see your family member saved. They don't want to see what God wants to do for us.
John Piper, a great theologian, said, "So then I would conclude that there are high-ranking demonic powers over various regimes, dominions, and governments, and realms of the world. And that they work to create as much evil and corruption and spiritual darkness as they can. They strive to interrupt Christian missions and ministry as much as they can."
If that's true, and the words of this chapter are true, and there's such a battle going on, and our prayers actually give fuel and ammunition to the enemy, then why aren't we praying more aggressive prayers for his kingdom to come? Why do we settle with prayers like, now I lay me down to sleep, or thank you, Lord, for this food, or help me to get a good parking place here, give me favor or something else?
How about that we begin to recognize that God has a great plan for us and for this planet Earth, and we begin getting involved in aggressive warfare praying? As best as I understand, our prayers provide spiritual reinforcement for the battles that are taking place.
1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 1 and 3, look at this, says, "Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority," that's our civic leaders, praying for them, our president, for all that are in authority. So when I pray for them, then I can lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.
In other words, it seems to me, if I understand this right, the destiny of many nations has been changed because God's people pray fervently.
2 Corinthians 10, 4 and 5, "For the weapons of our warfare are not big muscles, but they are strong. They are not carnal. They are not flesh-saving. But they are mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
I mean, if that sounds like too much, consider the words of Ephesians 6 and 12. "For we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places."
In other words, he says, in the dark realm, in the satanic realm, there are levels of authority and power, as if Michael is the angel, the guardian angel of Israel. You see that over and over. He's the archangel, and you'll see Gabriel fulfill his role the same way in Satan's domain. He's got various, various things.
Sometimes people say, well, just pray the devil gets off of me. Trust me, the devil didn't bother him with you. You know where he probably is? He's probably somewhere in Washington, D.C., or somewhere in the Middle East right now. That's where he's spending his time. But there are demonic spirits that are assigned against you, just as you have angels that are assigned to you.
And some of us, our angels are pretty worn out, and God has to send more replacements, maybe because we're not even ready. We don't pray to angels. We pray to God. But as I pray to God, then God sends strength, and he sends victory. And it's a whole realm. It's more than just one message that I could teach you.
But it reminds us that our battle is not against humans. Whether it's an abortion person, abortionist, pornographers, godless politicians, corrupt business leaders, drug dealers, they're not the source of our problem. They are puppets being used of a kingdom. They are puppets being used of a kingdom. They are puppets being used of a kingdom behind them.
But yet we attack individuals instead of going higher and saying, I rebuke that spirit in the name of Jesus that is driving them to confusion, that drives them. Because sometimes you say as a Christian, how could anybody believe that? How could anybody do that? Anybody with half a brain, could they do that? Because you don't realize their minds are being used by the enemy, and they can't see beyond this.
That's why it's time for the church to rise up and pray for a great revival to come back to this nation. Today, as we were in between services, a young man came by, Jose, third time here. He said, I don't know, but God sent me here three weeks ago, and I know I'm supposed to be here. And he said, I just, I was getting ready to leave, and he said, I just really felt like I needed to come back. I felt like the Lord spoke a prophetic word to me.
I said, well, what is it? He said, I really feel like that the Lord said you're really on target, because this message is really what's happening in the heavenlies. And God has a great move for this church. God has some great healings in this church. I'm tired of the word cancer, aren't you? I'm tired of that.
And so we pray these little piddly prayers, but I really believe, and as he said, I just want you to know that when you call the church to pray, and we began aggressively praying, we're going to see a greater move of God than we've ever seen in Leesburg or the Father's house. And I received that word in my heart, and I hope you receive that word.
So he said, the prince of Persia came against me to hinder what God was doing. Verse Ephesians 6, 13 through 14 encourages us in this battle to put on the whole armor of God. "Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. And having done all, do what? Say it again. Stand. Having done all, stand. Stand therefore, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness," and it goes on with the rest of the things that are there.
You see, we wrestle in this battle against principalities and powers. Have you ever noticed that some countries seem to be more hooked on and dominated by different things like crime, sex trafficking, murder? I mean, even many of my travels in Haiti and into the Caribbean and Africa, coming against people that practice voodoo. In fact, there's 60 million people today around the world that still practice voodoo, which is basically witchcraft.
