WEBVTT 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:12.560 If you would take your Bible and open with me to Daniel chapter 9. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:14.560 Daniel chapter 9. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:23.519 As we turn to Daniel chapter 9, this is what many would consider to be the Mount Everest of Old Testament Bible prophecy. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:35.759 Some would consider the final verses of Daniel chapter 9 to be the most significant prophecy in the Old Testament and the most difficult prophecy to interpret in the Old Testament, and that's saying a lot. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.079 Entire books have been written on Daniel 9, 24 to 27. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:46.479 Theologians have turned to Daniel chapter 9 to wrestle with the end times theology that's present there. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:54.799 But we have to keep in mind that the prophecy that we find at the end of the chapter is preceded by 19 verses of prayer. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:01:03.520 Daniel is pouring out his soul in adoration and confession and supplication before his God. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:07.760 This is a chapter that highlights the prayer of Daniel. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:10.400 It's the longest recorded prayer of Daniel. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:13.920 It's one of the longest prayers that we have anywhere in the Old Testament. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:18.239 It's powerful, it's fervent, it's sincere, it's effectual. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:27.280 And this prayer is going to be so instructive for us because even though we might not be in Babylon, we're still a long way from home as believers, aren't we? 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:29.120 We're still a long way from home. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:40.719 And Daniel teaches us how to pray as exiles, as sojourners, as those who are looking for a city which has a foundation whose architect and builder is God. 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:47.920 And Daniel is one of us, and he prays as a model for us, a model for weary pilgrims who are a long way from home. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:52.319 So let's turn our attention to Daniel chapter 9, and I'll start reading at verse 1. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:02:00.959 In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahashuarus of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans in the first year of his reign. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:13.759 I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely seventy years. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:20.560 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and supplication, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:39.840 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant and loving kindness for those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:48.960 Moreover, we have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:51.199 Why don't you bow with me for a word of prayer? 00:02:51.520 --> 00:03:01.039 Heavenly Father, we come before you, Lord, and Father, we are grateful for your inerrant word, this word that's authoritative, this word that's sufficient for all of life. 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:03.840 All that we need for life and godliness is found in your truth. 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:12.719 And Father, I pray that uh today that uh you would speak to our hearts, and Father, that you would use me as a weak instrument to be a blessing to your people, I pray, in Jesus' name. 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:13.599 Amen. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:28.639 The effectual, fervent prayer of Daniel and Daniel chapter 9 accomplished much, and it was answered not only by a prophecy at the end of this chapter, but it was also answered by a personal message from Gabriel who was sent from heaven. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:52.800 If you look down at chapter 9 and verse 20 of the chapter, it says, Now while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:04:04.319 So if you had any question about whether or not Daniel's prayer life was really effective, all you have to look at is the prophecy that he was given, as well as the personal message that he received from heaven. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:11.919 How many of you receive a personal visitation from an angel to say, hey, we're listening to your prayers, we're getting the message on the other end. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:16.000 So here you have Daniel as a model of prayer. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:18.399 Daniel was a man who was highly esteemed. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:25.759 In Ezekiel chapter 14, it lets us know that Daniel would have been one of three men who would have been rescued because of his righteousness. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:30.800 In Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 33, it says that by faith he shut the mouths of lions. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:41.120 And Daniel was so committed to prayer that he prayed three times every day and was willing to become lunch meat rather than neglect his quiet time. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:46.240 He'd rather be a meal for lions than neglect his time in prayer. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.560 Daniel was that committed to prayer. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:57.360 So if you think about Daniel and you wonder where did the power of his life come from, you have to look no further than the times that he spent before his God in prayer. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.800 Many of you know the name Charles had in Spurgeon. 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:08.720 Spurgeon was a preacher of the 19th century, a preacher and pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:15.279 He's been called the Prince of Preachers and one of the greatest preachers that England ever produced, and we still read his sermons today. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:22.160 And there was a story that was told about some young ministers who came to his church who were wondering, you know, where did his power come from? 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:29.600 And they they visited the sanctuary where he he preached, where he heralded God's word, and they said, This must be where the power is. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:36.560 And after he showed them his sanctuary, he invited these young ministers to come with them on a trip in the basement to the boiler room. