“The Gospel According to Daniel”
Lesson 12 – A Spectacle to the World
Have there been times in your life where you are pouring your heart out to God but He seems to be silent? You pray and pray but you receive no response whatsoever? Have you ever felt that your prayers aren't even reaching God at all, that they bounce off the ceiling back to you? Daniel could relate with your experience.
Let's turn to Daniel chapter 10 and read together.
Daniel was mourning, praying, and fasting for three weeks. He was seeking spiritual guidance from God. He had understood the vision he had received but the time period seemed so long to him.
It was three weeks later that the angel Gabriel finally came and visited Daniel. He shared that God had heard Daniel's prayer on the very first day and immediately sent Gabriel! (Daniel 10:12)
So, why was there a three week delay between Daniel's prayer and Gabriel's arrival? Gabriel was blocked by a spiritual power strong enough to hinder an angel (Daniel 10:13). While Daniel was agonizing in prayer and fasting for twenty one days, there was a spiritual conflict happening that he did not know about (Ephesians 6:12). If you remember the story of Job, Satan was instigating calamities against Job as part of his accusation against God’s character. Job had no idea that he was actually taking a part in the great controversy between Christ and Satan (Revelation 12:7-12). Little did Daniel know that his prayer had cosmic implications!
Gabriel was battling at a standstill until Jesus came to his aid (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 12:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7). If even angels need Jesus to help them overcome spiritual powers, how much more do we need Jesus to help us? (Philippians 4:13)
We are caught in a great controversy between Jesus Christ and Satan (1 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 10:32-33) just as Daniel was over 2500 years ago. There is spiritual warfare happening around us right now with the powers of darkness against us (Ephesians 6:12). However, we can take heart that Jesus has overcome the powers of darkness (John 16:25) and that we can overcome too as long as we cling to Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).
Just as Gabriel traveled from heaven to earth to share good news with Daniel, Jesus came down from the throne of heaven to come to earth to share with us the good news that redemption is here! Jesus had overcome the world (John 16:33) and He can help us do the same if we put our faith completely in Him (Isaiah 52:7).
Friend, Daniel did not give up when he thought his prayers were not answered. He held onto God’s promises and clung onto Jesus (2 Peter 3:8-10). We need to do the same today and put on the full armor of righteousness (Ephesians 6:13-18). Will you keep praying and keep your faith in Jesus, no matter what?
