The Unseen World
Living in Babylon • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Prayer
Today we are going to be in Daniel 10.
John Paton was ordained by the Reformed Presbyterian Church on March 23, 1858. The next month, on April 2, he married Mary Ann Robson. Just two weeks later the two of them set sail for the mission station on Aneityum, an island near Vanuatu. They arrived on August 30. The pair were soon sent on to establish a new station on the island of Tanna, the natives of which were then entirely untouched by Western civilization, except by sandalwood traders.
Thus, the young Scotchman and his wife were the first white residents on an island full of naked and painted wildmen–cannibals–who had no idea of right or wrong, worshipping and fearing numerous gods, living in continual dread of evil spirits, constantly fighting among themselves, and always eating the bodies of the slain. They had little regard for the value of even their own lives and lacked any sense of mutual kindness and obligation towards others.
Such was the task set in front of Paton and his wife who hoped to bring the knowledge of the gospel to these people. During this time, John G. Paton wrote:
“On beholding these natives in their paint and nakedness and misery, my heart was as full of horror as of pity. Had I given up my much-beloved work and my dear people in Glasgow, with so many delightful associates, to consecrate my life to these degraded creatures? Was it possible to teach them right and wrong, to Christianize or even to civilize them? But that was only a passing feeling. I soon got as deeply interested in them, and all that tended to advance them, and to lead them to the knowledge of Jesus, as ever I had been in my work in Glasgow.”
John Paton was scrutinized by many for leaving a fruitful ministry in Glasgow and moving overseas to bring the gospel to the unreached. This caused anxiety and drove him close to God in prayer. However, one respected elder exclaimed, “You will be eaten by cannibals!” Paton responded:
“Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.” [5]
While it seemed that everyone was against him, John’s parents remained supportive the entire time. This encouraged him to remain faithful and obedient to the calling He had received from the Lord, especially after receiving a letter that was written to him by his parents. John had a sense of duty and calling that produced in him undaunted courage that would never look back again.
The Rev. John G. Paton, a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, told a story involving the protective care of angels. Hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. John Paton and his wife prayed all during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see the attackers unaccountably leave.
A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ, and Paton, remembering what had happened, asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men you had there with you?” The missionary answered, “There were no men there; just my wife and I.” The chief argued that they had seen many men standing guard—hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords in their hands. They seemed to circle the mission station, so the natives were afraid to attack. Only then did the Rev. Paton realize that God had sent his angels to protect them (cited in Billy Graham, Angels: God’s Secret Agents [Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1986] p. 3).14
I know it seems almost pointless to preach another sermon on prayer. I mean so far this year… this will be the 9th sermon about the topic, but I cannot help but think that God is trying to get our attention church.
See there is something that happens in the spiritual realm that can only be accessed by the prayers of the saints. And there are many within our church family that have been facing trial after trial.
It’s almost as if the enemy of our souls has awaken these past few months and my response to that is, it’s no wonder. I mean look at what the Lord has been doing in our church. We celebrated 8 baptisms at Easter, people are not only coming to church, we have not only experienced growth on Sunday mornings but people are stepping out in faith. And the enemy has taken notice. We have awoken the sleeping beast.
And in an effort to throw us off our game or take us out of the game, he is doing everything in his power to distract us. To derail us, to divide us and to deter us from what God is calling us to do.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
In the past week I’ve been confused, exhausted, discouraged, saddened, threatened, but also encouraged by the trials and sufferings that we are going through as a church. I truly believe that the enemy wouldn’t be working this hard against us if
2 diagnosed with brain tumors. One surgery this past week, one next week.
2 pacemakers surgeries.
1 abscess in a digestive tract
and that’s just the physical issues.
It may be tempting in these situations to blame God, because there is good precedence, both biblically and experientially that God does allow suffering. Look to the story of Job and you’ll see that God allowed Job to be tested.
But God is the only one who can take a…
test ->testimony
mess->message
trial->triumph
victim->victory
misery->ministry
Because God is sovereign and he has promised us over and over again to not only be with us through the trials, but that there is purpose in our pain.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
That’s why Romans 8:28-29 is so powerful.
That why we can look at passages like Romans 5 and James 1, where God says to count it as a joy when we face trials…and say yes.
Satan wouldn’t be after us if we were complacent. If we were comfortable with where we were. He wouldn’t even bother trying to distract us because we would already be off mission, but as soon as you get on mission for Jesus…well be prepared…the enemy is on the prowl.
