Battling in His Authority

“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:16-18)

We are engaged in a battle…a battle for the souls of people. A battle on who will command our lives and who we will choose to submit to. It is a power struggle that must be resolved through faith.

When Paul heard these words, he changed sides on the battlefield. He was previously acting in the authority of the leaders of his Jewish faith but he was about to come face to face with the risen Messiah who has been given “All authority on heaven and earth.”

On the one hand, the battle has already been won. Jesus claimed the victory when He acted as the perfect representative to the human race by living a sinless life and defeating sin, death, and the devil. Where Adam and all human afterward failed, Jesus succeeded.

On the other hand, there is a battle on whether we will RECEIVE or REJECT the full outcome of Christ’s victory by believing in who Jesus is and what He has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection.

For all of who have believed and received Christ, we are more than conquerors who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are also His ambassadors to help people in the very areas where the battle lines are drawn. This is why Paul would later encourage the brethren to "fight the good fight of faith."

Many people think they have more control than they really do. People act like they have the power to change the course of the world but they cannot even change themselves. Pilate thought that he had the power to crucify or release Jesus, but Jesus settled this power struggle very quickly saying, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11).

One thing is for sure when it comes to power, we have only as much as God chooses to give to us and we never have more power than Jesus. God has given us His Son and the grace to respond to His power and until we do so we are under the power of the enemy of our souls whether we realize it or not.

The Apostle John reminds the believers that, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:18).

The Apostle Paul thought that his religious zeal and devotion to the Law was his obedient service to God…but he found himself on the wrong side of a war that left him persecuting Christ and His bride. He was in need of repentance and faith toward this same Jesus that he had previously rejected. But when he saw and heard the resurrected Christ, his surrender was his victory.

The same is true for all of us today. We must daily surrender to win the battle of faith.

The very one who persecuted and opposed Christians became the one the greatest proponents of and sufferers for Christ who planted more churches and reached more souls than anyone else in his entire generation.

When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus, He rerouted Paul’s purpose and revealed what the battle of souls is all about. When Paul gave his testimony, he revealed what we are battling for.

Here are the three KEY TRUTHS that was covered in his testimony and our battle:
1. The faith to have our eyes opened so that we can see and believe spiritual truth.
2. The freedom to be delivered from the power of Satan to God’s power.
3. The forgiveness of sins and an inheritance with God’s saved and sanctified people.

This is what we need to be praying into when we engage in the Lord's battle: the faith, freedom, and forgiveness of others through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul encouraged the believers in his prayers and letters declaring, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins”

When we lose our rights to ourselves and come under the full power of Christ, we become whole people once again. Our whole spirit, soul, and body can be sanctified until we come to see the radiant face of our Lord Jesus.

Sin destroys relationships. When we make room for sin, the devil gains ground in our lives and he seeks to rob of the blessing in our vertical relationship with God and in our relationships with others. Therefore, when we put on the full armor of God and are "battle ready", we are able to help others have restored relationship with God and others as we carry out the ministry of reconciliation.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col. 1:19-20)

KEY QUESTIONS for reflection and discussion:

1. How are presently aware of the battle that is taking place for souls around you?

2. What hardships have you recently endured as a soldier of Jesus Christ and how have you learned to overcome the enemy? (See Revelation 12:11).

3. Share about how you personally seen the connection with sin and how it damages relationships, whether in your own life or in the lives of others.

Journeying Toward Jesus

“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5-7)

We all have a ministry but do we truly understand that ministry needs to be all in?

When it comes to the mission of our Lord, we all need to communicate the right message in the right way with the right heart. This means that the message we speak to others must be accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit in the full conviction and confidence of the One who gave us this message in the first place.

There are far too many people who have still not heard the true gospel and many of these people are operating with the wrong idea of what the truth actually is. They need to know the love of God that is behind the Word of God and why the cross of Christ matters to their lives. This is why Paul knew that his manner of living truly mattered so that his manner of speaking was in alignment with his own faith. The MESSAGE and the MINISTER need to be in agreement so that authenticity, not necessarily perfection, is able to be seen.

If our lives match our message, then people can become “followers of us and of the Lord”. Wait a minute…you say…”we will never be able to live as perfectly as the Lord!” This is true. There is only one Jesus. But if Christ lives in us, there will be a certain sincerity of love that will lead others to hear the message and see the ongoing transformation that comes from this message if they were to receive it as well.

In other words, people must see that we fully believe the message before they will receive our message.

This all begins with knowing firsthand that we are loved and accepted and welcomed by Jesus who invites us to be with Him that we might become like Him and partner with His mission.

In Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, we see the following wholistic approach of journeying with people that they might journey with Jesus:

• There is first the PROCLAMATION of the Gospel.
• Then there is the DEMONSTRATION of the power of the Gospel.
• Then, there is the IMITATION of Christ who laid down His life for us.
• Finally, there is the MULTIPLICATION of those who receive the Gospel to do the same.

When God’s heart of love and compassion is truly working in us, our gospel ministry will become more than just dropping a bomb-like-message to someone else. Instead, we will go the extra mile and remember that relationships require a sacrificial kind of love...which is contagious and expansive.

Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24)

Our purity in heart brings about about a potency in life toward the productivity and progression of the gospel ministry we seek to advance.

When sharing the gospel with someone from a completely different culture and religion, we must be prepared to replace what they are going to need to give up for the cause of Christ.

• What does this kind of relational and Christ-like incarnational ministry look like?
• This might look like inviting unknown people into our hearts…through love and prayer.
• And then inviting these same people into our homes…with hospitality and care.
• Then, we may invite them in our small groups…with gracious intentionality to spare.

After this kind of personal relational embrace, they may feel led to take the sacrificial step of believing in Christ and becoming a part of the body of Christ...where they too can share.

"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." (1 Thes. 1:8)

Personal Reflection: What is "sounding forth" from your life when others are around you?

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt. 28:18-20)

The resurrection of Jesus is surely the greatest feat ever accomplished by any man at any time in our world. He told His disciples ahead of time that He must suffer and die and be crucified but that He would also be raised from the dead. He said it. He did it! We benefit from it!

For the next 40 days, Jesus would appear and disappear as He would show Himself alive "by many infallible proofs" (Acts 1:3). This began a transition of Jesus doing the final preparations with His disciples before ascending into heaven and showing them that they would need to follow in His steps by obeying all His teachings and trusting and depending upon the Holy Spirit from this time forward. They once followed Jesus in the flesh by going wherever He walked. Now they would follow Jesus by the Spirit dwelling inside of them.

The Apostle Paul said, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). And the Elder ApostleJohn put it this way, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (1 John 2:6).

Jesus knew that the disciples needed to behold Him as One who conquered death in bodily resurrection but He also knew how each of them needed some more personal ministry. Jesus always knows what each of His disciples personally need. He knew it then. He knows it now and He is ready to work in each of our lives from one day to the next.

Jesus fulfilled all that the Father had given Him to do but He had some unsettled business with some of His disciples to get them ready before giving them their final commission.

To Mary... Jesus REDIRECTS her and us to be on Mission.
He tells her to tell others what she knows of Him and to not cling to the old way of doing things.
John 20:17 - “Don’t cling to me…but go to My brethren…"

To Thomas... Jesus REVIVES him and us to be Believing.
He re-builds up his faith by addressing his doubts and to believe even when we don't see.
John 20:27  - “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but BELIEVING.”

To Peter... Jesus RESTORES him and us to live a life of Serving Others.
He forgives him after his personal denial and reminds him He lives in others.
John 21:15-17 - “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?
“...FEED My lambs..TEND My sheep...FEED My sheep.”

