Preparing for Spiritual Warfare

Introduction

We return this morning to the book of Daniel to our study entitled, “God Is In Control.”

The last three chapters in Daniel are not only the most challenging of Daniel’s book, but some of the most challenging chapters in the entire Bible. Why?

Because they are not only a prophecy about events that hadn’t happened yet when Daniel wrote them, but they also give us a glimpse into the spiritual realm, something the Bible tells us a little about, but not a lot. Thus, it’s a mysterious section in many ways.

Yet, there are timeless truths that we can apply to our lives, if we are diligent and if we, like Daniel, humble ourselves and desire greater understanding.

Body

Verses 1-3

At this time, Daniel was probably in his mid- to late eighties.

He is given a vision about great wars to come…but really the vision focuses as much attention on an unseen war, constantly being waged all around us.

We call it spiritual warfare. It’s the battle that takes place in the spiritual realm between the army of the Lord and the armies of Satan.

While we know little about the nature of this war, we do know that what’s being fought over is the hearts and minds of people.

Truly, the battleground of spiritual warfare is the human realm.

Thus, this vision is terrifying and mysterious. Yet, as we will see over the next few weeks, there is also great hope and encouragement that God’s people can find in the midst of this spiritual warfare.

Why was Daniel mourning?

We don’t know for sure, however:

Since it was the third year of Cyrus’s reign as king, it could have been because of the state of Jerusalem. (Remember, the Jews had since been allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.) This was the reaction that Nehemiah had before he went to Jerusalem, and after he arrived as well.

Nehemiah 2:2–3 ESV

And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

It’s also possible that at this time, because of the Samaritan opposition, that the building of the temple had been halted, and thus Daniel was mourning about that.

Verses 4-9

Who is this?

Many modern scholars argue that this is an angel, potentially even Gabriel, whom Daniel had already interacted with.

However, I agree with those who argue that this is actually a theophany of the pre-incarnate Christ. Here’s why:

The description here is similar to other places in Scripture that clearly are the pre-incarnate Christ:

Ezekiel 1:26–28 ESV

And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Revelation 1:12–16 ESV

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

The major issue people have with this being a theophany and not simply an angelic being is that he has been “sent” and that the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” withstood him. The argument is that is seems highly improbable that a human or a demonic force could withstand God.

However, He is speaking here to the mysterious spiritual warfare that is being waged all around us. It’s not surprising that there are certain aspects of it that we don’t understand.

Additionally, this argument could be made about anything…i.e. why would a good, loving God allow children to suffer? Those of us who believe trust that God has His good purposes in all things, even if we can’t possibly understand them, or don’t like those purposes.

Lastly, his being the pre-incarnate Christ explains why Daniel reacted the way he did when He appears to Daniel.

Verses 10-11

Now, Daniel is visited by another personage, this time an interpreting angel.

Daniel is strengthened, preparing him for the vision he is about to receive.

Verses 12-14

Notice what Daniel did:

He set his mind to pray for understanding...

He humbled himself and fasted...

We can’t possibly expect to hear from God until we are willing to prepare our hearts spiritually.

When it speaks of the angel being detained, this gives us a partial glimpse into spiritual warfare.

Michael is introduced here for the first time in Daniel.

In Jude we learn that Michael is an archangel and his assignment is to protect the Jewish people from the spiritual forces that would attack her. (i.e. that Israel will continue to exist as long as God wills, even if diminished, because God has set up a powerful defender in the form of Michael).

Who is the prince of the Persian kingdom that is opposing Michael and Gabriel?

A powerful demon, no doubt. Maybe even Satan himself.

Verses 15-17

Daniel is so overwhelmed with all he has already seen that he doesn’t believe he can stand any more.

Verses 10:18-11:1

He is given strength, and then given a brief preface of the message that is about to come, of which we will look closer out over the next few weeks.

Big Idea: Spiritual warfare is real and has an important influence on our lives and the lives of those around us.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

All earthly struggles are spiritual struggles because spiritual warfare is real and will constantly be waged until God makes all things new.

Catholic archbishop and cardinal Henry Edward Manning rightly pointed out: “All human conflict is ultimately theological.”

We often wrongly think that spiritual warfare is only being waged at the very difficult times of our lives. But, in fact, spiritual warfare is constantly being waged.

While we don’t know all the details, what we do know is that one of the greatest weapons of this war is the demonic realm trying to influence humans to give into the three great influences to sin: the world, the flesh and the devil. And, the angels, and more importantly, the Holy Spirit, is showing God’s people that all three can and should be resisted.

I love C.S. Lewis’ classic book, The Screwtape Letters...

In one chapter, Screwtape gives this piece of advice to his nephew, Wormwood, pertaining to the man Wormwood is supposed to oppose (called “the patient”) and an issue “the patient” is having with his mother.

Screwtape says, “Your patient must demand that all this own utterances are to be taken at their face value and judged simply on the actual words, while at the same time judging all his mothers’ utterances with the fullest and most over-sensitive interpretation of the tone and the context and the suspected intention.”

The idea being, that the demons want nothing more than to keep a person from becoming a Christian, but if that person does, they still want to try to ruin their relationships, and hopefully their faith altogether.

So, another example, when speaking specifically keeping God out of man’s thoughts, Screwtape says, “It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”

So What?

How can we be prepared for spiritual warfare?

Seek Him in prayer at all times of our lives.

Daniel wasn’t a prayer warrior because of the hard times, he was prepared for the hard times because he already was a prayer warrior.

Waiting for troubled times to take up the spiritual discipline of prayer is a fools errand. We must pray at all times in order to be prepared for the worst of times.

Should we fast?

Well, Moses, David, Esther, Daniel, Paul and Jesus all fasted…so I think it’s probably a good spiritual discipline to practice!

Look to Him for strength.

This idea of being “strengthened” is one of the more challenging concepts of this section. What does it mean? How does it happen?

God spiritual strengthens His people.

God’s people are ready for the next event, regardless of the nature of that event.

Ready = not necessarily prepared, but moving forward in faith.

How do we do this?

Seek Him for understanding.

Humble ourselves before Him.

Live as a “gospel-minded” person.

Know the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Continually learning the implications of the gospel for our lives.

Why was Daniel told that he didn’t need to fear, that he could have peace, and that he should be strong and courageous?

Because he was greatly loved by God.

We are also greatly loved by God. How do we know that? Because of the gospel! The gospel is God’s clearest message of love to His people.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Because the gospel tells us we are loved by God, then we too, even though spiritual warfare is real and constantly influencing our lives, don’t need to fear, we can have peace, and we can be strong and courageous.