2007-12-30 - Daniel

Chapter 10: Part 5, Installment 82

Verses 15-11:1: The message brought to Daniel is one of the future of the Jewish people. Again Daniel was overwhelmed, and he expressed his inability to even receive it. But the angel encouraged him with the call to be strong. The angel remains to encourage the Medo-Persian in some way, until the time it falls to Greece. And he and Michael stood by Darius to hold him to God's purposes. But the real purpose of his coming to Daniel was to reveal what is written in the Book of God. And it is this message that we will examine next time. Now the first thing we must take from the passage is a reminder that we are not just fighting just the circumstances of life, but that even our battles take place in the spiritual realm. And our primary weapon is prayer. Note a very important point in verse twelve. The angel was sent as a response to the prayers of Daniel.

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16)

It is not only the prayers of the individual which are important in this warfare, but it is the corporate prayers of the body of Christ that God chooses to use. This is way the constant exercise of prayer is so important to the life of a body.

As we saw last week, these prayers include a recognition of who God is - and praise and worship of Him. And with the worship of God also comes a realization of just how far we fall from the mark, and therefore our prayers must include confession of sin and repentance.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Prayer also includes intercession for one another, other believers - and for nonbelievers as well. This is why it is vital that we pray, as a body, for individuals. Also as part of our intercession, we must be aware of the spiritual battle that is occurring. Again, we must lift up each other and the body. We must claim the victory of Christ over Satan, and pray for the protection that comes from God's resources, which include the angelic realm.

Comments or Questions?
Geoff

GKragen@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

Additional studies by Geoff
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