The reality of it all is that no one who thought they were qualified would be qualified...BUT those who knew that were not qualified were the ones qualified. Jesus desired His followers to put no confidence in the flesh but to be fully dependent on Him as they would continue His ministry in the supply and power of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle John said, "But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." (1 John 2:27)

In order to make disciples everywhere, they had to be disciples first. They were to be just like their teacher and learn to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him and [His teachings]. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." (Luke 9:23-24)

They were to fulfill what was given to the first man and woman who were commanded to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28). However, this time it was to "be fruitful", bearing the fruit of the Spirit and to "multiply....disciples". When there is an inner spring of life, we can produce godly offspring in the world...until we see ALL OF JESUS FOR ALL THE WORLD!"

Finally brethren, remember the three "ALLs" in the Great Commission:

• ALL Authority
• ALL Nations
• ALL Teachings

When these three are put together in one, we will see the purpose of the mission:
God desires to expand His Kingdom reign...in every tribe, people, tongue, and nation...until Christ is seen in full exaltation!

This is our Mission Possible! And if we let the self life destruct, then our message never will. Let's get to it church!

For...“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37).

"I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:1-3,5)

After reflecting on the final week of Jesus' ministry, may we remember that we are all broken people living in a broken down and fallen world. The Lord came to us to reveal Himself and to heal, save, redeem, and restore our lives. He lifts up our heads and our hearts and brings us up out of the horrible pits we are in that He might set our feet upon a rock and give us a new and living hope.

We need to learn to "keep it real"...in both the natural and in the supernatural. In other words, let's not just consider where we are at on any given moment but also where God is at in it all. For the way we are feeling in any given situation is only one part of the whole truth. We must also factor in the eternal with the temporal and consider what God sees, what He says, and what He has already accomplished to get the full reality. So let's keep it completely real!

Christ is forever risen...and He is now 'livin' in you and me!

Let's go back to the empty tomb consider the overflowing heart of Mary Magdalene when the risen Christ lifted her up from her broken down state in this following spoken word poem...

My Heart is Overflowing
By Joey Rozek

It’s Sunday, and the one day that I never thought would go this way…running to tell the others that His body had been taken away. All I could say without a moment’s delay was that I couldn’t grasp why they would not allow the body to stay…to remain in the tomb.

Was there not enough room? …For just a little decency when recently they beat Him so brutally with their inhumane cruelty even releasing a prisoner so guilty, allowing the filthy to triumph over the innocent. But still He, silently, did not react violently but relying on the Almighty only did rightly, gripping the cross ever so tightly …And on the way He politely told those who took their sin too lightly not to weep for Him but for their children daily and nightly.

With distracted thoughts and a heart disappointed, I walked and I wept until two angels appeared and pointed. They said the Anointed Messiah was no longer here but had risen…And, I uhhh, didn’t know what to think as my bones felt disjointed.

But then came a voice calling to me from the garden and before my heart could continue to harden, I felt my desperation and begging him pardon, “Sir, if you have carried Him away tell me where you have laid Him” …For the buried should remain without someone needing to invade Him.

But He looked at me with love in His eyes while I tried to evade him until my body

shivered and I then realized that He knew me…He knew my name.

But wait! How could this be! The Man standing before me had clearly died on that tree…that terrible cross amidst all the mockery where Christ spilled His blood and willingly paid the debt for me. My shame was now all I could see but it became replaced by the sight of His face, and now His saving grace was setting me free.

I came to this tomb feeling overwhelmed and rejected, but now with this new evidence I collected, I objected to what I formerly suspected. This is truly my Rabboni! – the only One who ever detected that my heart was so infected that I thought I would never be selected – But He chose me and clothed me, and with His mercy protected…and now He is here again….as my Savior resurrected!

Without hesitation and with renewed anticipation, I faced Him and embraced Him as His joy replaced my trepidation. My Redeemer lives! He is no longer dead!

Hallelujah! I clung to my Rabboni and held Him until He said, “My child, it is I. I will never leave you nor forsake you, you must tell the others I am going but will soon come again to take you…for I am preparing a great mansion that awaits you.

The harvest is soon coming, and my workers are few, but I have made you my
overcomers…and the evidence of My presence is My residence in you.

My heart is now overflowing with this good theme,
I recite my composition to the risen King.
My tongue is now the pen of a ready writer,
My Lord has resurrected and my future is forever brighter!

"Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:
“‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:37-38)

Jesus is the source of all blessing, love, life, and truth. He is also a King with a kingdom.

When you receive King Jesus, this kingdom of God is opened up for you to see and you immediately become a part of this kingdom that you might represent it and reproduce it in the various places where God has called you to go and work and shine His light.

The kingdom of God is the rule, reign, and righteousness of God as revealed in Jesus.

This kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world. It is not a temporary kingdom led by a power-hungry man who wants to abuse His power and use people for His personal gain. Rather, He came as the servant of all and goes after the least, the last, and the lost.

The King of this kingdom is perfect in all of His ways and His perfect love casts out all fear and worry and anxiety. He sees each person with eyes of compassion and favor. He does not treat people as merely His servants but rather calls all those who believe in Him His friends and He delights in serving us since He came to give His life as a ransom for us all.

You see...When He sees everyone, He sees each one...as if they are JUST ONE.

Yes, He sees YOU dear saint! He knows everything about you and yet still loves you. He saw you even before the world began...and He sees you RIGHT NOW as you navigate your way through this broken and torn world...and He knows how to bring beauty from the ashes.

Jesus taught that a person must be "born again of the Spirit" in order to "see" this kingdom (John 3:3) and this kingdom is reserved for "the poor in spirit" who are graciously given this kingdom because they know they cannot earn it and know they do not deserve it (Matt. 5:3).

Therefore, each of us must recognize our personal poverty and spiritual bankruptcy without Christ in order to have access to this kingdom. We must believe that Jesus died for us and rose again and invite Him to be the Lord of our lives today and always.

As we heed the words of the prophets who spoke before Him and learn the teachings that came forth from His mouth and life, we can practice His ways and become His faithful witnesses and ambassadors to a world full of deceived, discouraged, and desperate people. We need to learn most of all that His kingdom is all about joy and peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit. His kingdom is in power and not just in words.

His kingdom starts in our hearts and then expands from the inside out!

Love is now the banner over us. So when we wake up, get ready, go out, and start another day, we know that what drives us and compels us to do what we do is LOVE. Our one law is to love God with all that we are and to love others with all that we have. That's it! Yes, it is that simple.

"If we live to love, we will love to live."

His triumphant entry into Jerusalem was not for the purpose of starting a war with Rome but rather for making a peace treaty with the enemies of God. Jesus came to end the war within our hearts where Satan and sin had its domain. Jesus came riding lowly on a donkey because He came to make peace with His creation and to reverse the curse that robbed God of His glory and the fellowship that was broken when sin entered the human race.

He is a King that is always ready to make His domain in the hearts of those who receive Him. Whether people were longing for freedom, desiring to acquire greater wisdom, or living a meaningless life of boredom, Jesus has a kingdom that changes everything for everyone when He is invited to rule and reign in their lives.

His kingdom was likened to a stone but it soon would became a mountain. As Isaiah the prophet one said, "...Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD’S house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:1-3)

He was greeted by the branches of the palm date trees that were plentiful all around Jerusalem as well as the clothes and garments that covered the lives of the ordinary. Jesus would then plant His seed in the hearts of His followers to grow trees of righteousness and He would clothe them with His robes of righteousness and with garments of praise.

For..."The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92:12-13)

This was the first time He allowed Himself to receive open and public praise. He had to wait for the appointed time to be seen as the promised Messiah so that His mighty works could be known and lead all true seekers to become true worshippers and heirs to His kingdom.

