Discover the Power of One, Part 5

Effective prayer must firmly be established. It must be deeply rooted in the promises of God. Every great prayer that is recorded in the Scripture always goes back to the promises of God. And here is no exception, verse 4 of chapter 9 of the book of Daniel.

Oh, Lord, great and awesome God who keeps His covenant! Thank you for joining listeners across six continents for Leading the Way, featuring the passionate and insightful teaching of Atlanta pastor, best-selling author and international evangelist, Dr. Michael Youssef. Today, go to a decisive moment in the life of Daniel. Dr. Youssef takes you to the ninth chapter of Daniel for a challenging lesson from Daniel's own life on integrating prayer into all areas of life and living, not just church, not just mealtime. Join me now in listening to a message called Daniel's Prayer from Dr. Michael Youssef on Leading the Way.

Today we're going to look at a man who was in secret before God and that's who he is and who he was. His prayer, and I'm so thankful that a secret prayer, the prayer of Daniel in chapter 9 was recorded and that survived 2,600 years so that you and I can be blessed with it today. On this particular day in Daniel's life, he was reading the prophecies of Jeremiah. It is most likely that when Daniel was a young boy, before he was caught in the net of Nebuchadnezzar and taken all the way to Iraq, most likely he heard with his own ears and he saw with his eyes the prophet Jeremiah preaching in Jerusalem. Most likely, he remembered the words of the prophecies and the words of the prophets. Most likely, Daniel remembered those words because he trusted in the words of Jeremiah to be the words of the living God.

We have people today in the church of Jesus Christ who are doubting the authority of the scripture. But here's a man who was living in the time of the scripture being written and he never doubted that what Jeremiah had spoken were directly Holy Spirit inspired and Holy Spirit written. So on this particular day, he begins to read chapters 25 and 29 in the book of Jeremiah. So what is this prophecy in Jeremiah?

Why? And he was reading it. There, Jeremiah had prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is going to come and is going to invade Israel. At that time, there were no war cries. In fact, most of the prophets, with the exception of Jeremiah, who were paid by the state in order to tickle the ears of the king and please the people, they said, peace, peace, peace, peace.

Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to us. We are God's chosen people.

Nothing possibly could happen to us. And Jeremiah was alone, crying out and saying, Nebuchadnezzar is coming. Israel and Jerusalem will be desolate.

People will be taken into exile. And at that time, people were laughing at the prophet of God, but not Daniel. As a young boy, he trusted in the words of the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah.

But not only that, here's what I really don't want you to miss. He said, it will be 70 years when the people of God are taken into captivity. And so Daniel looks at his watch, he looks at his wall calendar, and he said, Jeremiah said, 70 years.

And it has been 68 years, 2 more years. And God is going to fulfill his promise and God is going to take us back to the land. You see, Jeremiah's prophecy came to pass with meticulous precision. In fact, all of the prophecies came to pass with meticulous precision.

Jesus said in Luke 16, 16, the prophets and the law were unto John and from that time on, the kingdom of God is proclaimed. He said that he is the fulfillment of all the prophecies. And so, Daniel gets very excited as he comprehends the timing of God and the promises of God and the word of God. When Daniel prayed, claiming the promises of God, there was not a visible sign anywhere that God's promises are about to be fulfilled. It's one thing to see something and say, ah, God must be about to do something, so we start praying.

No, no, no, no. He was praying before there was even a hint that God, listen, he is in the palace, he is the prime minister. He's privy not only to the decisions of the king, but he was privy to the thoughts of the king. And at that time, there was no discussion of these people going back and God fulfilling of his prophecy. There was no indication whatsoever that this new emperor is going to send the exiles home. And what is even worse is that the younger generation of God's people could not care less about going home.

They were the so what generation. They couldn't care less about God fulfilling their prophecies. But as they were concerned, this is their home. I'm sure probably somebody is saying, well, Michael, Michael, as I've heard it from people who said to me, if God promised and God always keeps his promise, why do we bother praying? Why do we bother praying? Why did Daniel pray? Why did he pour his heart out to God when we know that God, when God promises, he keeps his promise? A great question and I'm glad you asked it because I want to answer it. You see, there are some people who think because God promised something that we should do nothing about changing our situation.

Beloved, I want to tell you something. Not only this is wrong, it is not biblical as we're going to see in this passage. Daniel's example is that the promises of God should spare us on. That the promises of God should motivate us to do something. That the promises of God should encourage us to plead with God. That the promises of God should propel us to do our part. You see, to Daniel's divine promise was a reason for him pouring his heart to God in prayer.

Not an excuse for doing nothing. So I want you to look at that prayer very closely. It's a magnificent prayer and I have four things to tell you. First, it is a prayer that is rooted in the promises of God. Secondly, it is a prayer that was resolute in seeking the glory of God. Thirdly, it is a prayer that is requesting the mercy of God. And fourthly, it is a prayer that reflects the needs of the people of God. I think if there is a subject over which so many Christians are confused, it's the subject of prayer.

