Unseen Battles

Daniel 10

Most churches today do not talk about Spiritual Warfare. While there are some who talk about spiritual warfare and go into some tangent to some kind of weirdness, the majority completely ignore it. But the Bible talks about it and so should we.

Hollywood is obsessed with the supernatural. It seems like 90% of the movies that are released have something to do with either individuals with supernatural powers, either used for good or evil, and others are horror films that die into the demonic. In 2024, 10% of all box office gross for the year was from horror films, movies that intentionally bring fear. Is it any wonder why fear, anxiety, and depression are at all-time highs. There are more anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic medicines prescribed to day than any other time in history. Suicide rates, especially in teens are astronomical. Much of the reason is because we go and sit in a dark theater, or at home, and basically ask for a spirit of fear to come into our hearts. The enemy loves to use things that we do not think about for us to open doors that allow him to send his demonic warriors into our lives. The desire for supernatural things is not evil in itself. It comes from God. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that God has put eternity in out hearts. We are born with an internal desire and a realization that there must be something beyond what we see with our eyes. There must be something greater than ourselves.

Can we look at the state of the world around us, and even the state of Lee County and not realize that we are in a conflict? There are laws being passed that are not just unbiblical, they are part of a demonic agenda. I am not here to push any political agenda. I am here, and we should be here, to advance the Kingdom agenda. We cannot and should not try to legislate the Kingdom into society. You cannot legislate people to accept Jesus or to live by his standards. But, at the same time, the laws we pass do matter and we should not be legislating an unholy agenda. We will talk about the consequences of that in just a few minutes.

Today we are going to lay a foundation so we can realize what real spiritual warfare looks like, and what kind of battle we are caught in the middle of. We need to see how what happens in the spirit realm impacts the natural and we need to learn how we must see to change what we see taking place in the natural through spiritual means. The problem is so much of the church is carnal and not spiritual. We do not confront what we see, read, or hear in the spiritual. We start arguing and fighting with people when Paul tells us we do not wrestle flesh and blood, but principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this age, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.

Daniel 10 NKJV

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.” Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.

Do you see the conflict that is taking place? Do you see from the Word of God that we are in the middle of a great conflict? The Bible tells us that we have been enlisted into the army of God, and therefore, we are called to wage war in the spiritual realm. We need to know that God has not left us defenseless and helpless. He has given us the necessary weapons to wage this war and one of our greatest weapons is prayer.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!

Daniel was a prophet of Israel who prophesied during the Babylon captivity and into their return to Israel. This text preceeds what is considered “The Great Vision” of Daniel that coincides with the time in which we are living today. It follows another vision that Daniel had and his prayer for the nation and the people of Israel.

What is written down in Daniel 10 shows us there is a conflict going in in an unseen realm that most of the time, the church remains ignorant of or simply ignores, thinking it has nothing to do with us and that we do not play a part in what is taking place in the spiritual realm.

The Bible tells us there are 3 heavens. The third heaven is the abode of God. It is where He sits and reigns on His throne. He is surrounded by angelic beings, cherubs, and the elders who come before Him to worship day and night. This is also where God meets with a heavenly counsel and holds court as seen in Zecheriah 3. This is also where Jesus is seated at the right hand of God.

The first heaven is the visible heavens that have been created by God. It includes the sky, the sun, the planets, and the billions and billions of stars.

The second heaven is the unseen realm that angels and demons occupy and are in conflict right above your head and all around you and most of the time are completely unaware of.

WE HAVE AN ENEMY and it is not other people. Every morning you wake up, there is someone who hates you and wants to get you to destroy your life. You cannot fight a spiritual enemy through natural means. There is too much fighting happening in the natural realm, even within the church. You cannot win in the natural, you cannot win by arguing on Facebook or in Walmart or anywhere else. We only win spiritual conflicts in the spiritual realm. And what takes place in the spiritual realm is reflected in the natural.

PAUSE

Daniel 10 begins by telling us that Daniel received a revelation from God. It the message was true and the New King James reads, “but the appointed time was long.” Most modern translations understand this phrase to actually say “concerned a great conflict, or great suffering,” which is actually closer to the original meaning of the language.

Daniel had been on the side of the Tigris river praying and fasting for 3 weeks. His prayers seemed like they were not being heard. Have there ever been a time in your life when it just seems like your prayers are hitting the roof and bouncing back, like God is not hearing you? Find encouragement today from the Word of God that your prayers have been heard. Your answer may just be delayed.

While Daniel was mourning and praying, his answer was on its way. Finally, an angel appears to him and begins to speak. His description of the angel bears a great likeness to the depiction of Christ given by John the Revelator. Also, angels are often pictured with such a glory about them. It is unlikely a Christophany because of the battle that is described. The Logos, Word of God, would not have to fight very long.