But not everyone who worshipped remained loyal to Him or His kingdom. The praises did not continue but soon faded away in the final phase of Jesus' ministry. The celebration and shouts of "Hosanna" soon turned into vehement cries of "Crucify Him!" later in the week.

But it had to be done so that Jesus could fulfill His mission and you could be redeemed, restored, and forgiven.

Will you allow Him to have the full reign of your life....today?
May you pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

He has so much more that He desires to do in you and through you...if you let Him reign.

"Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until THE TIME OF THE END...But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”

Daniel is an old man when he hears these words (in his nineties). He has witnessed great changes in his lifetime but now as he moves toward the end of his days on the earth and the Lord has graciously shown him what it will be like at the time of the end for His people Israel. O what a privilege it is to see what God has purposed to do!

Jesus taught that there was a very distinct difference between the wise and the foolish. The wise build their lives on the rock and hear His sayings and obey them but the foolish hear the same sayings and do no obey them and thus they build their lives on the sinking sand. Ever since Daniel interpreted the first dream of King Nebuchadnezzar he saw the major kingdoms that would exist concerning His people to the end of the age but the one that would last would be the large rock that represented God's kingdom in His Son.

After Daniel hears the prophecies concerning the developing kings of Persia and Greece, one of the Lord's angels shows him an inspired time interval that jumps ahead into the future. We need to pay close attention to the time indicators that show us a greater lapse of time which takes us to the time of the end, such as "the time of the end" (Dan. 11:35, 12:4,9) and "time, times, and half a time" (which is 3 and 1/2 years found in Dan. 7:25, 12:7 Rev. 12:14).

These latter days and times were spoken through Moses and then through the prophets to God's people. In Deuteronomy 4:30-31, it says something that has application for both the generation that heard these words but sets the tone for it actual fulfillment in the end: "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."

For the people of Israel, it is also called "the time of Jacob's trouble", which reflects how Jacob's name was changed to "Israel" when he finally desperately called out to the Lord and finally prevailed with God and men in Genesis 32:24-28.

The prophet Jeremiah says, "Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it...For I am with you,’ says the LORD, “to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. [That means that Israel must continue on and God's promises] But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’" (Jer. 31:7, 11)

Jeremiah the prophet describes the last 3 and 1/2 years by describing God's wrath on the earth as the Antichrist commits the abomination that causes desolation and the heavy persecution for Israel reaches its climax as well as the judgments of God...BUT GOD keeps His covenant promise to His people Israel and to all who are wise and believe.

The Antichrist rises up above all the former antichrist types and embodies the spirit of opposition against the Lord and His anointed because he will be empowered by Satan who desired to be exalted and worshipped in heaven. Since that agenda did not work, this is attempt to find his place of exaltation on earth and to gather as many people to the destruction that awaits him.

“Then the king [Antichrist figure] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all." (Daniel 11:26-37, See Dan. 7:25)

All the while, the angels are doing war in the heavenlies and Michael the archangel is helping to ensure the full execution of God's purpose and to save the remnant of Israel and all of God's chosen in Christ as Daniel 12 shows us. Everything is under God's sovereign purpose until the gospel has been preached throughout the earth and the Lord is ready to gather His Church and all the wise and ready believers of the earth in His appointed time.

In these last days, knowledge will increase everywhere, but as in the days of famine in Amos, people will still not understand the word of God which is able to lead to the saving of their souls. As Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise." Unfortunately, the prophets warning still applies where it says His people are "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6). The Apostle Paul agrees and tell us that people (even in the days of the internet and widespread access to information) are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7).

Therefore, let us be the wise who put their trust in the Lord and call upon His name and turn many to righteousness. May all of God's people in every generation be living for the kingdom of God that now is but yet coming in fullness when Jesus gloriously appears with His people and establishes His righteous reign forever and ever. For "many will be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand...and will arise to their inheritance AT THE END OF DAYS." (Dan. 12:7,13)

DANIEL CHALLENGE:
"Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!"
...Be wise and turn many to Jesus!

Questions for open discussion and reflection:

1. What has been the most impactful spiritual lessons from the book of Daniel? What things are similar and different in Daniel's time and the time we live in?

2. How has studying the prophecies of Daniel opened your eyes to what you are seeing in the world concerning the spirit of Babylon and the soon coming of Christ?

3. How are you challenged to live for the kingdom of God with greater purpose and passion? Explain and share from your heart.

“Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall....But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power...Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (Daniel 11:14,16,32)

Every day in this fallen world can feel like a struggle. A struggle to see clearly, think clearly, and to keep yourself in the love of God as you live out your faith against the current of deception and the Babylonian residue in the world. It was the same reality for Daniel who ever since he was taken captive into Babylon, had to purpose in his heart not to defile himself as he watched one kingdom rise and fall after another.

Struggles are constant. There will always be certain difficulty and opposition or danger when a person is trying to get to a desired destination that others are competing for, especially when men's hearts are lifted up in pride and are trying to position themselves for power.

The first struggle for power took place in the Garden of Eden and was a clash between the spiritual world and the physical world. The fallen angel Lucifer, who became the Devil and Satan, sought to take authority over Adam and Eve's lives so that he could have dominion of what God had given to them on the earth. The question always comes down to which voice we would listen to and WHETHER WE WILL KEEP GOD'S WORD OR NOT.

When Adam and Eve submitted to the deceiving voice of the devil, they were taken captive to do his will and they were forced to leave the Garden that God had placed them in. Then God placed Cherubim to guard the way into the Tree of Life with a flaming sword to protect it.

Ever since Christ came into the world as the promised King and Messiah, we have been given the sword of the Spirit to fight against the enemy of our souls. As we "submit to God and resist the devil, he has to flee and we are able to kick him out of the garden of our hearts.

O How powerful it is when we live our faith under the authority of God and stand our ground against the evil schemes and tactics of the devil! The Lord comes to fight our battles for us! He will show us great and mighty things that we do not know...since, after all, it is the Lord who has the final word and His mighty hand is over all the struggles for power that take place in our world...especially as it relates to His people and His redemptive purpose.

Praise God that He gives His angels charge over us to affect human affairs and struggles and to protect His chosen people…and to direct those who seek to carry out God’s purpose.

As it says in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12:
 “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.”

Therefore, God is ALWAYS in Control: Although both physical and spiritual hands are at play,
God’s hand ensures that His purpose alone will stay. Don't ever forget this dear saint!

Daniel 11 reminds us how God amazingly shows us through His heavenly messengers future history before it happens with specific detailed accuracy. He was given prophetic revelation of what would take place for the next 130 years in the power struggle within the Persian and Greek empires and the leaders that would rise and fall...eventually leading to rise of the Roman empire and into the last days. God gives specific detailed narratives between the kings of the north in Syria (the Seleucids) and the kings of South in Egypt (the Ptolemies).

Why were these wars of great concern to God?

ANSWER: Because the glorious land of Israel was right in between these power struggles.

All of this culminated in the leader named Antiochus IV (Epiphanes - illustrious, divine) who serves as one of the types of the final Antichrist who comes against God's chosen people and sought to end the sacrifices and to defile the temple. In the prophecy given to Daniel, it says, “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation." (Dan. 11:30-31)

This same Antioches IV Epiphanes would serve as a TYPE of the Lawless One (Anitchrist) who would rise up in the end. This Antioches would eventually be stopped by Judas Maccabaeus and the Maccabean Revolt. However, this "vile person" would first attack Jerusalem and kill 80,000 Jews, take 40,000 more as prisoners, and sell another 40,000 as slaves...and ultimately would plunder and defile the temple.  All of this happened precisely as was revealed ahead of time to Daniel.

In the midst of those who oppose the true and living God, there is always a remnant who know their God and who submit to the Power over all the powers. Daniel heard these comforting words, "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall BE STRONG, and carry out great exploits." (Dan. 11:32).

