DISASTER

 

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you.

 

     Daniel is now in the heart of his intercession.  He then mentioned the curses and sworn judgments of God listed in the Law of Moses.  These are found in Deut 28.  The law of Moses was both the ten commandments and the ceremonial, religious and social laws.  The curses are actually consequences of sin and disobedience.  Moses was a servant of God.  His primary purpose was not just deliverer, nation builder, law giver but doing the will of God.  The will of God never just has one purpose but has many components in it.  Moses was a servant leader.  His primary purpose was to serve God and show the people how to serve God by his example. 

     The law was given as a boundary of protection and a fence of freedom.  The curses mentioned are direct consequences of sin.  The people knew what to do and they did not.    It was an out pouring or deluge of judgment.  God will judge us.  Paul says judgment is a result of reaping what we have sown.   Daniel said that they had sinned directly against God.  A true intercessor sees things through the lens of redemption.  All things have a redemptive aspect of it.  That is why the blood of Jesus is so important it cleanse us from all sin.  Daniel has made it clear why this has happened and why they are where they are.

 

12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.

 

     Daniel speaking to God  and says that God did what he said he will do.  God is not a liar or soft on sin.  Talk about Jesus and the woman caught in the act of adultery.  He did not condemn but he did not condone.  True love will not allow us to stay in a destructive behavior.  I have heard it said many times that God loves us to much to leave us as we are.  Daniel then brings the consequences of what has happened not just to the rulers but to all of the people.  It is easy to blame others especially leadership but eventually we have to take ownership of what we have done.  As we talk about last week the sooner we take responsibility for our own actions the sooner a solution can be found.  That is why Daniel said us and then the leaders. 

     The definition disaster is, a sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe, or act of God that causes great damage or loss of life.  In this case it was an act of God.  The tragedy is God gave them, 400 years and multiple warnings for generations to avoid it.  This is lunacy, insanity and stupidity in action.  The terrible thing today is so many people right now are doing it.  Our friends, family neighbors are doing it.  People we love.  That is why I am preaching this message and stirring us to pray and action.  We do not have time.  We have such a small window of opportunity to turn this around. 

     Daniel then states that under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like this before what has been done to Jerusalem.  Other nations had been judged but this is the first time God had judged a nation and people under his direct care and supervision.  They were a covenant people.  They were God’s people.  Called by Him and set apart for holy purposes.  They were a showcase nation.   A simple lesson no person is immuned.  Another truth is that those who know better will be judged more harshly and face more consequences.  This is a powerful warning to us today.  Once you have light and truth you become more responsible to it.  You can also do more damage to yourself and others.  That is why the devil works so hard to made leaders fall.  Talk about Jerry Falwell Junior. 

 

 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.

 

     Daniel again points out the reason for the disaster they are in.  It was written in the law of Moses.  It was in plain sight and written in black and white.  They had a law, code and set of rules.  They had been taught this law since they were young.  They knew better.  Worst it all could have been avoided.  They could have sought the favor, the forgiveness, grace and mercy of God.  Remember 2 Chron 7:14, they could have turned from their sins and gave attention to the truth.  Remember you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.  That is why we must pray against spiritual blindness and deafness.  They is why we must pray that God will open up minds and hearts to the truth of the gospel.  Basically the people did not seek the favor of God.  They did not turn from their sin and give attention to truth.  Did you know that faith has its intellectual and volitional sides to it.  Explain.  We learn we must seek, turn and give attention to truth.  If we do not Daniel says disaster will come.  The biggest one is eternal damnation and hell.  That is why we must pray, go and love.  Talk about Johnny said about me.  I give God all the glory.  Live your life so well that the town gossip will vouch for you.

 

14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

 

     Daniel closes off this portion of the prayer by destroying a myth about God.  Many people say because is love He will not bring judgment.  This is a myth, lie and falsehood.  God will not hesitate to judge.  He does not want to judge.  He will give multiplied opportunities but He knows when and how to judge.  He knows all and sees all.  Nothing is hid so when he judges it will be fair, right and complete.  God is a balanced personality.  Daniel states that He is right in everything he does.  People always say God is unfair but by whose estimation.  Ours heaven forbid.  We are flawed, imperfect and sinful.  We see things from our own imperfect bias and vision.  We do not have the whole picture.  Our testimony is more to come.  Never, never, make a judgment without knowing all the facts but we do all the time.  God knows everything.  He knows the thoughts and intents f the heart.  He knows our motives and reasons.  He knows our secrets and it is his grace that they are not revealed.  The reason the Jews were in this place and position was simple disobedience.  Let me give you a brief list of things we will be judged on as believers.  Love, motivation, obedience, faithfulness, consistency, integrity, transparency, honesty, accountability, attitude, grace and mercy.   Remember obedience is greater than any sacrifice we can make.   

