Unseen Battles

Thesis Statement: Persistent prayer can unlock spiritual understanding and victory; we are part of a divine narrative that involves unseen battles and heavenly assistance.

What I want people to walk away with: God is at work and He is sending his angels to fight on our behalf. While we are praying and fasting, God is working out all of the details. In Daniel, everything is poiting to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

Passages: Daniel 10.

Introduction:

This chapter will be different from the rest that we have gone over, we are in the final stretch of the sermon series on Daniel.

Two weeks ago - our elder Sergiy has preached on how everything carries a meaning, and it has a purpose.

Last week - Joel gave us a very much needed summary of everything that was going on in the last 9 chapters. That was for us to understand where we are headed.

A. Timeline

The whole book is divided into two sections: Chapter 1-6 and 7-12.

Within the visions in the second part of the book, we see a group of its own (chapters 10-12).

Chapters 10-12 are usually grouped into one section, that leads us out of the book.

10- An introduction to a vision

11- Description and interpretation of four kingdoms

12 - Conclusion to the section and to this book

The beginning of chapter 10 gives us a timeline and a setting:

Daniel 10:1 ESV

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

Third year of Cyrus king of Persia (king and empire)

There was a word that Daniel recieved (once again, God speaking through his people)

There was a great conflict. Why was there a conflict? When was the last time Daniel was in a great conflict?

B. Return

In our Bibles, we have Nehemiah placed along with the historical books, before Daniel. When in fact, based on the historical timeline, Nehemiah comes after Daniel lived through king Nebuchadnezzar and then king Cyrus.

After the Neo-Babylonian empire was taken over, Israelites were allowed to return back to Jerusalem.

We read that some people began contemplaining, others decided to return, and some remained in the exiled land.

Was Daniel allowed to leave along with the Israelites?

Daniel held a very important postion within the governement.

Daniel leaving would have been felt by many in the empire.

Daniel was also in his 80s. Imagine being a slave in a country that invaded you, and now you have to pack everything up and go back home.

What do you do when there’s a conflict?

C. Fasting

I like that we are able to look at Daniel through the lens of these last 9 chapters, to understand his mindset with chapter 10.

Daniel was a responsible man

Daniel showed a great respect for the God Almighty

Daniel took his faith seriously, because his life depended upon it (multiple times)

Daniel 10:2–3 ESV

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

It was difficult for Daniel to make a decision. So he consulted God about it.

Biblical practice of fasting is mentioned in both the OT and the NT

Why three weeks? Why no delicacies, no meat or wine? What is this anointing?

Biblical practice of fasting was not a fancy word for “diet”. Rather, abstinence from something

Daniel was abstaining from these things to focus on something important - an answer from God

We know Daniel had a rhythm of a prayer discipline (chapter 2), and others were impacted by how much Daniel reveared God

Daniel ate veggies and stayed away from fancy food

How does fasting look like today?

Discipline / Spiritual practice

Today, many faith-based communities are practicing fasting as one of their spiritual disciplines. (Prayer, worship, reading, silent retreats, fasting)

BY fasting, you are saying, “Me hearing from God is far more important that any distraction”

History of ICA shows how we took certain years and did a church-wide fasting time (in January)

Right now, we are dedicating the first Wednesday of the month to fast (some are able to join and abstain from their choice of___)

Everyone can join (what fasting is NOT)

What if I can’t do three weeks? I can only do one day!

God will not judge you for stopping before your deadline.

Fasting is a spiritual discipline, where we are preparing and strengthening ourselves.

You don’t have to abstain from food altogether, just something that has the potential to interrupt your time with God

Examples before: Your electronic devices, Coffee, sugar, vice, hobbies. (your family is your responsibility)

There are certain perimeters that help you be prepared for fasting:

You better stay highdrated

You cannot take fasting lightly, prepare and be ready (both physically and spiritually)

WHAT should we expect from fasting?

We want to grow with anticipation of hearing from God

Daniel, in his 80s, was EXPECTING God to show up and answer. (mighty faith)

We want our prayer and request to reach the highest points of heaven

We want a resolution/answer

Something that I have recently noticed that would like to continue studying:

In Luke 4, Jesus went into the wilderness to fast for 40 days and nights

The devil started tempting Jesus after the 40 days, when Jesus was weak

Jesus was responding with scripture, not his own custom zingers.

The angels came to minister after the temptation

D. Daniel is weak

Daniel 10:8–9 ESV

8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

Imagine, carrying so much and being bothered so much by what Daniel saw in the vision - his strength left him.

There was no strength to lift himself up from the ground.

Some might say, that’s a powerful prayer! He gave everything to God.

Others might say - you should have stopped!

E. Conversation with the Angel

Daniel 10:10–12 ESV

10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

First response - O Daniel, man grealy loved (I wish I had that response after fasting)

Second response - Angel took care of Daniel, STAND UP STRAIGHT

Third response - I was sent to YOU, intentional provision

Here is an answer to anyone who asked “what if I stop on day 1?”

The Angel appeared and said that Daniel’s request has been heard from DAY ONE!

Why didn’t the Angel appear earlier and assisted/responded/protected?

F. God is fighting our battles

Daniel 10:13–14 ESV

13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

The price of the kingdom of Persia - supernatural being (another angel)

Michael - one of the top angels in the heavenly kingdom

While Daniel was fasting and praying for an answer, angels were fighting over them.

Conclusion:

-Something that we might forget, is that there is a spiritual war that is happening, beyond our physical vision

-There is an ongoing nature of spiritual warfare. While the battles are unseen, they are significant.

-The involvement of heavenly forces in these battles is part of God’s overarching victory plan, culminating in Christ.

-It is our responsibility to grow in a discipline of prayer and fasting.

There is a war for your life

There is a war for your attention

There is a war for your soul

God is fighting for us

God already won our battles (reference to OT)

God reveals to us everything we need to know, not everything we want to know.

What is our part? God fought the battles, but Daniel prayed and fasted.