In the time of one of the greatest persecutions against Israel, God always comes to the aid of those who show their faith and loyalty to Him and even will fight for those He entered into a covenant that He might carry out His eternal purpose and promises.

Today, we must stand our ground and BE STRONG IN THE LORD and the power of His might (Eph. 6:10) and give no place to the devil.

Let us remember the words that the Apostle Paul spoke to the church in Corinth:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Cor. 10:3-6).

DANIEL CHALLENGE:
THE FIRST CONFLICT WE MUST SURELY WIN
IS AGAINST THE LIES OF THE MIND WITHIN,
SINCE JESUS DEFEATED THE DEVIL AND SIN
LET’S STAND IN TRUTH AND SUBMIT TO HIM!

Discussion Questions for Home Groups:

1. When God chooses to reveal what will happen in the future (prophecy), what does this teach us about our faith and the common struggles and events that are rising up in our world today?

2. Share your thoughts on how God's people do not always represent His will or or His ways as He carries out His promises for both Israel and the Church. In other words, how are you learning to make sense of man's free will decisions (which are often sinful) in the midst of God's sovereign plan and purpose in having the final word and say on all things?

3. What does it mean that "those who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits?" How have you seen this truth working out in your own life or having an impact in our present time?

4. Let's share any further thoughts, insights, or questions concerning the Book of Daniel at this point and what this book has been doing in your personal walk and journey with the Lord.

“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar…In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks…Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen…Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me…Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.’” (Daniel 10:1-11)

James 4:8 states plainly, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” While this is a great and familiar promise, it’s important to ask the question, “What do you expect to happen when God does draw near? What might it actually look like when heaven responds to us - to our cries, our prayers, our seeking after God?”

Here in Daniel 10, we see what it was like in the life of Daniel when heaven invaded his life in a literally breathtaking way, in response to His prayers! While Daniel’s experience was a rather unique one, yet from his experience we can identify some common ingredients that we can expect when heaven draws near to us, even today.

When Heaven Draws Near...
…we receive revelation of Jesus, enabling us to see more of His glory!
…we are humbled and undone in His holy presence.
…we know more fully how loved we are.
…we gain an understanding of spiritual truth we didn’t have before.
…we become more aware of unseen spiritual realities.
…we receive the supernatural strength and heavenly help that we need.

Through Daniel’s heavenly visit, we are exhorted to NEVER STOP PRAYING! It may take 21 days or more for you to see heaven draw near, but from the moment you start praying, your prayers are being heard and responded to. So keep going, persevere, and persist in prayer!

Furthermore, we are reminded that we cannot disregard the unseen spirit realm that exists all around us. A war between angels and demons has been going on in the heavenlies for a very long time! We need to remember that we have an unseen enemy, that on the large scale is influencing world nations and leaders to advance Satan’s agenda, while on the more personal level is stirring conflict and division, and seeking to destroy relationships, marriages, homes, and churches. We must always remember that spiritual battles are not won by human weapons and efforts, but on our knees in prayer and in submission to our Lord, as we put on the full armor of God!

Finally, in light of Daniel’s experience, we must consider what we might be forfeiting if we’ve not been making it a priority to regularly, daily draw near to our God in prayer and in His Word. May we put aside excuses, stop letting the world dictate our calendars and To-Do lists, and go forward with a heightened seriousness to live out the divine command to “draw near to God,” that we might see and experience all that God wants to do in and through us, when He draws near to us in response!

DANIEL CHALLENGE - As wars rage all around us, pay attention to where you are looking. Rather than looking so much at yourself, at angelic beings, or at all kinds of screens, “lift your eyes and look” at Jesus, as Daniel did. Keep your gaze on your Champion, who fights your battles for you, and who has already won the war!

Questions for Reflection:

1. How do you sense God calling you to incorporate fasting or forms of self-denial in your prayer life? What is one way you can commit to live that out this week to seek the Lord more fervently?

2. Can you recall the last time you received a fresh glimpse of Jesus to behold more of His glory, beauty, and power? What were the circumstances and how would you describe what that was like? How has this chapter challenged you to seek more that is there for you to behold of Him?

3. Why do we so often find it challenging to persist in prayer about a matter? How are you encouraged and inspired by Daniel’s visit to persevere in praying?

4. What are some specific ways you have seen angels and/or demons actively working in your own life or in our world at large? How does this shape your perspective and understanding both of world events and of happenings in your own life? How do you keep a biblical perspective and not get overly preoccupied with angelic beings?

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity." (Ephesians 2:14-16)

After reviewing the details of the 70 Weeks Prophecy of Daniel 9 and learning what was revealed to Daniel concerning his people (the Jews) and his holy city (Jerusalem), we now want to highlight God's purpose for the Church in the last days...since we are now living in what is called "the time of the Gentiles".

So far the first 69 weeks of 7 years (483 years) of the 70 Week prophecy has already been fulfilled. The last week of seven years is still awaiting its fulfillment. For the last 2000 years, God has allowed this big interval of time to work through those who have placed their trust in Jesus the Messiah and who have received His gift of salvation through His finished work on the cross so that we might continue His ministry and build His church and expand His kingdom.

The first disciples of Jesus wondered when this 70th week would come and thus asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Jesus answered by telling them that this part of the time table was placed in the hands of the Father but that they would "receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me "starting from Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Once we receive the Messiah, we become new creations in Christ, where "the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). We who were once in darkness are now the light of the world and we who were far off are now "brought near by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13). Christ broke down the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies and the middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles to make us one new man and one body IN HIM.

Now we are in the New Covenant in Christ, we are His offspring who possess the indwelling Holy Spirit who overflows out of us springing up into everlasting life.

The Apostle Paul understood this mystery about everything being fulfilled by Christ Jesus and then gathered into Him. He wanted all those who believe to be clear on their new identity:

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26-28).

So we the Church are now the primary means of God accomplishing His purpose on the earth.

To live in light of our NEW IDENTITY:
…with gospel INTENTIONALITY
…being watchful with IMMINENCY
…taking our place in INTERCESSION
....with the ministry of RECONCILIATION
...all for His kingdom EXPANSION!

Gospel INTENTIONALITY: We have been entrusted with the gospel of peace to give to this broken and hurting world. We have the life-giving message that is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. God has included the mission of the church in His time table to get the gospel preached everywhere before Jesus comes (Matt. 24:14).

Watchful with IMMINENCY: Even though we do not know when the Lord will rapture His Church to meet Him in the air, we want to live like Enoch who walked with God before the Lord took him, since he was said to have a testimony "that he pleased God" (Heb. 11:5). We do not know what tribulations we will have to endure in this life but we know that Jesus overcame the world, took away the wrath appointed for us, and He will soon come for His expectant bride in the appointed time.

Therefore, let us heed Jesus' words, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

Taking our place in INTERCESSION: We are called to take our every worry and concern and need to our Lord in prayer. He knows what we need and His able to supply all of our needs but we are called to join Christ in His intercessory ministry and pray for His kingdom purposes to be carried out, being "serious and watchful in our prayers" (1 Peter 4:7).

With the ministry of RECONCILIATION: We have the calling to be peacemakers and those who invite people to take their sins and conflicts to the cross of Christ. for this ministry is at the heart of the gospel..."that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:19).

All for His Kingdom EXPANSION: We are called to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and to be a part of the disciple making ministry that Jesus started where we are daily learning to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, while teaching others and taking them with us in the ways in the world.