     So what do we pray for today?  That we would not sin against God.  That we would fulfill the words of Christ.  That we would seek the favor of God and turn from our wicked ways.  That we would remember the Lord is righteous and that we would obey Him.  Simple obedience.

QUOTES FOR AUG 5, 2026

 

DESTINY OR DESPAIR

 

12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”  “Very well,” he replied.  14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.  When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”  16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”  17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”  So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns.

 

Lessons one:  Jealousy can move people to murder, in Joseph’s case he did not even know about his brothers hatred.  This was a momentary opportunity.  Remember it is the moments of instant decision, immediate temptation and spontaneous problems that can cause the biggest consequences.  James gives a piece of advice, be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.  Basically engage brain before you act.

 

19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”  21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.  23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

 

Lesson Two;  The pattern or evil is revealed.  They called him a dreamer.  Evil will always mock, scorn, accuse and slander you.  It will attack you reputation, status and self esteem.  Next, they would lie and blame an animal for killing Joseph.  Evil will lie, deflect and blame others for what they do.  Thirdly, evil will always try to strip you our your dreams, kill your hope and destroy your destiny.  Fourthly, evil will never agree on methods, design or outcome.  There is no unity, just division, strife and destruction.  Fifthly they stripped of his robe which was the object of their hatred and jealousy.  Evil will always try to strip you of everything you have.  Physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually.  Lastly, they threw into a pit.  Evil will isolate you, take away your hope, throw you into darkness and despair. 

 

25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.  26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.  28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels[b] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

 

Lesson Three:  Just when it seems the darkest for Joseph.  Divine help was on the way.  Those Ishmaelites coming along was no accident.  It was God’s method to get Joseph to His destiny.  When you are in your darkest hour, deepest pit of despair.  God is there.  When you are at the end of your rope.  God gives you more line.  When evil is out for blood, you have the blood of Jesus Christ.  When evil tries to isolate, destroy and kill you, divine help is on the way.  Your pit is actually your means of a miracle.  It is the passage to your destiny.  It is the path to your dream.  This was a divine moment.  This pit was Joseph’s means to save his world.  Your darkest hour is God’s moment of light and life.  Remember 1 Cor 10:13 and Roman 8:28.  When evil closes a door God opens a window.  What his brothers meant for evil God used for good.  Remember when you are in the greatest moment of despair a miracle is on the way.  Just a side note.  It was Judah that made the suggestion for Joseph to be sold.  Even then God was using a descendent of Jesus to bring about divine destiny.  They sold him for 20 pieces of silver.  This is a prophetic moment.  The patriarch Judah and his brothers sold Joseph who is a type of Christ for money.  Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver and like Jesus Joseph would save His world as Jesus did ours.

 

 29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”  31 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”  33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”  34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his father wept for him.

 

Lesson Four:  What we do affects others.  They agreed together even Reuben to concoct a lie.  They agreed on the lie and then told the lie.  They devastated their family.  Their family would never be the same.  Jacob was heart broken and mourned for many days.  None of his children could comfort him.  This sorrow he felt was right to the grave.  What is amazing there must have been great pressure on the boys but they never broke ranks.  They never told their father the truth.  That is the amazing part of this lie.  The boys never gave in, they stay true to their lie. 

 

Meanwhile, the Midianites[c] sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard. 

 

Lesson  Five:  Meanwhile, I love that world.  Meanwhile God was setting things up.  Joseph was sold to Potiphar  it says he was the Captain of the guard.  God was strategically placing Joseph.  God will always place you where you will be most effective.  So don’t try and fight God.  You are where you are for a reason.  You are suppose to be where you are to touch those in your world.  It may not look good but God has a plan.  Our part to trust him, walk by faith, and don’t try to circumvent God’s plan.  You are where you are because it is part of your destiny.  My darkest hours when I look back became my greatest lessons.  They were stepping stones to the next phase.  Prov 3:5-6.  God uses our tests to give us a testimony, He uses our victim moments to make us a victor.  When we feel conquered God make us more than a conqueror.  When we about to be over came God turns it around and makes us an over comer.  So remember meanwhile God.

