Illustration : If you travel to a foreign country like Africa and visit the Congo or South America and visit the Amazon rain forrest you will need a guide. “The Guide (as Charles Swindoll stated) takes you from the unknown to the known.”

In these lasts days, we need to be able to hear from God. ( Matthew 11:15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”)

Text: Daniel 10:12-14 “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. 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, 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.””

HEARING FROM GOD

The need to humble Ourselves

VERSE 12 for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself...

In Repentance

300 Quotations for Preachers The Beginning of Good Works

The confession of evil works is the beginning of good works.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO*

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Charles Spurgeon’s light reveals dust illustration

2 chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

In Fasting

ezra 8:21 “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.”

The Moody Bible Commentary B. Ezra’s Return to Jerusalem (8:1–36)

Ezra proclaimed a fast that would result in a spirit of humility

Great way to humble yourself is to fast

Acts 13:3 “Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

“Fasting combined with prayer provides believers with a spiritual mind frame that is conducive to hearing clearly from God”

The need to see the unseen

VERSE 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me...

The prince of Persia refers to the Spiritual entity that is influencing the Persian Nation in opposing Gods people

The Moody Bible Commentary d. The Purposes of the Angelic Visit (10:14–11:1)

As the angel prepared once again to fight against the prince of Persia, he informed Daniel that afterward he would also take up the battle against the prince of Greece, the demonic power seeking to control the Greek Empire and oppose God’s purposes for that nation and Israel.

It’s not the ___Gov.__________ its the spirit influencing the ___Gov.________

“if you don’t recognize this spiritual reality, you will inevitable find yourself fighting for things that don’t matter eternally.”

Its a Spiritual battle not a Physical battle

Ex: Snake in the House growing up

“How many Christians are just allowing satan (and His croonies) to hang out in their homes or in their mind.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”

how are you battling today?

Ephesians 6:12 “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.”

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Early Church Pray When Your Soul Grows Weak

If your soul grows weak, pray. As it is written, pray in fear and trembling, earnestly and watchfully. We ought to pray like that, especially because our unseen and wicked enemies are vehemently trying to hinder us.

Ask God to open our eyes

2 kings 6:15-17 “When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Enemy Snipers in relation to satan

The need to wait on God

psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

means waiting expectantly or hopefully. Confident anticipation.

Ex: tax refund

A God who hears

Verse 12 your words have been heard

1 kings 18:27 “And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.””

(Elijah mocking the prophets of BAAL)

psalm 121:3-4 “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

We serve a God who hears our prayers! He is attentive!

This is where faith is critical

wouldn’t it be nice to have an angel come and tell you that your prayers have been answered?

hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Do you believe God’s Hears you?

God’s timing

John 11:21 “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

From first glance it appears Christ (God) is late.

We live in a culture of instant gratification!

Eating snacks vs home cooked meals

Fornication vs Marriage

Trusting in God vs Doubt because it seems he hasn’t answered

We often times have a genie in the bottle type of Theology

“He may not come when you want him, but He will be there right on time. He is an on time God, oh yes He is.”

2 peter 3:8 “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”