May His Kingdom come and may His will be done on earth as it is in heaven! As Jude has said,
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 20-21)

DANIEL CHALLENGE:

LET US PURSUE OUR CHURCH GIVEN CALL,
AND HELP THOSE IN ANY BONDAGE AT ALL,
LEADING THE LOST INTO RECONCILIATION,
BEING READY FOR OUR KING’S VISITATION.

Questions for Discussion in our Home Groups:

1. What have you learned about the detailed events of the 70 Week Prophecy, especially the final seven years? In what ways do you see the world falling into alignment with this?

2. Why is the land of Israel continually a place of great turmoil in our world and what have you learned about God's promises and His purpose for Israel in these times? See: Romans 11

3. Which of the roles of the Church are you feeling a strong burden for and what adjustments do you believe God is calling us to make in these time to align our hearts with God? Encourage one another with what God is doing in your heart personally.

4. In what ways are you learning to live between the tensions of tribulation and persecution with the blessed hope we have in Christ? How can we be making ourselves ready for Christ's return while staying on the gospel mission entrusted to us?

“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (temple). The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate" (Daniel 9:26-27)

God is in control of all time and all that happens as and when it unfolds. God knows the ends from the beginnings and He alone know the times that are placed in His hands. However, God sometimes reveals things ahead of time to us through His Word and His prophets of what He is going to accomplish.

Therefore, let us always 'have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us'.

After God revealed to Daniel the precise time of the Messiah's first coming, also known as "the time of [their] visitation" (Luke 19:44), the first 69 weeks (or 483 years) of the 70 Week Prophecy was completed. But there was still one final week of "seven years" remaining.

This is God's final countdown.

The events of the final 70th week will be a time unparalleled tribulation and trouble in world history. This is the appointed time leading up to the return of Christ, also known as the Day of the Lord.

In the first part of the prophecy, Jesus, the Messiah, was "cut off", being executed on the cross, NOT FOR HIMSELF but FOR US. This is the heart of the Gospel - that God demonstrated His own love toward us by sending Jesus to die on our behalf, and that the Christ (Messiah) who knew no sin would become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

The temple would soon after be destroyed and the Jewish people would be scattered over the face of the earth...only to regathered in the time of the end to go through the time of Jacob's trouble.

Since that point, we have living in what is referred to as "the time of the Gentiles".  Jesus put it this way, "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24)

Here is the FINAL ‘SEVEN YEAR’ TIMELINE:

• The Prince (the Antichrist) will make peace with Israel & nations
• The Temple is rebuilt and the sacrifices are restored
• The Antichrist breaks his covenant in the middle of 7 years
• He ends all sacrificial offerings & sets up own idols

      (v.26 - The Abomination that Causes Desolation)

• God will judge the earth (The Time of Great Wrath)
• There will be world wide deception, destruction, and death
• There will be intense persecution for Jews & Christians on earth
• God destroys the Antichrist (beast) when Jesus returns!

Jesus will be preceded by a counterfeit prince that is controlled by Satan and his agenda to be exalted like the Most High God and to steal, kill, and destroy His image bearing people (John 10:10). Satan has no creative ability but he seeks to distort, attack, and undermine what God has designed and loves. He is the serpent of old who empowers the beast on earth and ends up growing into a fiery red dragon, as revealed in the book of Revelation.

"And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed." (Rev. 13:14-15)

The answer to defeat the enemy of our souls still remains the same, which is to believe in Jesus and to overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death" (Rev. 12:11).

Jesus spoke about this coming 70th week and what would happen for those that "see 'the abomination of desolation', spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place", and how "there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:15,21).

The Apostle Paul elaborates on this further saying, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

...And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thes. 2:3-4,8-10)

When the Lord returns, the Lord will open the eyes of the remnant in the land of Israel and they will behold and believe in the Messiah they missed.

It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. ‘And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn’" (Zechariah 12:9-10).

The time of Gentiles will be fulfilled and now will be the time of the Messianic reign of Christ in fullness.

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27).

"Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:7)

May the prayer of God's people join in with the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90:13-16...

"Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children."

DANIEL CHALLENGE:

LET US LIVE AS PILGRIMS ON THIS EARTH
TREASURING CHRIST OF INFINITE WORTH,
FOR THIS LIFE WILL SOON BE PAST, AND...
ONLY WHAT IS DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST!

"SEVENTY WEEKS (of years) are determined for your people and for your holy city...
"Know therefore and UNDERSTAND, That from the going forth of the COMMAND
To restore and build Jerusalem UNTIL Messiah the Prince (Jesus),
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times." (Daniel 9:24-25)

This may be one of the most significant prophecies spoken of in all of Scripture because it deals with both the prediction and the precision of the time concerning the events leading up to the revealing of Jesus the Messiah in His first coming as well as what would happen in the final seven years leading up to Jesus' second coming.

For the people of our world that doubt the divine authorship of the Scriptures or who question the identity of Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah, this prophecy directly reveals and confirms the truth that ONLY JESUS COULD FULFILL THIS ROLE!

Why? Because whoever the Messiah would be, He must arrive in Jerusalem...at the appointed time given in this amazing prophecy! This would have to be fulfilled around 32 AD.

This prophecy begins with understanding what is meant by the "seventy weeks" that are determined for God's people and the city of Jerusalem. In Hebrew, the word for "weeks" here is "shabua", which means a week of either days, units, or years. The context determines which one this is...and, in this case, it is clearly seventy sets of "seven years" for each week given in this prophecy.

We see this same word for "week" used to describe a seven year period in the story of Jacob working to marry the woman he loved, namely Rachel. In Genesis 29:27, Laban tells Jacob to work another "week" of seven years for Rachel after he switched wives on him and gave him Leah, the older sister of Rachel, saying, "Fulfill her week (HB - shabua”), and we will give you this one [Rachel] also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”

Thus, the seventy weeks that are determined are seventy sets of seven years, which works out to be 490 years. The next step we need to see is that this is not a consecutive 490 years but a collective Bible prophecy that is broken up into three key distinct categories.

Here is the TIME KEY Divided Up into Three Time Frames:

7 weeks = 49 years of rebuilding the temple with its wall
62 weeks = 434 years until the coming of the Messiah the Prince
1 week = 7 years of final tribulation and God's wrath poured out on the earth

In the middle = The Abomination causing Desolation (Last 3 and 1/2 years of Great Tribulation)

Once we see that this prophecy is directing our attention to these three periods, we must start with the first two added together which will give us both the Starting Point and the Finishing Point of when the Messiah the Prince will appear on the scene.

The STARTING POINT:
"That from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem (the City)"

• This was the specific decree given by Artaxerxes in 445 BC since this is the only commnad that deals with the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem and its wall.

The ENDING POINT:
Until Messiah the Prince (The Christ)"...

This is the very date when Jesus is officially and publicly recognized as the Jewish Messiah when He rides into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and is later crucified in this same week.

Therefore, we see the total 483 years of this part of the prophecy culminating on March 14 (1st of Nisan), 445 B.C., as confirmed in history, when King Artaxerxes I of Persia issued the command to rebuild Jerusalem, including its wall (Neh. 2:1-8). If you use the 360 day calendar that the Jews and the Persians used, and then convert it to the modern calendar that we now use today, we will arrive at the time the Messiah was predicted to come to Jerusalem.

This takes us to right around 32 AD.

...And what significant event do we know history happened at this time?

ANSWER: The triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and His sacrificial death on the cross.

...How is this even possible?

Coincidence? Luck? Happenstance? ...Impossible! This is God amazingly showing us that He is in control of all things and that His Word shall never fail but endures forever!

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Galatians 4:4-5).

This historically confirmed prophecy reveals the appointed time of the Anointed One -- JESUS, and what the Messiah ("Christ" in Greek) would accomplish over this time...