DAYS OF NOAH

 

1 Peter 3:18-22

Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey,

 

1.       Peter in this passage gives a clear picture of salvation or redemption.  First, he explains that Jesus suffered for the sins of all once and for all.  His sacrifice was more than enough to free all mankind from sin.  No other sacrifice is needed.  Let’s get one thing clear you can and never will be able to save yourself.  Your righteousness is as filthy rags.  It is by grace you are saved and not of yourself.  Jesus’ broken body, shed blood, death, burial and resurrection was once and for all.  Nothing more is needed or can be added to.  This is grace personified.  As it says here a righteous man for the unrighteous.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  All mankind no matter how good they can be are still unrighteous.   This explains why Jesus suffer.  The universality of his sacrifice and why a righteous man had to suffer on our behalf. 

2.      Peter says that this happens in order to bring us to God.  Sin is an eternal problem and manmade problem.  So only an eternal man could solve it.  Viola Jesus was that man.  He came from glory to earth, was incarnated as a man, then suffered, died, was buried and lastly rose from the dead.  This is so you and I could come to God.  That we could be adopted into the family of God.  Become son and daughters, joint heirs, royal priests, holy and righteous people.

Jesus is the bridge over troubled waters.  He made a way where there was no way.

3.      I love this next statement.  He was put to death in the flesh.  Jesus died.  The Roman authorities certified him dead.   He was put into a borrowed tomb but he was alive in his spirit.  When we die our spirit and soul go into eternity.  Jesus in Luke 16:19-31, give us a picture of hell.  There was a righteous and unrighteous compartment.  There was a gulf between them.  Old Testament saints were on one side the unrighteous dead on the other.  Both were transported there.  Lazarus by an angel.  Both were conscious, alive and both knew why they were there. 

4.      Now when Jesus died he went to the righteous compartment he stayed there for three days then he went to the edge of the gulf and made a proclamation to the unrighteous dead.  He told them they would stay there until the Day of Judgment.  Then he lead as Paul states captivity captive and took all the righteous dead out of hell to heaven.  The righteous compartment is now empty.  Now when a person dies they go right to the presence of the Lord.  The lost still go to hell.  This is why you must tell all in your world.  You do not want anyone to go there and if you do you need to repent and get rid of this sick attitude.

 

When God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.

 

1.      Peter reveals the patience of God during the time of Noah.  It took Noah a hundred years to build the ark.  During that time we know he preached for people to come in the ark.  The people had a visible warning that judgment was coming.  Unfortunately only eight people were saved.  They were saved through water. 

2.      Here are some facts about the time of Noah.  Everyone followed every evil in their heart.  There was no standard for morality no one was blameless. 

3.      There was intermarriage between the Sons of Seth and the daughters of Enoch and this caused  compromise, then acceptance, and finally participation. 

4.      The earth was corrupt and full of violence.  People were married and given in marriage.  We can learn some lessons from Lot.  First, he chose to settle near Sodom, then he moved into Sodom, next he became an elder of the community.  Then he had to be prayed for, rescued and the end result was he ended up in an incestuous relationship with his daughters.  I want to remind you that sin will make you do things you never thought you would do.  Make you into someone you never thought you would be and destroy you like you never thought you could be.   

5.      We are there church.  Today evil has become good and good become evil.  If you stand for righteousness you will be cursed, shamed, mocked, labelled as a bigot, racist, narrow minded, not up with the times.  You will be intimidated, legislated, fined, arrested, prosecuted and eventually jailed.  People are losing everything for righteousness. 

6.      Let me give you lessons from this pandemic.  First, they say we are all in this together unless you have money or are a politician or government official.  There is blatant hypocrisy on all levels of political levels.  Next, we have lost our freedoms in the name of health.  We have to put on masks that don’t work.  They never stopped or even slow down the virus.  We cannot go, be or do anything that once we took for granted.  Families are now separated.  Mental illness is up 25%.  People are now living in a whistle blower society.  You are encouraged to report your neighbors for Covid 19 violations in any form.  People are afraid to talk or go near each other.  Millions of businesses and people are dependent on government handouts.  We are 1.2 trillion dollars in debt.  That is $37,000 per person.  90% of all purchase are now made through debit or credit cards.  They want you to not use cash.  You cannot speak against the LBGQT movement or Islam without prosecution.  Political correctness and social reconstruction is going on.   We have had 85,195 abortions were reported in Canada last year.  There have been over 7000 assisted suicides in Canada.  There was over 1000 overdoes in Alberta and 1700 in B.C. last year.  What we have gone through is a grand experiment grooming society for the reign of the antichrist. 