So yes…today is on prayer, but it is so much more than just prayer.
And hopefully you are ready for Daniel 10:1-4
Because Daniel was in a situation where he was distraught and so he decided to hold a prayer meeting.
He went down to the river to pray…
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves.
Daniel wasn’t alone, he gathered together with other believers and held a prayer meeting. After he had received a vision, a revelation from the Lord about the future, he was troubled. He was distraught to the point where he was mourning and then decided he was going to fast for 3 weeks.
He begins by preparing himself and devoting himself to God for an intense time of heartfelt and urgent prayer to God.
When we are facing a situation that we don’t know how to handle, what do we run to?
Addictions, Food, Gaming, Gambling,
Dissociate and Disappear- Binge watch seasons or episodes of TV, or Facebook/Tiktok/Instragram/Youtube Reels
Run to Relationships, looking for love and comfort in the arms of another person. Do we use them for a momentary sexual gratification?
Or do we run to denying our flesh and submitting ourselves to our Heavenly Father. Do we run to prayer and fasting.
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Daniel was no hypocrite. He wasn’t fasting for the approval of man. He was fasting unto his Father in Heaven. He was removing the distractions, the addictions, the weight that we carry around so that he could focus his mind and heart on God.
And this wasn’t something new to Daniel, remember a few weeks ago when we looked…
Back in Daniel 9:3
3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
And this should be the posture that we take as believers and followers of Christ.
Fasting and praying through situations…and watch what happens when this is the posture that we take…
When we pray…we enter into the Spirit World.
When we pray…we enter into the Spirit World.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
As they were praying Daniel sees an amazing figure of a man standing before him. And his appearance is described in such a way that reminds me of another passage…
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
Daniel saw his vision while praying beside the Tigris River in Babylon.
John saw his vision while exiled on the island of Patmos. And though they were separated by hundreds of miles and years…their visions are remarkably similar.
Both men were praying as these visions occured. And as they prayed, the veil that separated the earthly from the heavenly was torn. As they prayed the curtain between the spiritual and the human was opened.
It isn’t that this person just suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He had been there the whole time, but the eyes of the blind were opened to seeing into the unseen world.
Through prayer, the veil that cloaked this man from Daniel’s eyes was pierced and Daniels eyes were opened. He saw the invisible world of spiritual beings around him and all of the sudden he is face to face with this man.
But who is this man?
Daniel was beholding the one whose eyes are flaming like fire and whose face shone like the sun in its full strength.
John the Revelator perfectly describes him as well…but the man identifies himself in John’s vision.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
In all of our history there is only one man who has earned the right to be called the first and the last. There is only One who holds the keys of death and Hades in His hands and that is because he was the one who was dead, but is no alive for ever and ever. Who conquered the death, hell and the grave by being raised on the 3rd Day.
This is no one else than the eternal Lord Jesus Christ standing before Daniel.
Church we are in a battle, and in the very near future we are going to be spending quite a bit of time on our Sunday mornings going through the book of Ephesians. But before we get there. We need to be praying that we encounter the risen Christ.
Next week we will finish up this passage here in Daniel 10, talking about the unseen War.
Today was the Unseen World, Next week is the Unseen War…
I HAVE A PICTURE IN MY STUDY OF A SCENE FROM THE LOTR…
It reminds me of the unseen world that we are to do battle in.
But for today…may we take the time to submit ourselves humbly in prayer to the One who is Eternal.
May we rest in His power, knowing that He is the One who allows everything, every battle that we face to occur and that there is a purpose behind the pain.
May he open our blind eyes to experiencing what we call his Manifest Presence.
See we theologically understand his Omni-presence but we need to experience his manifest presence and that only comes through faith in prayer.
This is why when Amy and I lead people in prayer, often we have them picture Jesus. We ask that Jesus will show himself and he does.
Prayer is the gateway into the unseen world, and we have nothing to fear there that is evil. When we enter this realm, this unseen world, the only fear we will ever encounter is the healthy fear of the Lord. Because he is the Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the End. He is the Almighty God. The Bright and Morning Star. And when we encounter Him in all of His Glory we realize how mighty our God is! How worthy our God is!
Open up the Heaven’s we want to see you.
Show us God. Show us your power. Remind us of who you are and the promises you have made. Remind us of your faithfulness.