What God Will Fulfill during the whole 70 Weeks through the Messiah:

1. To finish the transgression
2. To make an end of sins
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness
5. To seal up vision and prophecy
6. And to anoint the Most Holy

Although no one is able to know the date or the hour of the Second Coming of Christ, Jesus was very clear that the appointed date of His first coming could have and should have been known for those who were carefully studying the Scriptures.

At the beginning of His ministry, He stood up in his hometown synagogue and spoke these prophetic words in Isaiah 61:1-4:
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,                      (1st Coming)
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;                                (2nd Coming)
To comfort all who mourn,                        
To console those who mourn in Zion...
And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations..."

During His final week when Jesus was praised on the streets of Jerusalem as He rode in on a donkey, He said that if the people did not worship Him on this day, "the stones would  immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). Why is this? Because it was directly prophesied that the Messiah must be worshipped ON THIS VERY DAY!

Jesus ended with a rebuke to the religious leaders of Israel who missed the glorious fulfillment of this prophecy saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in THIS YOUR DAY, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION" (Luke 19:41-44).

Sadly, the destruction of the city and the temple would be repeated once again after Israel defiantly rejected the visitation of their own Messiah, which took place when Rome set fire to the temple in A.D. 70. May we learn from history to always take God's Word seriously!

DANIEL CHALLENGE:

LET US REMEMBER WE ARE IN GOD’S HAND
NO MATTER WHAT TROUBLES MAY COME,
HE HAS ORDERED TIME TO UNDERSTAND
HOW GOD’S WORK IS AS GOOD AS DONE.

...Share this with some one who does not yet believe in Jesus or who doubts God's Word

Home Group Discussion Questions:

1. What have you learned about the power of corporate prayer and the spiritual warfare that take place as we pray and even because we pray?
2. What do you believe is needed for authentic "revival" to take place in our time?
3. What do you find intimidating about reading Bible prophecy and what do you find inspiring and faith building about it?
4. How can we be sure that we are ready and do not miss the next visitation of our Lord, Messiah, and Savior Jesus as those Jewish leaders did when He came the first time?

"O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” (Daniel 9:19)

When God's authority is pushed aside, mankind sins and falls short of God's glory. It is always futile for any of God's creation to act as though they are the Creator. This kind of pride repeats the very sin that caused the once beautiful cherub Lucifer to become the devil or Satan.

From the beginning, we see that Satan, the father of lies, sought to usurp God's authority by tempting Eve with the question, "Has God indeed said...?" This was an attempt to step in and seek to father God's first children. It worked. An authority shift took place. Whenever someone obeys any other voice than God's voice, they are regarding God's Law as void and living under a different authority.

When man attempts to be in control, then Satan is actually given control.

Since God's Word reveals God's will, God's laws, God's ways, and God's judgments, any rebellion against God's Word requires a "revival" to return to who God is and what God has spoken. Daniel knew this and so he ended his prayer with an urgent plea for God to act for His own sake on the basis of His love for His city, His people, and His Name.

REVIVAL is: The ACT of God to breathe new life into His people, restoring them back to heartfelt repentance and renewed obedience to His Word with a deep passion for His Presence and His Glory!

Yes, God must ACT! And if God promised that He would do something, He is always true to His Word. HE WILL ACT!

The psalmist writes, "It is time for You to act, O LORD, For they have regarded Your law as void." (Psalm 119:126)

This was the case when God gave the tablets of the Law to Moses. While Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments, the children of Israel were making a golden calf to worship what they could see with their eyes and to declare that the god they made had delivered them. How tragic it is when mankind takes matters in their own hands and creates their own god by their hands, while denying the very hand of God...in whose hands we are.

In Psalm 44, we read, " We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days, In days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob.

Sometimes, God acts by allowing His people to be afflicted. These trials and afflictions would serve as a reminder to all of God's people of their own inadequacy and insufficiency and how they, and we, need God to sustain us and to act on our behalf.

In Psalm 119, we learn, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes" (Ps. 119:67,71).

There are times when you become more aware of your own fallen condition and you see more clearly how those around you are not taking God's law seriously. When people start to exchange the truth for a lie, it is only a matter of time before sudden destruction comes.

Various prophets spoke of how God desires to partner with us and is always searching to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to him (2 Chron. 16:9) and for a man who will intercede on behalf of His people.

The prophet Ezekiel said, "So I sought for A MAN among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found NO ONE." (Ezek. 22:30)

The prophet Isaiah said, "And there is NO ONE who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.

Isaiah 59:16 adds, "He saw that there was NO MAN,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore HIS OWN ARM brought salvation for Him;
And HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, it sustained Him.

So Daniel was stirred up to pray for the revival of His people...
“Hear!” (The prayers were few)
“Forgive!” (The sins were many)
“Listen” (The promise was sure)
“Act!” (The time is now for God to do something!)

Ezra would be among those who helped lead the captives to rebuild the house of God and he knew that it was because of God's grace and mercy that they could be restored.

"And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg [stake] in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us A MEASURE OF REVIVAL in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments…" (Ezra 9:8-9).

Let this become our hearts cry as well. God is ready to do a fresh work in each of our lives. The time is surely coming. The time is now! God is calling us to build His house with Him so let us agree with God's heart and pray and seek His face so that we might do all His will.

"Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6).

Let’s Do OUR PART for God to ACT:
Open your hands and heart to God
Unite with others in humble prayer
Repent of any unconfessed sin or idols

Pray for the outpouring of the Spirit
Ask for revival in all areas
Rejoice in the finished work of the cross
Trust God to act in His way and His time

This week, Read and Pray through Psalm 119 and be asking and seeking for God to revive your heart while yielding to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you and to revive you.

Consider the PRAYERS OF REVIVAL from Psalm 119:
Psa. 119:25 Revive me according to Your word
Psa. 119:37 And revive me in Your way
Psa. 119:40 Revive me in Your righteousness
Psa. 119:88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness
Psa. 119:107 Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word
Psa. 119:149 O LORD, revive me according to Your justice
Psa. 119:154 Revive me according to Your word
Psa. 119:156 Revive me according to Your judgments
Psa. 119:159 Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness

"And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said,
“O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments." (Daniel 9:4-5)

Daniel was known for many things...but God knew him as a faithful servant who regularly communed with Him and called out in prayer.

In fact, as soon as Daniel started praying, God gave the command for one of his leading angels Gabriel to come directly to Daniel. Imagine that...A prayer for God's mercy was the catalyst for the movement of God's spiritual armies and helpers in heaven to come. Is this powerful or what? We know in other places of Scripture that God gives His angels charge over us for our protection, provision, and guidance (Psalm 91 and Ephesians 3 & 6).

Prayer is the greatest display of our faith and trust in God because when we pray we are humbly aware of our constant need for God.

Daniel was a teenager when he was first taken captive into Babylon, but he freely lived by faith despite his difficult circumstances. He learned to bring everything to God in prayer. He developed the habit to pray and learned to pray three times each day on behalf of His people and Jerusalem from the time of his youth (Dan. 6:10).

Now Daniel was a seasoned man of prayer and faith in his upper 80s and he could see clearly just how far his people had strayed from the faith. Daniel understood that the promised time of the 70 yeasr of punishment and captivity for His people was now coming to an end.

As 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 says: "And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years."

The Judah that he knew was guilty of all kinds of idolatry and wickedness, which even led to the sacrifice of their children to the false gods they adopted. Sadly, these sins are still very much active today throughout the nations of the world and even here in the America today from idolatry in entertainment to babies that are killed by the millions in the womb. He was convicted by the sins of his people but he was comforted by what He knew God said he would do.

"For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Daniel had access to the copies and scrolls of the Scriptures that he and some of the captives had taken with them, which included the Law of Moses and the prophecies of Jeremiah.