When the angel spoke, Daniel went into a great sleep on his face. People like to argue against someone being slain in the spirit by saying, my God doesn’t knock people down, he lifts them up. Let me tell you if you are in the manifest presence of Almighty God, do not be surprised if the weight of His glory is so powerful and overwhelming you cannot stand and find yourself flat on the ground. Daniel says when he touched him, his knees and palms began to tremble.

Then he tells Daniel something very powerful.

Daniel 10:12 NKJV

Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.

From the very first moment Daniel prayed, God heard and dispatched an angel with the answer. He says, “I have come because of your words.”

Daniel’s prayer was so powerful that God immediately sent a response. The word used in the Bible for angel literally means “messenger.” They are God’s messengers.

Hebrews 1:14 NKJV

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

The writer of Hebrews tells us they are ministering angels sent to serve and assist believers. That should be a great comfort for us who know God.

But notice Daniel was no ordinary man. Daniel was a man who dedicated his life to the Lord and to His Word. That is why when he prayed, it got the attention of heaven and the response got the attention of hell.

Psalm 103:20 NKJV

Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.

Angels respond to the Word of God. When you know God and you pray the Word of God, angels are dispatched at the Word. They have no choice but to obey the Word of God. Do not think they obey your words, they obey His. That is why the most powerful prayers you ca pray are ones when you pray the Word of God. That is why it is so important that we “have his words hidden in our heart.” If you are not in relationship with God or His Word, you do not get that kind of response. We need the Word in our hearts and in our lives. That way when you are in trouble or need help, you can cry out to God and pray His Words back to Him. Angels will respond.

Daniel 10:13 NKJV

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

The prince of Persia is not a person. It is a demon that had been given control over the government and region of Persia. When a nation turns its back on God, it opens the door for demonic control. And Satan’s army is not a rag tag unorganized group. They are organized and structured. When you look around the world today and you see evil regimes like in North Korea, Russia, and Iran along with many other nations, know that there are demons speaking to the leaders of that country to establish their agenda. These are the same ones that the pagans worshipped for centuries. From the Canaanites, to the Egyptians, to the Babylonians, to the Greeks, to the Romans, do not think for a second that the “false gods” they worshipped were powerless and not real. They were very real. The statues and wooden and bronze carvings they made were not the gods they served. They were simply something the “gods” could inhabit to speak to their followers. They would not have worshipped these idols for centuries if they received nothing from them. The demons never changed, they only changed names. But once they are allowed in, they are given authority and control over that nation, region, state, or locality.

The vision that was about to come to Daniel because of his prayer was so powerful that Satan dispatched his armies to stop it. The vision was not even about Daniel’s day. It was about “the latter days” in which we are living.

This is what is taking place every day in the spiritual realm. There are unseen battles happening right over your head and what happens in the spirit has a great impact on the natural. So much of what we see taking place in society and even in the church is a result of what is taking place in the spirit.

When we see people openly mocking Jesus in large public settings with no shame, we get angry, and we should.

But we cannot allow our anger to cause us to rail against people. We cannot allow our anger and frustration to cause us to fight and begin to hate individuals. It is not the person we are fighting. We are fighting the demons that are peaking lies to these people to get them to bring forth a darkness like we have never seen.

We have not been given authority from Christ to fight people. We have been given the authority to confront demonic powers that are behind the people. When Jesus called a devil, he was not talking about the person. He was talking about who was controlling Judas. We are to pray for people and fight demons. Do not waste your prayers trying to get God to go after people you don’t like.

Daniel received many visions throughout his lifetime and found in his writings. There is something different about this one. This vision that was being sent to Daniel made hell nervous. Not every vision or word that God sends us may get the same response from demons. But there are times when God wants to show you certain things and speak to you and through you that causes hell to throw everything it has to try to stop it.

So, after 21 days of mourning, praying, and fasting, and not putting any lotion on his face in the dry desert atmosphere, Daniel was worn out and had no strength remaining in him. He had no idea what was taking place in the spiritual realm. But this is what the enemy does. He tries to wear us out.

Satan wants you to give up on your prayers. He wants you to believe that God is not listening, that He has turned His back on you so that you give up the fight.

Do not give up!! Do not stop praying!! Do not stop believing!!

Delayed does not mean denied. Your answer was sent the moment you first prayed but may be tied up in a battle that you cannot see.

The Bible says the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man or woman avails much. Your prayers are not in vain. Hold on just a little longer and the Bible promises if you do not faint, you will reap in due season.

Then notice Daniel sees another angel that looks like a man. He touches his him and strengthened him. One brought a message from God for his spiritual needs and another came to minister to his physical needs.

Not only will God answer your prayers, he promises that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Over the next few weeks, I want to lead us into spiritual warfare by teaching about our prayers, the different kind of prayers for warfare, our weapons we fight with, and even call out some specific spirits that are prevalent in our society, especially our community. The understanding of these things are crucial in the day and times we live.