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:41.360 And the young minister said, Well, you know, that's polite, but you know, we're gonna decline. 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:43.120 Uh no need to go down into the basement. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:48.879 You know, we've already seen the church, and he he he he he encouraged them to come, he wouldn't let them go. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:54.720 And finally they came down into the to the basement where there were about a hundred people in prayer. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:59.839 And he let them know that if they wanted to see where the power came from, it was right here. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:09.680 The same was true of Daniel's life, the power of his life came from prayer, and it's the same in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as well, wasn't it? 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:17.519 His disciples examined his life, and they eventually came to the conclusion that there was something different about the way that this man prays. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:27.120 In Luke chapter 11, it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:29.199 And think about what they didn't ask him. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:32.879 They didn't say, Lord, teach us to preach like you do. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.199 I mean, you can captivate thousands. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:38.240 I mean, no man has ever spoken the way that you do. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:43.600 Can you teach us how to outline a sermon like you do? 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.240 They didn't come to Jesus and say, Can you teach us how to perform the miracles that you do? 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:51.120 I mean, that walking on water thing, that's really impressive. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:53.040 I'd really like to do that sometime. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.000 Can you teach us how to do the miracles that you do? 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:01.199 They didn't ask any of that, but they did come to Jesus and say, Lord, can you teach us how to pray like you do? 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.639 There was something significant about his prayers. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:11.040 And in Daniel chapter 9, we're taken to the place where Daniel knelt on his knees. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.720 It was his own boiler room. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:16.399 It's where he offered this effectual and fervent prayer. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.319 And Daniel teaches us in Daniel chapter 9 how to pray. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:22.560 This is Daniel's prayer class 101. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:24.959 So I hope you're all signed up for the class. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:29.519 Daniel chapter 9 teaches us how to pray, not by precept, but by example. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:33.680 And in broad terms, this text answers three questions about powerful prayer. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:36.800 What is it that provokes powerful prayer in verses 1 and 2? 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.920 What's the posture of powerful prayer in verses 3 to 4? 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.079 And also what's the pattern of powerful prayer? 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:50.879 That shows up later in verses, uh, the end of verse 4 down to verse 19, but today we'll just cover the what provokes powerful prayer and what's the posture of powerful prayer. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:52.480 So let's take a look at the first point. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:55.199 What is it that provokes powerful prayer? 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:56.720 Look at verse 1 again. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:04.079 It says, in the first year of Darius, the son of Ahashuarus of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:09.600 And you might not think that that's significant, but that is extremely significant, that historical detail. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:18.639 We're introduced to Darius back in chapter 5 and verse 31, where it says that Darius the Mead received the kingdom at about the age of 62. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:22.800 And this man received the kingdom from the Babylonians. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:23.759 He came and took over. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:28.959 Darius actually is a regal name, it's a name that means hero among rulers. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:32.000 And, you know, obviously they're really humble guys, that's how they called themselves. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.159 You know, I'm the hero among rulers. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:39.279 And Darius shows up and he takes over the kingdom of the Babylonians, the Medo-Persian kingdom. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.840 This hero among the rulers came and took over the kingdom of Babylon. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:46.879 But think about what this meant for Daniel. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:51.679 Daniel had just seen the rise and fall of an entire empire. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:09:01.600 He was there when it started, the Babylonian kingdom, 605 BC, in Daniel chapter 1, in verse 1, it says Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:06.000 And that was the rise of the Babylonian Empire, 605 BC. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.840 Daniel, along with a number of other men, were taken to Babylon. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:16.559 And now Daniel is still here at the end of the Babylonian Empire when another kingdom is coming into power. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:21.679 So Daniel has seen the rise and the fall of an entire empire, and guess where he still is? 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:23.519 He's still in Babylon. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:30.240 This entire time I've seen the rise and fall of an empire, but I still haven't seen my prayers answered yet. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:35.039 Daniel was there 66 to 67 years. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:39.200 He prayed every day, three times a day. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:49.679 If you add that up three times a day, 365 days a year for 67 years, that's 73,365 prayers that he offered to the Lord. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:52.000 And you thought you were praying for a long time. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:56.080 Daniel has been persevering in prayer. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:00.799 And the first question that we ask is what is it that provokes powerful prayer? 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:05.279 My first answer is this a prolonged time under tension. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:09.600 Daniel has been here for an extremely long time. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.120 I've heard that uh that time under tension grows muscles. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:20.559 You know, for those of you who are into the fitness, you know, moving a weight slower rather than faster, you can build your muscles, you know, a little bit stronger. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:26.480 But if you go too slow and the weight's too heavy, you can pop your muscles rather than strengthen your muscles. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:36.799 I've seen those, you know, videos where you know guys are lifting these weights and the bicep just rolls up into their shoulder because it's too long under the pressure, too long under the weight. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:40.639 And Daniel has been here for a long time under this weight. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:45.440 He's been here to see the rise and fall of the kingdom, and he's been stretched beyond his limits. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:51.120 And the Psalms are filled with expressions of those who are stretched beyond their limits. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:57.200 Psalm 6, verse 3 says, Oh, my soul is greatly dismayed, but you, O Lord, how long? 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:04.960 Psalm 74, verse 10, how long, O God, will the adversary revile and the enemy spurn your name forever? 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.679 Is this going to go on and on forever, Lord? 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.840 Psalm 94, verse 3, how long shall the wicked exalt, O Lord? 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:14.559 How long shall the wicked exalt? 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:20.240 And a prolonged time under tension can provoke us to prayer, like, Lord, I've been here for so long. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:23.200 Is there going to be any relief to this? 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.720 Daniel's been under this tension for a long time. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.600 And he's only been told that things are going to get worse. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:40.639 If you look back in Daniel chapter 8 and verse 26, Daniel has just been told uh uh given a vision about the destruction and devastation of Jerusalem. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:44.960 And in verse 26, it says, the vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:47.919 Daniel, it's going to get worse before it gets better. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:49.919 And how does Daniel respond? 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.120 Look at verse 27. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:55.679 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick four days. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.919 Anyone exhausted out there? 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:02.000 Like, like, Lord, it doesn't seem like anything's gonna change. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:04.799 I've been here for such a long time. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.559 Is there anything that's going to change about my situation? 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:13.919 You know, maybe there's that prodigal son or daughter that you're still waiting on to come back home. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.960 Lord, how long is it going to be? 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:28.720 Maybe there's a marriage that's going through those vicious cycles, you know, where you think that you're just getting out of it, you know, there's going to be peace in our home, and then all of a sudden you're right back down into the same pit that you just dug yourself out of. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.039 And it's like, Lord, how long? 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.120 Maybe there's a tension in the family or the workplace. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:38.399 You know, every time you seem to get out of the penalty box, you're back in it again. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:47.440 It's like, Lord, like like here I am, I'm trying to serve you, I'm trying to be faithful, but but Lord, how long am I going to have to endure this trial? 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.200 How long, oh Lord? 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:54.159 There might even be a physical affliction that you're under that just doesn't let up. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:55.919 Lord, I need some help. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:57.840 How long is this going to be, Lord? 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.039 A prolonged time under tension provokes powerful prayer. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.759 Earnest prayer, fervent prayer. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:07.360 Well, what else provokes powerful prayer? 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:12.080 Not only a prolonged time under tension, but also scripture under consideration. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:13.279 Look at verse 2. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:28.960 It says, In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books, I love that, in the books, the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely 70 years. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:31.279 This is so incredibly instructive for us. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:37.919 And if if you don't consider the historical context here, you'll miss the significance of what Daniel is saying here. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:44.480 Daniel recognizes the words of Jeremiah as the word of the Lord. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.799 What I'm reading is the word of God. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:52.639 In the books, that's uh Sephair in Hebrew, in Greek, it's biblos, where we get our word Bible from. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:58.639 And he's he's reading the book of Jeremiah, and it's obvious to him that this is the word of the Lord. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:08.639 And we don't know how Daniel got his hands on the writing of Jeremiah because Daniel was already exiled in Judah while Jeremiah was still fulfilling his ministry back in Judah. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:13.919 You know, so Daniel's already in Babylon and Jeremiah's finishing his ministry up in Judah. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:27.200 But somehow, maybe through the later exiles who came and you know came to Babylon, they came with the scroll of Jeremiah and they they handed it to Daniel, and he reads this and he understands, I am reading the word of the Lord. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:29.039 Why is that so significant? 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:35.840 Daniel does not have to wait for some later Jewish council to get together to determine whether or not Jeremiah is really inspired. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:42.639 He's not waiting for some Catholic council to get together to say, you know what, I think that Jeremiah belongs in the books of the Bible. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:51.440 He's not waiting for some uh higher biblical critic to say, you know what, I'm gonna move this bead over here and determine that Jeremiah is really the word of the Lord. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:55.919 No, from the time that he read it, he understood this is the word of God. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:02.320 Tuck that away the next time somebody tells you that, you know, there's some kind of uh organization or church that created the Bible. 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:04.240 No, the Bible creates us. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.840 We don't create the Bible. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.399 This is the word of God before any councils, before any popes. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.759 This is still the authoritative word of God. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.440 So this is the word of God. 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:26.960 And these writings of Jeremiah that he's reading are telling him about a specific number of years that were determined for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:28.240 70 years. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:32.480 And where was Daniel reading to get that 70-year prophecy from? 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:38.240 Why don't you flip back to Jeremiah chapter 25 just to show you what Daniel was reading? 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:40.159 Jeremiah 25. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:44.399 And as you're turning to Jeremiah, Jeremiah is known as the weeping what? 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:45.919 The weeping prophet. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:47.120 Why is he weeping? 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:51.360 Because he's talking about the desolation, the destruction of Jerusalem. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:57.120 But he not only had bad news, he also had some good news to share as well, because there's coming an end to that. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:00.799 Look at Jeremiah 25, look at verse 11. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:07.759 He says, This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for how long? 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.279 Seventy years. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:14.720 Then it will be when 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:17.279 Flip over to Jeremiah 29. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:19.360 Look at Jeremiah 29. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:23.759 Look at verse 10. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:27.679 Jeremiah 29 and verse 10. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:30.879 It says, For thus says the Lord, when how many years? 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.440 70 years have been completed for Babylon. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:37.840 I will visit you and fulfill my good word to you to bring you back to this place. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.919 This is what Daniel has been reading. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:41.120 70 years. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:44.399 And he's looking at the clock and he says, the 70 years is about up. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:48.080 And look at what he says next, what Jeremiah says next in verse 11. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:53.039 And I know that this might be on a bumper sticker somewhere, or you know, you got a plaque somewhere at home. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:57.200 Uh, but just make sure you you refer back to the context every once in a while, okay? 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.240 Look at verse 11. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.279 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:06.880 Plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:19.839 This this is the prophecy that Daniel has been reading, and that's specifically talking about the plans that the Lord has to bring Israel out of Babylon and the other places that they've been driven to, back to the promised land. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.599 God says, I'm gonna bring you back. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.400 And I'm gonna bring you back after 70 years has expired. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:28.079 And Daniel is checking his calendar, and he says, the time's about up. 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.640 I've been here about 66 to 67 years. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.039 I mean, it's we should be right on schedule here. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:34.799 Seven years is 70 years. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.039 And he's checking his calendar. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:40.720 He he's been here praying for how long? 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.720 67 years? 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:52.400 73,365 prayers he's been offering, and now he discovers my prayers are about to be answered as he's been reading the word of God. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:57.440 So, what does Daniel do now having just discovered that all my prayers are finally going to be answered? 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:58.640 I've read it in the book. 00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:02.480 This is the guaranteed certain word of God, it's going to happen. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:03.759 What does Daniel do? 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.079 Flip back to Daniel chapter 9. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:11.599 What does Daniel do having just understood all that the Lord has given? 