It is always good to pray in alignment with the revealed Word of God and what God desires to do in our lives and with His people as a whole. For God is faithful even when we are faithless. He is able to be strong when we are weak and to bring good out of evil and beauty from the ashes.

Daniel based his prayers on what he knew God had already said more than what he simply wanted God to do.

Daniel Shows us a GREAT way to Pray:
Get alone with God
Remind yourself who God is
Expose and confess all your sin
Ask for forgiveness and seek direction
Trust in God’s mercy and faithfulness

Prayer should always seek to UNITE our heart with God’s Heart, to ALIGN our will with God’s Will, and to CALL DOWN God’s heavenly supply.

Are you known for being a man or woman of prayer dear child of God? Is heaven familiar with the sound of your voice? Do the demons and forces of evil tremble when you bow down to pray?

Daniel was willing to make the sacrifice necessary to pray. He combined his prayers with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. This kind of lament in prayer may seem foreign to some of us who have received so much grace and mercy through Christ but we must still learn to include the sins of others and the testimony of the church in this present time in our prayers.

James put it this way, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.'
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:6-10).

It is good to confess our sins and agree with God about WHAT HE SEES and WHAT HE SAYS. The Apostle John said, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

When we know that God's moral laws come from God alone then we must also know that our sins are an offense to God and that only HE can forgive us and cleanse us.

Since we are the problem, we cannot be the solution! We need God to come to our rescue and to cover our sins, just as He did in the Garden of Eden when mankind first rebelled and God clothed them with the skins of an animal (Gen. 3:21).

We must never approach God on our merit or righteousness. We are the ones at fault and Daniel took the responsibility to include himself in the sins of his people that he was being punished with. Daniel knew that he, like all of us, need the great mercies of God.

The Gospel Reiterates that it is GOD and NOT US…
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” – Peter to Jesus (Luke 5:8)
“God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ – Tax Collector in the Temple (Luke 18:13)

When all is said and done, we need to remember that it is what Christ said and did that matters. For salvation BELONGS to God and is BY God and is BECAUSE of God.

Let us all confess these same words of David now and always...

"My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only." (Psalm 71:15-16)

DANIEL CHALLENGE

THE GOODNESS OF GOD IS WHERE WE BEGIN,
WITH HUMBLE HEARTS, WE CONFESS OUR SIN,
MERCY AWAITS ALL WHO TRUST IN HIS SON,
THE CROSS REMINDS US, “THE WORK IS DONE!”

Discussion Questions for Home Groups:

1. What do you learn from the way Daniel prays that you can apply in your own prayer life?
2. Daniel confessed not only for his own personal sins but for the corporate sins of his nation. Why do you think Daniel considered this important? How does this challenge you in the way you pray? Are there ways in which you find it difficult to earnestly pray on behalf of the people of the church or your nation today? Consider these prayers: Ezra 9 & Nehemiah 9.
3. What does Daniel's prayer reveal about his understanding of God's character and promises? How can a growing understanding of God’s character and promises shape your prayer life?
4. How does God’s response along with the sending of His Angel to Daniel's prayer change your perspective on the effectiveness of prayer and motivate you in the way you pray?

" And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” - Daniel 8:16-17

It is amazing how the Lord gives different pieces of the puzzle at different times from different angles so that those who are seekers of truth can see how the Lord reveals the ends from the beginnings and opens our eyes to certain mysteries only God could know.

In Daniel's previous dream, he saw a revelation of the four beasts that represented the four kingdoms of King Nebuchadnezzar's first dream. This time the Lord changes the images of the beasts to two different animals (a ram and a goat) and puts a greater focus on the kings of these images and how they relate to the time of the end and the spirit of the Antichrist.

God is once again revealing that He knows the evil schemes and plots of every world leader and the futile attempts to reenact the Tower of Babel. God is sovereign and He will expose and overcome all things in the return of Christ. HE IS EXPANDING HIS THRONE TO EARTH!

In this dream, Daniel receives a vision of a ram with two horns that were disproportionate, representing the Medo-Persian empire with the emphasis on the greater kingdom of Cyrus the Persian. This kingdom would soon be overtaken by force from the Greecian empire led by Alexander the Great, who was represented by the great horn proceeding from a goat that conquers not only the ram (Medo-Persian empire) but much of the ancient world.

When you compare the likes of the proud Alexander the Great with the humble Jesus, the contrast could not be more revealing about the Two Spiritual Kingdoms that exist in our world: God's kingdom of Light against Satan's inferior kingdom of Darkness.

Let's contrast Alexander the Great with Jesus the Suffering Servant:

• Both spent roughly 33 years of life on earth.
• Alexander served only himself...BUT JESUS always served others.
• Alexander forced men to be slaves…BUT JESUS set the captives free.
• Alexander took the blood of men…BUT JESUS gave His blood for others.
• Alexander died in sin…BUT JESUS died for the sins of the world!

Which kingdom are you actively promoting by the way you are living your life?

Remember, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. God dealt with the arrogant horn of the goat and did something very fascinating in this dream. The great horn of the first goat was replaced by four new notable horns representing Alexander's four generals who end up leading four different kingdoms. Out of those four came one more "little horn" that rises up...And this is where everything takes a turn for the worse.

Who is this "little horn"?

It has two meanings for us to see...one in the past and one in the future.

Starting with the past, we learn from history that out of the Seleucid Empire came a man named Antiochus IV, who was full of pride and hated God's people. He called himself Antiochus Epiphanes (meaning "God manifesting") to embody the image of a god. He committed an abominable act leading to the desecration of the Jewish temple, when he set up an altar to Zeus and offered an unclean pig on this altar in the holy temple in 167 BC.

Everything changed when a courageous man known as Judas Maccabeus "the Hammer" rose up and drove out the Syrian army, which led to the purifying of the temple as predicted by the specific number of days revealed to Daniel. The temple was cleansed after a period of 2,300 days worth of both the morning and evening sacrifices, allowing the sanctuary to be restored and the daily sacrifices to continue within the full cleansing period.

The specific 3 year, 2 month period of time when the cleansing days are cut in half for the two sacrifices would eventually lead to a special day of dedication that would follow, known to the Jews as "Hanukkah", where the temple was cleansed and the remaining one day portion of oil would miraculously last for 8 whole days. Jesus celebrated this feast in John 10:22-25 and would later teach about the "oil" that His bride should have ready when the Bridegroom returns in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25.

Interestingly, today God is calling all of us to be a clean and undefiled temple that have the oil of the Holy Spirit burning at all times. We are called to be A READY BRIDE with enugh oil in our lamps to overcome the devil and to continually shine as lights in the midst of darkness with the overflowing power and heavenly supply of God's Spirit.

Therefore, we must resist the spirit of the Antichrist and heed the word Gabriel gives to Daniel, who seems to direct us further than Antiochus Epiphanes to the time of the end...a time still yet to come, where another evil king would rise and commit the real abomination that causes desolation, just as Jesus would later teach in HIs olivet discourse (Matt. 24:15).

Gabriel gives us many descriptions of this Antichrist figure but we are called to walk in the truth and to endure the hardships of our times by LOOKING TO THE REAL CHRIST!

The Apostle Peter tells us, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in DOING GOOD, as to a faithful Creator" (1 Peter 4:17-19)

Saints, let us ADVANCE the everlasting kingdom of the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

DANIEL CHALLENGE:

SATAN KNOWS TIME IS RUNNING OUT,
WE KNOW WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.
NOW WE MUST PRAY AND NOT DELAY,
JESUS IS COMING, PREPARE THE WAY.

"I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14)

God is always in control! When He sees a loyal heart serving Him, He loves to show Himself strong on their behalf. We saw this in the first half of Daniel when he and his friends were taken captive into Babylon and God delivered them from many different trials and tests.