And it's a lot of weird things that go on there. But you see, in the midst of that, I'm thinking about all the nations of the world. Like sometimes you can, I've been in 75 different nations. And sometimes when you would land, you would immediately feel the spirit, right, Mike? You'd really feel the spirit of that place. When you land in Amsterdam, you'd immediately feel just the vulgarness of that city and the pornography and the abuse.
Or when you land in Vegas, you know, I love the lights, I love the shows, but there's a spirit even in Vegas, you can see that's not a spirit of a breath of fresh air. But I also found that when I landed in Seoul, South Korea, and got off the plane, it was like a breath of fresh air. You know why? Because that nation prays aggressively because they know the only reason they're existing today is because of God.
They know that there's tunnels already built from North Korea down to their area in South Korea. You go into a fine restaurant to eat, and I don't care who you are, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, whatever you are, when it's time to pray over the meal, they don't just bow their heads in quiet. They thank you, Lord, for this food. They stand up boldly and say, "Lord, in your name, we thank you for who you are." And I mean, man, they have a revival in their prayer.
Why? Because they know that's the only thing that's kept them. Where have we missed it? Where have we gone awry? Have we gone so comfortable that we're no longer engaging in the battle? We just want to sit back and we just want to rest and see what happens.
Let me just give you five quick summary statements that you can take home with you today and apply to your life.
Number one, know that heaven hears you immediately. Man, I just felt like sitting over there a minute ago that that was one of the most important things I would say. Somebody today, because you've been saying, God doesn't hear my prayers. I can't pray like Andrea or I can't pray like Tim or I can't pray like somebody else. God never hears my prayers. I'm just a nobody. But I want you to look at verse 12. The angel said, don't fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart, your words were heard, and I've come because of your words.
See, this ought to encourage us when we feel that our prayers are hitting the ceiling, bouncing back. I'm telling you, the tiniest whisper from a believer on earth is shouted through the corridors and the courts of heaven. God hears our prayers when we cry.
Number two, be patient in the wait. Yeah, uh-oh. None of us like to wait, do we? I like those prayers you pray and immediately it's answered. I love the prayer that you prayed Wednesday night for me and for Maggie. I immediately, you guys were praying at 7:50, and about 7:50 to 8 o'clock, I began really feeling some relief in my knee that was literally bringing me to tears. I literally felt it just like that, Anita and I both.
You see, we want prayers like that, right? We don't want those prayers that we pray, been praying for your loved ones, been praying for somebody to get saved, praying for revival, praying for your own ministry, praying for that, and you haven't seen it yet. But I'm going to tell you, be patient in the wait.
In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came to my mouth, and I didn't anoint myself at all till three whole weeks. He must have really been stinking, right? But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
What happened on that day? The prayer was delayed because of the static. You ever had a prayer that was delayed because of the static? You ever had a prayer that was delayed because of the static? Some of you are not old enough to have the old radio that you had to try to tune in. Remember static? And then you tune it in, it'd get clear. That's the way sometimes our prayer is. Our prayer, first of all, seems like it's just a bunch of static, but after you get it tuned in, then you see, wow, this thing is really working.
You know, I think where we face our greatest attack in prayer is when we start praying for God's cause on this planet earth, and for the intercession of the lost. I don't know if you can do it right now, but if you go on your phone and go to the Father's house, the Father's house, there we go, and if you'll look there, some beautiful faces. Oh, I love those faces. Yeah, they're all good. Scroll down through there. Oh, there's Anita. She's beautiful. There's Tim. He's handsome. Yeah. Oh, there's me. Everything's going better now.
All right. So upcoming events. And then there comes a place called unreached of the day. Anita and I use this day after our devotion. We do the YouVersion plan, and we read this, and then we pray. So every day you pray for the unreached of the day. And today we did that praying. When I first prayed this morning, it was like 500 people. Now there's over a thousand. And they actually have, if you scroll down through there, how many of you heard the sheep? Have you heard of the Shihab's? Never heard of them. But without Jesus, they're lost.
So every day we sit, and some days I sit in that chair, and I think, are these prayers making any difference? But I think one day they will. And I think if we become more aggressive in our prayers, launch onto that unreached of the day, and let that read that, and just say, amen, so be it, whatever.
Number three, be consistent. Be consistent and persistent in prayer. Don't start and stop. Sometimes when a tragedy comes into our life or something difficult, do we start praying, but when the answer is a little longer than we thought, then we start to sort of just give up and fade away.
