Your Prayers Were Heard
Read Daniel 10:12-13
It is impossible to address the
topic of waiting without speaking of impatience. When I say a prayer, most of
the time my preference would be to have it answered right away rather than
endure any amount of waiting.
The message in Daniel 10:12-13 clarifies for us that sometimes the reason we must wait is for the spiritual battle to be fought.
“From
the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before
your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the
prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of
the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings
of Persia.”
This passage is a bit confusing to
understand. The New Living Translation uses the terms “spirit prince” and
“archangel” for “prince” and “chief prince.” This helps us see the spiritual
aspect of what is being discussed here. Here is a helpful explanation from the
HCSB Study Bible:
“The Persian prince had to be
supernatural to oppose this angel and he had to be evil to oppose God’s
purposes. Therefore, we conclude that he was a demonic spirit seeking to
influence the political affairs of Persia and oppose God’s purposes.”
Don’t get lost in
the spiritual mystery here and miss the first phrase – “From the first day.”
When Daniel started to pray, God started to act. He’s not doing nothing in our
waiting. There were unseen battles that needed to be fought before Daniel could
get the answer he sought. Our prayers give support and strength to those
fighting that battle. Keep praying – you are helping to win the spiritual
battle, even though it may take a long while.
Your prayers
give strength to God’s army fighting the spiritual battle. God is not doing nothing in our waiting.
Read these verses and their contexts to get
a fuller picture of the spiritual fight. Make note of what each verse teaches
you.
·
Ephesians
6:11-18
·
2
Corinthians 10:3-4
·
2 Kings
6:16
As we are in our waiting time, remember the spiritual battle. Pray that
God would open your eyes and let you see this truth. Pray that he would help
you to hone your spiritual weapons and to take a stand. Pray that spiritual
strongholds are demolished. This is not passive waiting, but doing your part to
win the battle against Satan’s forces.
Amen! God is at work, and what mighty work it must be to be so opposed! The victory will be enormous!
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