Prayer and Heaven's Response

This morning I felt directed to read from the Book of Daniel.  Here are the verses that caught my eye - Daniel 9:1-3, 20-23 NIV:

[1] "In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom--- [2] in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. [3] So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes."

[20] "While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill--- [21] while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. [23] As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:"

I really love the book of Daniel, for it gives us good insight into the heart of the Lord, and the way His promises are appropriated.  The background is that Daniel is reading from Jeremiah 29:4-14 and realized that the 70 years decreed by God was about up and that it was time for Him to fulfill His promise. The direct result of Daniel's prayer and God fulfilling His promise was the restoration of the Jews to Jerusalem as described in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra!  So we see a prophecy given by Jeremiah, 70 years later Daniel praying over this prophecy and then the prophecy completed in Nehemiah and Ezra.  This certainly helps me to see and believe that God's word is real and for us!

The second thing I like about these verses is the immediate response to Daniel's prayer as described by Gabriel.  We don't often receive insight into the Heavenly realm, but that is exactly what Gabriel provides here.  It is important to note that this all happened prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so things operate a bit differently today, but this gives us a sense of the workings of Heaven.  In verse 23, Gabriel that it was "as soon as you began to pray, a word went out".  It wasn't after Daniel had prayed and fasted for a length of time, it wasn't a slow, meandering response, it was immediate and it was directive!  The Hebrew word could be translated command or directive, and that was the response in the Heavenly realm to Daniel's beginning to pray.  On a side note - Jesus is described as the Word of God by John, so I believe Gabriel is describing Jesus' immediate response to Daniel's prayer. Anyway, the word was sent immediately and it was delivered to Daniel!  Sometimes I wonder if my prayers have any response from God, and this describes an immediate and I think loving response, for Gabriel adds that Daniel is highly esteemed.  That same thing can be said for each and everyone of us!  I like what Mike Bickle says, "I am God's favorite", and that is true about each of us!

Again, this is such a great example of the reality of what God desires our relationship to be like - He lays a foundation in His word, that should cause us to turn to Him and when we do, His response is immediate and intimate because He loves us.  He speaks directly to us (Daniel in this case) and then provides understanding.  This is an Old Testament example of what could be our daily prayer reality.  There are times I think it would be cool to have an angel appear in my living room, but I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, so I have a direct connection with God without the need for a messenger.  There are many times when I pray that I receive and perceive God's immediate response.  There are other times when I pray and nothing seems to happen, but I believe that in Heavenly realms the response is exactly the same, it is my perception that is lacking, not God's response.

I think that some times we hear the stories Jesus told about the persistent widow (Luke 18), and asking the neighbor for bread (Luke 11) that the key to receiving answers to our prayers is long prayer, persistence and just wearing God down until He gives us what we want. Nothing could be further from the truth, in both cases Jesus used those examples to say that is what it is like with an unloving, lazy, or unjust individual, but that the Father is nothing like that.  Here is what Jesus says about the Father:

Luke 11:9-13 NIV:

[9] “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

[11] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

- and -

Luke 18:7-8 NIV
[7] "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? [8] I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

He says that the Father will act quickly (Luke 18:8), that He will give if we ask, open the door if we knock, and be found if we seek!  He uses the examples to say that God the Father is so much better, that if we get an answer from dogged persistence with evil men, we will assuredly get our answers quickly from the Father, because He is good and loves us!

Back to the story in Daniel, the last point I think worth considering, is the impact of one person's prayer on a nation!  Our history is full of people whose prayers changed things for their nation and for the church.  The great New Hebrides revival was seen as the result of the prayers of two old women, who prayed in a little cottage (unknown and unseen - http://www.evanwiggs.com/revival/history/hebpray.html ).  The Azusa street outpouring and revival was in large part birthed through the prayers of a couple of relatively unknown people, certainly not seen as spiritual heavy weights.  There had been a rising sense of God wanting to move for 5 years, before the actual outpouring, and at least 3 months of personal prayer by William Seymour, a little known preacher ( http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/am_pentecostals/seymourazusa.html).  So, whether we are young or old, known or unknown, our prayers can affect the nations!

This morning I am particularly encouraged that God does hear my prayers, even if I can't perceive it, and He desires to move mightily!  Oh, that we all might press into the Lord, in loving and intimate relationship!  He desires to engage us, communicate with us, help us understand Him and change the world through us!

Amen!