[The following entry follows a sermon preached by Glen Lockwood at Gray Road Baptist Church. It's called "Powerful Prayer", and you can click on the title to listen to the audio.]
This week's blog entry was written by Pastor Glen Lockwood. Pastor Lockwood wrote the following words:
In my mind, the greatest illustration of persistent, persevering prayer in the Bible is the story of Daniel’s praying in Daniel chapter ten. Suffice it to say that the purpose of his prayer has to do with the future of Israel. He is deeply concerned about his people, and so determines that he will pray. He did not eat at the king’s table during this time, but subsisted on a meager diet.
The Scripture tells us that he prayed for twenty-one days, and it seems that these days were devoted only to prayer; certainly most of each day to prayer. But no answer came. There was no indication of an answer. Yet he persevered; on and on he prayed, and after twenty-one days the answer came. What is startling is what the angel who comes to him tells him. From the first day Daniel began to pray he (the angel) was dispatched by God to come to Daniel, but was held up by an evil angel all that time. After twenty-one days God sends Michael the archangel to help him, and he finally is able to come to Daniel.
The lesson is simply this: When we begin to pray for something that Satan opposes, we can be sure that we are setting off a battle in the spirit realm. If we persevere in prayer we can win the battle; but if we grow weary and stop, our prayer will not be answered and Satan will win. Perseverance is the key to answered prayer! What if Daniel had decided that God wasn’t going to answer and he had quit after two weeks? There would have been no answer. For more on perseverance in prayer, read Luke 11:1-13 and Luke 18:1-7. When you’re tempted to quit, pray more! Never give up!
Just recently I was reminded of the following incident by a member of the family involved. Several years ago a lady called me to ask what she could do about her grown child, who, although a Christian, was not living for Christ, but was involved with the world. I told her the story of Daniel and that if she prayed earnestly and would not give up, she would win the battle and see her child restored. For three months she prayed and pled with God, and she won! God changed that child’s life.
Let me say it again: Earnest prayer, consistent with God’s Word that will not let God go, prayer that is persistent and unyielding, will always win. Begin now! The door to the Father’s throne room is open wide. Go to Him!