Daniel said, I alone saw the vision, and great terror fell upon me. And he said, as I was praying, you see in chapter 9, remember in chapter 9 he said as I was praying the angel spoke to me, but here he says it's 21 days before I had the answer. What if Daniel had quit at day 19? What if he had to quit at day 20? What prayer is it that you started and you stopped?
I'm standing here to tell you today the answer to your prayer is on the way. It's been stifled in the heavenlies, and you haven't been sending up any prayer support to that. Maybe it was a dream you had, a business, a ministry, something, and it's been there. You thought that's so you, you over, it's never going to come. But I'm going to tell you, don't give up.
Number four, expect supernatural strength in the midst of your warfare. Remember Daniel said, I lost all strength. I had no strength. Then in verse 18 he said, then the one having the likeness of man touched me and strengthened me. Oh, greatly beloved, fear not, peace be to you, be strong. So when I, when he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Lord, let my Lord speak to me," and I was strengthened and said, "Lord, let my hand speak for you have strengthened me."
I know sometimes spiritual warfare can be tedious and could be long and it can be worn out. You say, I'm not sure how much longer, but I'm telling you as you engage in that, then the Lord will give you the strength, the strength, the strength.
And number five, stay ready. It's not a one-time fight. It's not a one and done. Say, whoo, I got victory over that, that's all good, I'm smooth sailing. Not just not perfectly, but I'm going to stay here and I'm guess what? There's another battle awaiting. He said, don't you know, verse 20, then he said, don't you know that I've come to you, and now I must return to fight the prince of Persia. And when I've gone, then I won't have to fight the prince of Greece that will come.
If you know your history, you know that Greece overran Persia, conquered that. So he said, I know that when I come, I've got to go face the spirit, the greatest spirit of evil that's in Greece.
So as we look at this, I would just like to say to you, don't give up. If you like quitting, don't give up, because you may be on day 19. Do you feel like just quitting on your marriage? It's not worth fighting anymore. Never give up. Do you feel like that this temptation that you face is greater than you? Don't give up. Wherever you're struggling, don't give up.
Because you see, sometimes we've got God all figured out of what he should do and how he should do it. But what if God upset your cart? Because he's got a whole different plan. Because God's got a plan to redeem this world. And the choice is, am I going to set back a spectator and complain about all the things? Or am I going to step up to the truth of God's Word and begin praying, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done?
I know some of you have been praying for that lost loved one. You think they're so far gone, they're never going to be reached. But I want to tell you, every prayer that you pray, there's reinforcement to that angel that's working to try to reach your loved one.
How many of you today would say, Terry, in one area of my life or more, this makes sense today? Because I've really kind of given up on some things, and I'm really not sure that God even hears my prayer, that I'm even worthy of Him hearing my prayer. But I'm going to get back in the game. I'm going to get serious about this. Would you raise your hand? I want to pray for you today. Just raise your hand. Hands going up all over today.
Let me just pray for you. Father God, we come to you today. And Lord, in your kingdom, there's no quitting. In your kingdom, there's no backing down. So today, I pray for every hand that was boldly raised and said, I need to get back in the game. I need to get the armor back on. I need to crank up my prayer life again. I need to get serious about this nation. I need to get serious about the revival that's coming. I need to get serious about my family.
Lord, I pray today that you would be with the ones who raised their hand. As your head has continued to bow and your eyes closed, maybe you're here today, and you say, Terry, I'm really not where I need to be with the Lord. Years ago, I was on fire, and I had everything going, but I kind of got sidetracked because it seemed like God didn't answer my prayers, and so I just sort of gave up on some of those.
Or maybe something came to an end, and it's been hard for you to reestablish a fresh beginning. Or maybe you're sitting here today and say, Terry, I don't know Jesus. Now, you know the name of Jesus, but you don't know him as your Savior. Who is Jesus? Well, he's the Son of God. He's God. For God so loved the world that he sent his only son for you and me. He died on the cross for my sins and your sins.
But on the third day, he rose from the grave so that as many as call upon him could be saved. If that's you today and you say, Terry, I just need to get back in the game. I need to get serious about God. I need to surrender my life to him today. I want to know him like I've never known him before. Would you raise your hand and make eye contact with me? I want to pray for you today.
Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you over here. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Others today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You may put your hand down.
Pray this prayer with me today. Father God, thank you for reminding me today that you hear my prayers. I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. Come into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Spirit. And as best as I know how, I'm going to serve you all the days of my life.