And I want to tell you on the authority of God's Word, not what I think, that effective prayer must firmly be established. It must be deeply rooted in the promises of God. Every great prayer that is recorded in the Scripture always goes back to the covenant. Always goes back to the promises of God. And here is no exception, verse 4 of chapter 9 of the book of Daniel. Oh Lord, great and awesome God who keeps His covenant. Listen, you can be absolutely sure that when you pray, claiming the promises of God, in the Word of God, even if it takes a hundred years, God is going to answer. Amen belongs here. Now, I'm going to do a little bit of an interactive sermon here, OK? I'm going to ask you some questions. And I want you to answer me, and I want you to answer me loud and clear, because I want to hear you. Did Jesus promise in Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, that when you seek first the kingdom of Jesus Christ and His righteousness, that all our needs shall be met in glory?

God bless you. Second question, did God promise in Isaiah 55, 11, that when His Word is spoken, that it will not return to Him empty, it will not return to Him void? You may be witnessing to somebody for years, and you may be talking to someone for a long time, and you say, nothing is happening, nothing is happening. You can believe that God's Word will not return to Him void.

Let me ask you another question. In John chapter 15, verse 16, did Jesus promise that when you abide in Him, and when you obey His Word, that whatever you ask the Father in His name, He will give it to you? When you abide in Christ, when you obey His Word, when you walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, you can be sure that you're only going to ask those things that are glorifying to God, and God is going to give them to you. Daniel was praying, and his prayer was a prayer in confidence, not in who he is, not in what he accomplished, not even in the miracles that God performed in his life.

His confidence in prayer comes from the fact that God promised it, and he knew that God will keep His promise even if it takes 70 years. How many times we parents promise some things, and then due to some circumstances totally out of our control, we couldn't keep our promise? I have done that as a father of young children. I said, I'll be at that concert, or I'll be at that game, and then they cancel a flight from New York or from California, or wherever I was coming, and I can't make it. There's nothing to tear a father's heart or a mother's heart as when they could not keep their promises out of their control. You know what the kid's always response is?

It's predictable. But daddy, you promised. Daddy, you promised.

But listen to me, beloved friends. When it comes to God, there is no circumstance in the universe that will stop Him from keeping His promise, because that's who He is. You and I can be confident when we come to Him and say, Daddy, father, you promised.

No matter how long it takes, He will keep His promise. You know, sometimes I hear people talk about faith, and they say, well, how big is your faith? And again, just like prayer, they're so confused about what faith is.

Beloved, listen to me. Here's the truth about faith. Faith is how committed you are to trusting God to fulfill His promises to you. That's what faith is.

Let me repeat that. Faith is how committed you are to trusting God to fulfill His promises to you. And that is why James said, Elijah was just a man like unto us. But he prayed for it not to rain, and it did not rain.

And then he prayed for it to rain, and it rained. Now my friend, I want to tell you something. You have to be spiritually dead to not recognize that our nation is in trouble. That we're in deep spiritual trouble. We're a divided nation, and I'm sort of like the man who said, I don't care about the left wing, and I don't care about the right wing. I only care about the bird.

And I can tell you right now, the bird is very sick. You and I need not only go and vote, which is our sacred obligation, but we need to go on our faces before God and cry to Him like Daniel did. You see, that is why Daniel in this prayer repented not only of his own sins, but of the sin of the nation. And God heard his prayer. He heard the prayer of a solitary man, a faithful man nonetheless. Daniel's prayer was rooted in the promises of God.

Secondly, Daniel's prayer was resolute in seeking to glorify God. Most of us pray and ask God for things, and that's all right. I don't want to put you on the guilt trip.

You need to do that. It's all right. God wants you to pray for your needs. But most of us, we just pray for our grocery list. You know, God, give me this and give me this, and that's fine. And then depending on the level of our patience and perseverance, when God doesn't answer, say, ah, God is not going to answer that one, and literally disappear.

I want you to hear me right. The reason why we are not like Daniel is because we do not pray like Daniel. And the reason we do not pray like Daniel is because we do not know God like Daniel knew God.

And the reason we do not know God as Daniel knew God is because we do not live to the glory of God as Daniel lived. Look at verse 17. For the sake of your glory, for the sake of your sanctuary that is desolate. Look at verse 19. Save your people, Lord, for your sake, for your sake, Beloved, only when you and I become mastered by the glory of God, only when you and I be consumed by the glory of God, only when you and I know what it is to sacrifice for the glory of God, only then, when we're totally resolved to see nothing, we do nothing but for the glory of God.

Only then will we expect to receive the real blessings that flow from answer to prayers. Daniel's prayer was rooted in the promises of God. Daniel's prayer was resolute in seeking the glory of God. Thirdly, Daniel's prayer was a request for the mercy of God. Daniel was bold in his prayer. Sure, he was bold because he knew the Lord. He experienced him already. He knew his character. He knew his faithfulness. And he knew that he is rich in mercy. It has been several decades since Daniel was taken into exile.

It's been several decades. And most likely, Daniel's generation died off. And the younger generation who grew up in exile did not know Jerusalem, did not experience the glory of God. They have not seen the temple being filled with smoke. They have not seen the worship of God.