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:13.599 All that the Lord has promised? 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:15.279 How does Daniel respond to that? 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.559 Verse 3. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:23.519 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and supplications with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.400 And you wonder, like, Daniel, did you did you forget what you just read? 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:31.839 Like you just read that your prayers are going to be answered. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:33.519 Shouldn't you be celebrating? 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:38.000 You know, shouldn't you be, you know, blowing up the balloons and shooting off some confetti or something like that? 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:39.680 Hey, this is about to be over with. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:42.319 You know, the fireworks should be going off at this point. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.440 What are you doing putting on sackcloth and ashes? 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:47.839 Why are you fasting for? 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:49.759 It doesn't seem to make sense. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.160 It seems like it's totally out of place. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.400 I mean, shouldn't there be a sigh of relief? 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.880 What are you doing mourning? 00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:59.599 I'll tell you why. 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:02.240 This is the posture of powerful prayer. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:04.640 This is the posture of powerful prayer. 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:13.279 And if your view of the sovereignty of God leads you to have a deficient prayer life, you have a poor theology. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:20.559 Daniel doesn't just resign himself to, hey, you know, prayers are going to be answered, you know, sovereignty of God, don't have to worry about anything. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:27.599 He understands that God not only ordains the ends, but he also ordains the means. 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:29.359 He ordains the means. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:40.240 And as he's been reading in Daniel, in uh Jeremiah, he's been reading that that there's a part of this prophecy that involves me. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:48.319 Back in Daniel and uh Jeremiah 29, it says in verse 12, You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:54.559 In the same context where God is saying, I'm going to fulfill these things, he also says, and you're going to pray for it. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:57.759 I'm going to fulfill it, and you're going to pray for it. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.839 Does God sovereignly elect people to salvation? 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.920 Anybody believe that? 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:06.319 If you don't, it's in your Bible, okay? 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.240 Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:10.480 He chose us in him before the foundation of the world. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:13.119 God sovereignly elects, chooses people to salvation. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:20.559 But does that mean you just sit at home, you know, laying on your couch, eating some pretzels and donuts and just waiting for the Lord to do his work? 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.119 No. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.079 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.720 And how will they hear without a preacher? 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:30.720 Somebody needs to preach the message. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:37.920 So God not only ordains the ends that people will be saved, he also ordains the means that you are going to bring the message to them. 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.480 Do you believe that God's will is going to be done? 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.759 His kingdom is going to come? 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:42.319 Do you believe that? 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.839 His kingdom's coming to earth. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.039 I hope you do. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.160 It's in the Bible. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:49.599 But what does Jesus teach his disciples to pray? 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.319 Matthew 6. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:56.799 Pray then in this way our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:58.480 Hey, but I thought it was already going to happen. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:00.240 Yeah, but you're going to pray for it. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:03.119 Why are we praying for what God has promised to come? 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:05.680 Because that's what God has taught us to pray. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:07.680 That's how God has taught us to pray. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.920 That's the posture we're to come before God with. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:17.920 In the book of Revelation, Revelation gives a whole 22 chapters where it says that Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming. 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.880 He's coming. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.400 And what does John say at the end? 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.759 Even so come, Lord Jesus. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:24.960 Like I've just spent 22 chapters telling you I'm gonna come. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:27.680 But yeah, you're still supposed to pray for it. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:31.920 We're still earnestly desire what the Lord has promised. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.559 Even so come, Lord Jesus. 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:41.759 And in the same way, Daniel's prayer was one of the means that God used to fulfill his promise. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:47.599 Daniel rightly understood that I'm a part of this, that I need to pray for what God promises. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:51.519 And you are to pray for what God promises. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:59.759 You know, sometimes I think that people have this idea of prayer, you know, that we just wear God down until he finally says, All right, you know, uncle, uncle, I'm tired. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.079 You know, just I'll give it to you. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:05.200 Sometimes I think that's how people think that prayer is. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:10.079 But then you think, well, isn't that what happened in Genesis 32? 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:15.440 I mean, wasn't Jacob wrestling God and God finally relented and said, okay, I'll give it up. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.160 You know, I'm not gonna let you go until you bless me. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:20.559 It's like, all right, Uncle, just stop. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.599 Do you think that that's what was going on? 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.880 Listen to this. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:32.480 Chapter 25 of Genesis, God already promised Rebekah, Jacob's mother, that Esau would serve Jacob. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:34.160 The older would serve the younger. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.759 Chapter 27, Isaac told Jacob that he would be blessed. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:45.759 Genesis chapter 28, God says, Behold, I'm with you, I will keep you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:51.920 Genesis 31, verse 3, God says, Return to the land of your fathers to your relatives, and I will be with you. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.720 And then in Genesis 32, Jacob's there praying, God be with me, oh, please be with me. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.599 Don't let me go, I won't let you go until you bless me. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.079 But but that's what God had already promised. 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:04.079 I promised you that I'd be with you. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:05.519 So what is Jacob doing? 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:07.119 Is he rustling God down? 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.119 You know, I'm gonna defeat you, I'm gonna wrestle you against your will. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:13.519 No, this is what God had already promised him. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:18.480 You know, in a moment of desperation, it's it's like, you know, he's weak in his faith and he's just struggling here. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.720 But he's still praying for what God had already promised him. 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:24.720 Do you know that's what we do? 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.839 Moses, the same thing happened in the book of Exodus. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:31.440 The children of Israel corrupted themselves, they created the golden calf. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:34.079 You know, this ridiculous idea that Aaron had. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:36.799 And then he comes up with the excuse, like, hey, Moses, I don't know what happened. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.599 You gave me the gold, I threw it in the fire, it popped out a calf. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:42.319 Like, what am I what am I supposed to do? 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:51.680 God says in Exodus 32, Moses just let me alone, my anger that my anger may burn against them and I will destroy them. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.119 Just get out the way, Moses. 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.559 And what does Moses do? 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:57.920 He entreats the Lord, why does your anger burn against your people? 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:02.720 Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, with evil intent, he brought them out to kill them? 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:07.440 Oh Lord, turn from your anger, change your mind about doing harm to this people. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:09.440 But guess what Moses is praying? 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:11.759 He sprayed for what God already said that he would do. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.519 God said that he would bring his people out. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:19.519 Exodus 3, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, to a land flowing with milk and honey. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:24.960 God already promised that he would do that, and now Moses is just praying for what God had already promised. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:28.000 And this is the core of powerful prayer. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:29.200 This is the core. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.640 We're to align ourselves. 00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:31.440 This is it. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:38.880 If you get nothing else, powerful prayer is aligning yourself with the will of God and praying in that direction. 00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:43.839 You align yourself with God's will and you pray in that direction. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.759 1 John 5, 14. 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:54.400 This is the confidence which we have before him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:59.359 It's not the name it and claim it, blab it and grab it, you know, whatever I want, I can get it. 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:03.279 No, I'm aligning myself with the will of God and I'm praying in that direction. 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:05.279 What does God want for my life? 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:08.799 I'm going to submit myself, not my will, but your will be done. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.839 What is the will of God? 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.519 And I pray in that direction. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:14.880 That is the core of powerful prayer. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:16.880 This is what Daniel is doing. 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:19.759 He's praying according to the will of God. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:22.160 And he's confessing his sins. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:32.960 Verse 4 says, I pray to the Lord my God and confessed and said, Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant, loving kindness for those who love him and keep his commandments. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:37.680 And actually, what we find here is this is an example of Daniel praying scripture itself. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:45.680 We actually find this same language back in Deuteronomy 7 and verse 9 about God who keeps covenant and loving kindness. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:50.720 So Daniel is praying scripture, bringing scripture back to God, praying it to God. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:53.599 Same thing happened, Nehemiah quoted from Daniel. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:58.480 So it's scripture, quoting scripture, praying scripture, and that's what we need to do. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:03.839 And the most powerful times that I've had in prayer have always been with an open Bible. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:08.480 It's an open Bible, looking at what God says and praying according to his will. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:12.160 That has always been my most powerful time of prayer. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:15.839 It's the word of God that generates powerful prayer. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:19.359 Dale Ralph Davis writes this in his commentary. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:23.279 He says, Christians should let the Bible become their prayer book. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:28.400 If I'm reading the marvelous description of Yahweh's kingdom in Micah, should it not goad me to prayer? 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:30.400 Should I not pray for the fulfillment? 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:36.880 When I happen upon Romans chapter 11, ought it not incite me to pray that God would graft Israel back into his people again? 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:43.920 When I read about the assurance in Isaiah 33 that God would be the stability of your times, don't wavering and suffering believers come to your mind? 00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:47.920 Don't you delight to ask that God would show himself to them in his character? 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:50.559 Let scriptures drive your prayer. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:52.000 MacArthur writes this. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:56.799 He says, the word generates prayer because when it speaks of God, we long to commune with him. 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:59.119 When it speaks of blessing, we long to praise him. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:01.519 When it speaks of promise, we long to receive it. 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:05.359 When it speaks of sin, it leads us to pray for the loss and to confess our own sins. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:07.680 The word of God causes prayer. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:13.039 And Daniel's prayer, like all true prayer, began with an understanding of God's word. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:18.400 Daniel aligned himself with the will of God and prayed in that direction. 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:20.720 And he gave his attention to it. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:21.680 Verse 3. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.880 He says, So I gave my attention to the Lord God. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:32.720 That word to give attention, it's it literally in the Hebrew means to give him my face. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:40.400 I don't know if any of you have had the privilege of you know trying to teach children maybe in a classroom, maybe some of your own children. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:44.160 And then they have the wandering eyes, they're over here, they're over there, they're looking down here. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:45.599 It's like, what's that on my thumb? 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:47.440 And you're trying to teach them something. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:51.119 It's like, hey, hey, hey, hey, up here, up here, eyes on me. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:53.440 It's the same thing in Hebrew. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:54.559 Give me your face. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:58.160 Face up, lift up your face, don't look down here, don't look over there. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:27:59.839 Look at me, look at me. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:01.599 And this is what Daniel is doing. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:03.200 He says, I'm I'm giving you my attention. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:04.400 I'm giving you my face. 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:07.359 I'm looking to you, Lord, and I'm seeking after you. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:14.960 Psalm 27, verse 8 says, When you said, Seek my face, my heart said to you, Your face, O Lord, shall I seek. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.319 And that's what Daniel's doing. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:21.200 He's seeking the face of God, giving him his face, his undivided attention. 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:24.160 And how does he pray? 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:25.519 How does he pray? 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:35.440 We find here he says that he sought him by prayer, supplication, general word for prayer, specific petitions and prayer, prayer, supplications. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:38.720 But he also says, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:40.960 And these were symbols of mourning. 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:42.000 Mourning. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:48.160 So not only are we to pray for what God promises, we're to mourn over that which God punishes. 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:50.160 We're to mourn over our sin. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:51.519 And he's earnest about this. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:55.279 Fasting, sackcloth, ashes, all signs of grief. 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:57.519 There's a link between fasting and mourning. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:09.519 If you do a word study on fasting in scripture, you'll see that it's the overwhelming conclusion is that fasting is associated with periods of mourning, urgency, repentance from sin, life-changing decisions. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:14.000 And what a person was doing externally is what's going on in their hearts internally. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:17.200