Church, would you celebrate with those six or seven today that prayed that prayer?
Listen, here's what we're going to do in a minute. We're going to stand, sing just a little bit more of this song, so don't rush out until they dismiss you. The prayer team will come down front if you need prayer. And those of you who lifted your hands and prayed that prayer with me, go over to the first step here or first step here or outside. Pick up some of the resources that we have because they're really going to help you in this battle.
All right, let's stand and let's sing. See you next week.
1) "Do you ever have times when things aren't going just the way you planned? Has that ever happened to anybody else besides me? I mean, you plan something, you pray for something, and then it doesn't work. It doesn't happen. Maybe, for instance, you were thinking about you're going to get married, okay, and you got it in your mind. You're going to get married. You got these ideas of evening casual strolls and summer evenings and romantic dinners every night and a perfect house always just right and the lawn perpetually trimmed and everything good, but it's not going as planned, right?" [37:09] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "I believe in prayer. I believe God answers prayer. I believe he does that. But today we're going to look at chapter 10 because it's going to help us to understand a little bit about why our prayers are not answered always the way that we want them to be answered. I think what you're going to see today in Daniel chapter 10 is a picture of what happens in the heavenlies. Beyond this earth, in the heavenlies, there's a perpetual battle that's going on between demons and between the angels of God." [40:59] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "It's amazing things sometimes when you feel downcast and down and out and everything's going bad and it's not going right. That if you just lift your eyes a little bit towards him, lift your eyes a little bit towards him. How many times has that happened in your life? Just, just lift your eyes a little bit and look towards him and allow him to speak to you." [40:59] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "I'm telling you when you get a revelation of the real Jesus of who he really is you can't just casually waddle into his presence but there's something there that will change your life so he says who is this man well I believe he was the pre -incarnate Jesus." [47:13] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "If once the curtain were pulled back and the spiritual world behind it came into view, it would expose to our spiritual vision a struggle so intense, so convulsive, sweeping, everything within its range, that the fiercest battle ever fought on earth would seem, by comparison, a mere game. Not here, but up there. That's where the real conflict is waged." [47:13] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "Why do we settle with prayers like, now I lay me down to sleep, or thank you, Lord, for this food, or help me to get a good parking place here, give me favor or something else? How about that we begin to recognize that God has a great plan for us and for this planet Earth, and we begin getting involved in aggressive warfare praying?" [50:33] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "Know that heaven hears you immediately. Man, I just felt like sitting over there a minute ago that that was one of the most important things I would say. Somebody today, because you've been saying, God doesn't hear my prayers. I can't pray like Andrea or I can't pray like Tim or I can't pray like somebody else. God never hears my prayers. I'm just, I'm just a nobody. But I want you to look at verse 12. The angel said, don't fear Daniel for from the first day that you set your heart, your words were heard and I've come because of your words." [57:21] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "Be patient in the wait. Yeah, uh -oh. None of us like to wait, do we? I like those prayers you pray and immediately it's answered. I love the prayer that you prayed Wednesday night for me and for Maggie. I immediately, you guys were praying at 7 .50 and about 7 .50 to 8 o 'clock, I began really feeling some relief in my knee that was literally bringing me to tears. I literally felt it just like that, Anita and I both." [57:21] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9) "Be consistent and persistent in prayer. Don't start and stop. sometimes when a tragedy comes into our life or something difficult do we start praying but when the answer is a little longer than we thought then we start to sort of just give up and fade away Daniel said I alone saw the vision and great terror fell upon me and he said as I was praying you see in chapter 9 remember in chapter 9 he said as I was praying the angel spoke to me but here he says it's 21 days before I had the answer what if Daniel had quit at day 19 what if he had to quit at day 20 what prayer what prayer is it that you started and you stopped I'm standing here to tell you today the answer to your prayer is on the way" [59:45] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10) "Expect supernatural strength in the midst of your warfare remember Daniel said I lost all strength I had no strength then in verse 18 he said then the one having the likeness of man touched me and strengthened me oh greatly beloved fear not peace be to you be strong so when I when he spoke to me I was strengthened and said Lord let my Lord speak to me and I was strengthened and said Lord let my hand speak for you have strengthened me I know sometimes spiritual warfare can be tedious and could be long and it can be worn out you say I'm not sure how much longer but I'm telling you as you engage in that then the lord will give you the strength the strength the strength" [01:01:21] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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