The younger generation did not comprehend even what Daniel was praying about. You see, just like our younger generation, all they know is that prayer outlawed from school. Like our younger generation, all they know is that the Bible is illegal to bring to public school. They only know is that the name of Jesus is used as a swear word on television. They only know that traditional family is becoming extinct. They only know that abortion is described by some politicians as a constitutional right. All they know is that the definition and the redefinition of marriage after 6,000 years is becoming a human right issue.

And so many of the younger generation only know what is a spiritual exile that we've been experiencing in the last 40 years in this great country. And that is why, like Daniel, many of us who know that those last 40 years have been a spiritual exile, spiritual desolation like that of Israel need to teach the younger generation to plead for God's mercy. We dare not ask for God's justice. We dare not ask God for what is fair because God's justice literally will destroy us. And therefore we plead for mercy. Look at verse 18.

We do not present our supplications before you because of our righteous deeds but because of your great mercy. Micah 7 18 said that God delights in mercy and Daniel knew that. The covenant God is a father. He's a father, a great father. And by his covenant he brings us into his family.

And as a great and wonderful and good father he takes pleasure. He takes delight in hearing the requests of his children especially when they appeal to his covenant character. Daniel has not forgotten that he's praying to a God who's rich in mercy. A God who loved them again and again despite of their disobedience, despite of their rebellion. A God who forgave them again and again.

A God who restored them again and again. A God who had mercy on them a million times before. And it is Daniel to say, Lord, one more time. Have mercy, O Lord. You and I need to plead for mercy. You and I need to appeal to the God of mercy.

You and I need to cry to God for mercy. In his covenant God promised to be merciful and he proved it to his people. Read the pages of the scripture and learn about the character of God. Daniel's prayer was rooted in the promises of God. Daniel's prayer was resolute in seeking the glory of God. Daniel's prayer was a request for the mercy of God.

Fourthly, Daniel's prayer was a reflection of the needs of the people of God. I personally have no doubt, having read some of the background of the history of the time that Daniel was living and writing, I have no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of God's people were oblivious as to their desperate conditions. They were oblivious to what is around the corner.

They were living in exile, they were making money and they were getting rich and they were focused on the Persian dream and they were oblivious to the butchering that's going to take place a few years from now. Only someone with spiritual eyes can see where that road is leading to. And when Daniel was praying for the needs of the people, it's not because they knew that they needed God, not because they knew they needed to listen to the voice of the prophet Jeremiah and go back and be restored.

No, no, no, no, no. They did not know this. That's what makes that prayer so powerful. Because he was praying for the needs of the people whom they were not conscious of their own needs. And I want to tell you how many of us today who have spiritual eyes and see the direction in which our nation is heading and we see the things that are happening, the legislations that are waiting to pass and we see the things that are going on in our nation and realize that the vast majority of people are oblivious to their desperate need. The vast majority of Americans are oblivious to the desperate spiritual condition that we're in.

Only spiritual eyes can see the plight of a people who are blinded by sin and Satan, just as it is in our day. Most people are blinded when they think of freedom. They think it's freedom to do whatever they want. When they think flaunt freedom, they think it means murdering innocent baby.

It's a freedom of choice. When they think about rejecting God's perfect plan, one man, one woman for life in marriage, and they say that's a freedom of sexual preference. They think that rejecting of God's laws from the public place is freedom from moral obligations. Oh, they are oblivious, all right. They are oblivious to the desperate conditions that this could lead us into. They are oblivious to the horror that the next generation could face. They are oblivious in the time of Daniel. They are oblivious today to the smooth-talking politicians.

They're oblivious. They glibly repeat slogans, and that is why it is incumbent upon us, each one of us who know the Lord, who claim to know the Lord, to cry to him for mercy, to cry to him for mercy. Whether the people see it or not, whether the people agree with us or not, whether they know it or not, whether they realize it or not, we are desperate in need for the mercy of God. And God in his mercy not only answered Daniel's prayer, but he revealed to him supernaturally.

He gave him a vision of the coming Messiah who will turn history into his story. Thank you for joining Dr. Michael Youssef for this episode of Leading the Way. You can listen to this series. It's called Discover the Power of One, and you can listen to all of Dr. Youssef's teaching when you visit the online audio library.

That's at ltw.org. In times of trouble, where do you run? When bad things happen, where do you find comfort and assurance?

In times of national uncertainty, personal crisis, or devastating news, how can we manage our fears for the future? Whenever we're frazzled, whenever we're frustrated, whenever we're flustered, the only safe place to return to is where we have housed the Word of God. In his newest book, My Refuge, My Strength, Dr. Michael Youssef takes you on a 60-day journey towards a deeper understanding of the peace God offers us through Christ. 192 pages full of encouraging devotions that explore powerful biblical examples and life-changing truths about our faithful God. For a limited time, for your gift of any amount, Leading the Way will send you your very own hardcover copy of My Refuge, My Strength. Learn more about Dr. Youssef's latest book when you call us, 866-626-4356. You can also visit us online at ltw.org. This program is provided by Leading the Way, passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth around the world.