The book of Daniel holds some beautiful and important truths about prayer that I'd like share. The first truth is that as soon as we begin to pray, God not only hears our prayers, but moves on them. Note Daniel 9:23 and 10:12:
"As soon as you begain to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed."
"Since the frist day you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in reponse to them."
Note, by the way, that Daniel was more about seeking understanding than we was about answers. He was more about humbling himself before God than he was about making demands of God. He was more about God's will and his plans then he was about his own.
Perhaps you believe that this immediate hearing of prayers things was true for Daniel but not for you. After all, as we discussed yesterday, he was a rock star in the faith department - therefore he was highly esteemed by God. But, I doubt many of us feel like we measure up to Daniel, and so while this might be true for him, is it truly the same for us? Does God immediately act on our prayers? The answer is a resounding yes, because it isn't only in Daniel where we see this truth, this promise. In Isaiah 65:24, we read of this promise from God to all who are his chosen people - that's you and me! Here's what it says:
"Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking, I will hear."
So why, then, does it seem to take so long for God to answer our prayers? Why, then, do we wait? One reason that answers can be delayed is found as we continue to read in Daniel 10:13:
"But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia."
The reason Daniel's answer to prayer was delayed was because of a spiritual battle. So just in case you don't believe in spiritual warefare, here we have proof. My study notes say that the prince of Persia was, "Apparently a demon exercising influence over the Persian realm in the interests of Satan. His resistance was finally overcome by the archangel Michael, "the great prince who protects" the people of God"(12:1). It is true, my friends, that Satan and his demons will certainly try to come against anything that would fulfill the will of God and give glory to God. And because prayers that are answered are so often turned back to God in praise, it only makes sense that he would try to frustrate God's work - especially when it comes to a purpose of God being fulfilled in our lives, or a god-planted and created desire coming to fruition.
So what do we do about it? Are we powerless? Certainly we are not! We pray not only for our desires or needs, but we also pray against anything that would come against these things. The battle rages, my friends. Satan would love nothing more than for us to not receive what we pray for. He would love nothing more than to stop God's glory from shining brilliantly in lives in the way he answers our prayers. He would love nothing more than for us to lose faith and not praise God. And when the prayers are things that are family and church related, he comes on twice as strong because he's twice as threatened.
We are not meant to be discouraged by the spiritual battle, but to take our stand and be encouraged to know that God fights for us. I like what Matthew Henry's commentary says about this. He says, "While Satan and his angels, and evil counselors, excite princes to mischief against the church, we may rejoice that Christ our Prince, and all his mighty angels, act against our enemies."
My precious friends, God indeed hears your prayers - even before they reach your lips. He is acting on your behalf and for your good. Don't give up - continue to pray, continue to believe, continue to stand on God's word and God's promises. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". Romans 8:38-39
"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god besides you, who acts on behaof of those who wait for him." Isaiah 64:4
I pray, friends, that you will be strong, take heart, and wait on the Lord! Blessings to you!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
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