7.      This is the exhortation and description given by Paul to Timothy in 1 Tim 3, “You must understand that in the last days there will come times of much trouble. 2 People will love themselves and money. They will have pride and tell of all the things they have done. They will speak against God. Children and young people will not obey their parents. People will not be thankful and they will not be holy. 3 They will not love each other. No one can get along with them. They will tell lies about others. They will not be able to keep from doing things they know they should not do. They will be wild and want to beat and hurt those who are good. 4 They will not stay true to their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think too much of themselves. They will love fun instead of loving God. 5 They will do things to make it look as if they are Christians. But they will not receive the power that is for a Christian. Keep away from such people.

8.      He says keep away from such people.  You are to watch and pray.  You are to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony and not love your life until death.  You are pick up your cross and follow Jesus.  Keep yourself from being polluted by the world.  Walk in love acceptance and forgiveness.  Be a light.  Live ready.  Remember Jesus can come back at any time.  God is patient but his patience is at an end.  What we see going on today if God does not judge us, he will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.  I have received three words from the Lord recently they are as follows.  The urgency of the hour,  There is no more time.  I am coming soon and my people are not ready.  Let us get ready. 

 

 

DANIEL'S PRAYER

 

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes,  (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

 

     Good morning this is a powerful portion of scripture.  I will spend the next six weeks teaching  you about real intercessory prayer and how we can and must move the hand of God or face the same type of desolation Judah had faced.

 

     These first three verses are the background for the prayer of Daniel.  These three verses establish the time, place and reason why Daniel prayed.   It was the first year of Darius son of Xerxes.  Darius was crown prince of the Persian Empire. He was the eldest son of the Persian king Xerxes I and his wife Amestris, the daughter of Onophas. His younger brothers were Hystaspes and Artaxerxes, and his younger sisters were Rhodogyne and Amytis.  He was a Mede by descent.  So this is the time of the Medo Persian empire.  He was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom.  The Medo Persian empire at the time was the largest empire at the time.  It ran from the Mediterranean to India and 127 provinces.  Daniel was in charge of the Babylonian portion. 

 

     So here is Daniel in the first year of Darius’ reign, looking over the scriptures and the word of God.  He is reading the scroll and writings of Jeremiah.  He was reading Jeremiah 25:11, where God tells Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be empty, uninhabited and desolate for 70 years.  You see God had Spent 400 years telling Israel and Judah to repent, turn from idols, being immoral and unjust.  He sent prophet after prophet and in time they refused and judgment came.  Daniel had been part of that judgment.  Nebuchadnezzer was that hand of judgment.  Daniel was among the Jewish nobles who had been transported to Babylon with Jehoiakim,  Scholars put Daniel at 15-18 when he was taken the Babylon.  In Daniel 9, he is in his late eighties or nineties. 

 

     Daniel was pouring over the Jeremiah 25:11, meditating, seeking the meaning, wanting to understand how  and why it could happen.  Daniel does 6 things which are at characteristics of intercessory prayer. 

 

1.      He turned or sought the Lord.  Matt 6:33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.  You want something from God seek the Lord.

2.     Pleaded with him.  Daniel was asking the Lord interceding, begging God on behalf of his people.  This was to be a protracted event.  It was not just for a couple days.  Daniel would do long periods of fasting and prayer.

3.     Daniel was in prayer.  He was a man of prayer.  We know Daniel prayed three times a day as a habit this is found in Daniel 6.   In fact his prayer life was even known among his enemies and that consistency put him in the Lion’s den.  Do people know you for your prayer life?  This portion gives us a glimpse of what Daniel prayed about.  James says the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much.  I cannot stress the purpose of intercessory prayer enough.

4.     He petition God.  A prayer of petition is a request to God that asks him to fulfill a need. Jesus said to bring our every need to God in his name and assures that “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” (John 16:23) Through petition one can ask for God's help with every need no matter how great or small.  Daniel was asking God about this scripture, when and how would it be completed and the people return.  Most scholars tell us that Daniel saw that the time of 70 years was almost over and he was pleading for God to return the people.  In fact many believed Daniel was the reason Cyrus granted the request for the people to return.  That he brought Isaiah’s 43:25, 45:8 to Cyrus attention.  This is based on his position, place and authority in the empire. 

5.     Daniel fasted.  There are four types of fasting. 

a.     The Normal Fast which is a short fast for one or two day.  Going without food

b.     The Absolute Fast which can be from 3 days to 40.  Usually just water or liquids

c.      The Partial Fast.  Going without some type of food for a period of time.

d.     The Rotational Fast.  Skipping meals one or two a day for a period of time to prayer.

 

We do not know which one Daniel did.  But here are ten benefits to fasting

 

Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

2.1 1 – Deeper Intimacy with God

2.2 2 – Answers to Fervent Prayer

2.3 3 – Develop Humility before God

2.4 4 – Gain Wisdom and Understanding

2.5 5 – Authority over Demonic Strongholds

2.6 6 – Repentance and Salvation

2.7 7 – Personal Victories in Your Life

2.8 8 – Gaining Heaven’s Perspective

2.9 9 – God’s Protection and Help

2.10 10 – Commissioned to Ministry

 

6.      He put on sackcloth and ashes.  This term refers to the ancient Hebrew custom of indicating humility before God by wearing a coarse cloth, normally used to make sacks, and dusting oneself with ashes.  Daniel was serious.  Remember here you have the second in command of Babylon used to the finest lifestyle humbling himself before God.

Wearing sackcloth and pouring ashes on himself.  This is serious.  Daniel wanted to hear, understand and know what God wanted for himself and the Jews.  We need to have that same experience.  Our nation is turning from God.  We are seeing this right now.  This is urgent church.  We are on a knife edge.  Our nation is on a rapid descent to destruction.  If we do nothing God will hold us accountable.  This is our moment.  I know I cannot stand idly by.  We must pray.  God revive the church, heal our land, bring revival and restore our land.  Next, week we will start looking at the first of five part of the prayer of Daniel.   I encourage you to join me over the next five weeks to pray for ourselves, family, church, city, province and nation. 

 

QUOTES FOR AUGUST 4, 2026

 

DANIELS BACKGROUND

 

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes,  (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

 

     These first three verses are the background for the prayer of Daniel.  These three verses establish the time, place and reason why Daniel prayed.   It was the first year of Darius son of Xerxes.  Darius was crown prince of the Persian Empire. He was the eldest son of the Persian king Xerxes I and his wife Amestris, the daughter of Onophas. His younger brothers were Hystaspes and Artaxerxes, and his younger sisters were Rhodogyne and Amytis.  He was a Mede by descent.  So this is the time of the Medo Persian empire.  He was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom.  The Medo Persian empire at the time was the largest empire at the time.  It ran from the Mediterranean to India and 127 provinces.  Daniel was in charge of the Babylonian portion. 

 

     So here is Daniel in the first year of Darius’ reign, looking over the scriptures and the word of God.  He is reading the scroll and writings of Jeremiah.  He was reading Jeremiah 25:11, where God tells Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be empty, uninhabited and desolate for 70 years.  You see God had Spent 400 years telling Israel and Judah to repent, turn from idols, being immoral and unjust.  He sent prophet after prophet and in time they refused and judgment came.  Daniel had been part of that judgment.  Nebuchadnezzer was that hand of judgment.  Daniel was among the Jewish nobles who had been transported to Babylon with Jehoiakim,  Scholars put Daniel at 15-18 when he was taken the Babylon.  In Daniel 9, he is in his late eighties or nineties. 

 

     Daniel was pouring over the Jeremiah 25:11, meditating, seeking the meaning, wanting to understand how  and why it could happen.  Daniel does 6 things which are at characteristics of intercessory prayer. 

 

1.            He turned or sought the Lord. 

2.            Pleaded with him

3.            Daniel was in prayer

4.            He petition God

 

5.            Daniel fasted.  There are four types of fasting. 

 

a.            The Normal Fast which is a short fast for one or two day.  Going without food

b.            The Absolute Fast which can be from 3 days to 40.  Usually just water or liquids

c.            The Partial Fast.  Going without some type of food for a period of time.

d.            The Rotational Fast.  Skipping meals one or two a day for a period of time to prayer.

 

We do not know which one Daniel did.  But here are ten benefits to fasting

 

Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

2.1 1 – Deeper Intimacy with God

2.2 2 – Answers to Fervent Prayer

2.3 3 – Develop Humility before God

2.4 4 – Gain Wisdom and Understanding

2.5 5 – Authority over Demonic Strongholds

2.6 6 – Repentance and Salvation

2.7 7 – Personal Victories in Your Life

2.8 8 – Gaining Heaven’s Perspective

2.9 9 – God’s Protection and Help

2.10 10 – Commissioned to Ministry

 

6.    He put on sackcloth and ashes. 

 

      We need to have that same experience.  Our nation is turning from God.  We are seeing this right now.  This is urgent church.  We are on a knife edge.  Our nation is on a rapid descent to destruction.  If we do nothing God will hold us accountable.  This is our moment.  I know I cannot stand idly by.  We must pray.  God revive the church, bring revival heal and restore our land.  Next, week we will start looking at the first of five part of the prayer of Daniel.   I encourage you to join me over the next five weeks to pray for ourselves, family, church, city, province and nation.