They were living in a self indulgent culture but they purposed in their hearts not to let Babylon get into their hearts. They were holy set apart for God and God honored them for it. May this be said of us who are living in the corrupted and compromised world today.

As we move into the second half of the book, we are going to see how the Lord "reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). God showed Daniel incredible insights of what He was planning to do in the future. Daniel received his own dreams of prophetic revelation to know the future as if history already recorded. God "called his shots" as He pointed out to Daniel and other prophets what He intended to do on earth.

Daniel wrote down the main facts of his dream telling us about the "four winds", the "four beasts", the "ten horns", and the "little horn" that would rise above the rest after conquering three other world figures. The four winds would represent the divine judgments and angelic movements that God would direct from heaven to earth. The four beasts were four kingdoms, matching up with what was previously revealed when Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. All of this was the under the sovereign will of the Ancient of Days, which was another way of saying that the eternal God is "The God of All Time."

Since God is outside of time, He can visit and interact inside of time and He can even do this all at the same time because, He oversees time. God was revealing to Daniel what He would do in anticipation of the Lord's return before He would bring His kingdom in fullness, "which shall never be destroyed." Thus, History is and always will be "His Story."

Each of the four beasts in Daniel's dream came with distinct details that revealed the unfolding world powers and how God knows how each kingdom will rise and how they will fall:

The kingdom of Babylon is represented by a beast resembling a lion with eagle's wings and shows how its figure head will stand up {in pride) but will be given a heart of a man, since King Nebuchadnezzar would be made like a beast and humbled to experience a conversion.

The kingdom of Medo-Persia is represented by a bear on one side with three ribs in its mouth. They would actually conquer three kingdoms (Macedonia, Egpyt, and Lydia in Asia Minor and be united on one side together.

The kingdom of Greece is represented by a leopard with four heads and four wings. This represents the rule of Alexander the Great who conquered much of the known world from the Great Sea to all other directions before he even turned 30 years of age. He would have no heirs due to his licentious living and would give his kingdom over to his four generals.

The Roman empire is represented as the fourth, terrible and exceedingly strong beast that is different from all the others because this kingdom did not get conquered by any other kingdom. It had great strength and eventual imploded from within due to its own greed and corruption. This kingdom dispersed and then immersed with the rest of the world and is always seeking to change the times the law. This kingdom will soon rise up again in the form of ten horns, representing world leaders or authorities, and will rise with satanic momentum.

Out of these ten horns would come one "little horn" who speaks great and blasphemous things that would eventually line up perfectly with what the Bible teaches is the Antichrist. He has many other names such as the :beast", the "lawless one", the "man of sin", and the "son of perdition", and sadly for many he would take the place of Christ in their hearts. He will deceive many because the power of Satan will be working through him and He will oppose God and persecute and make war against the saints.

...But He is not match for Jesus! And we are still more than conquerors in Him!

"Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ (Dan. 9:27)

Regardless of all that would transpire, the reign of every rival throne would soon expire. The Ancient of Days, the God of All Time, will one day return to this earth and Jesus will overcome and overtake them all to rule and reign on this earth with ten thousands of His saints.

The "Stone" of King Neb's dream and the promise given in Psalm 2 reveal to us what will take place when Christ comes again and crushes all the world powers establishing His kingdom...

"Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” (Psalm 2:8-9)

Like Daniel, may we keep this matter in our heart and let no one but Jesus reign within our lives!

DANIEL CHALLENGE:
CHOOSE TO SERVE KING JESUS AND PRAY HIS KINGDOM COME,
OBEY THE KINGDOM CALLING UNTIL YOUR WORK HERE IS DONE!

Home Group Questions:

1. What unique insights and new revelations impacted you after studying Daniel 7?

2. As we consider the various leaders who have ruled in the past, what have you learned about the pride and selfish desire that wage war inside of you? Share something of your own struggle for power and control in your own life. (Consider James 4:1-5)

3. What does this chapter teach you about the power of prophecy and how God knows every detail of every future event that will ever take place? How can this affect the way you live? (Consider 2 Peter 3:9-14)

4. As we consider the different kingdoms of old and the power shifts that are taking place in the world today, how do you see the stage being set for the full rise of the fourth beast as a unique mixture of all others? What new advancements make this age different from the rest?

WHY GOD?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation…" (2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

Do you find your heart being weighed down by the cares and sorrows of this world?

Have you had any knocks at your door lately from Mr. Tragedy, Mrs. Sorrow, Mr. Hardship, or Ms. Affliction?

As you seek to live wholeheartedly for Jesus and for His glory, yet encounter hardship, trials, and suffering in this life, do you ever find yourself confused, or even angry, and asking the question, “Why God?”

In the midst of affliction, it’s easy for our eyes to get so fixed on the problem in front of us and around us, that we can easily forget that our all-good, all-powerful, all-wise, sovereign God is at work, doing something intentional and purposeful, for our good and for His glory.

While we recognize that there is certainly some mystery to this (“His ways are higher than our ways”yet in 2 Corinthians 1, the apostle Paul, no stranger to suffering, provides us with some reasons why God has His people experience suffering, and provides us with instruction and encouragement to help sustain us in the midst of our trials.

Reason #1: So we would behold and experience God and His comfort in a much deeper way (v.3-4)

Reason #2: So we would serve, minister to, and comfort others more effectively (v.4, 6-7)

Reason #3: So we would know Christ intimately as we share with Him in His sufferings (v.5)

Reason #4: So we will be able to endure harder things that are on the horizon (v.6)

Reason #5. So we would learn to trust and depend fully upon God (v.8-11)

Reason #6: So God would be glorified and magnified through us! (v.1, 11)

As we consider these and other reasons given to us in the Scriptures for our suffering, I can assure you, not one ounce of pain or one single tear you cry is in vain or arbitrary, but purposefully ordained and used in the hands of a loving God!

So, when the rough rapids of suffering come crashing upon you, don’t run from God, run to God, and cling to Him for life!

Remember His character, His presence, His promises, and His prize!
God is using your trials and your suffering to produce for you an experience in heaven that will make it so indescribably glorious, that you’ll be willing to say, “I’d endure that suffering again a million more times if it means I get THIS!"

So, keep trusting Him, keep rejoicing, and keep going!

Questions for Reflection:

1. Why is it so difficult for us to remember God's purposes for our suffering when we are in the midst of a trial?

2. What Scriptures most minister to you and can be useful for you to hold on to the next time a trial enters your life?

3. What are some things you can resolve now to do to glorify God the next time you're feeling inclined to complain about pain, difficulty, and sorrow that you are experiencing? 

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:4-6)

Just think...the earliest Christians did not possess a single personal Bible or have any educational resources, podcasts, classes, schools, or technological advancements. Instead of these things, they had full assurance of Christ's resurrection and were filled with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. But the most important factor was that they truly SPENT TIME WITH JESUS. That's it...and this was more than enough to turn the world upside down!

God's sufficiency means the God-given ability to meet our every need. God has an ample amount of His heavenly supply to handle all things that we are dealing with on earth. He gave us all things "that pertain to life and godliness." Thus we are never alone or abandoned...ever!

No matter what goals or resolutions you might have going in to a new year, we must first consider what God has resolved to do for us. He prayed to the Father to give us "another Helper" that would not only change the world as we know it but would make all the difference in how every believer in every generation throughout time would live their lives unto God.

JESUS' RESOLUTION: "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:16-18).

Jesus resolved to LEAVE the disciples physically in order to come to LIVE in the disciples spiritually. This was to their advantage. The result of His prayer and the gift of His Spirit would be a transformation that would result in a transition where Christ went from living in front of them to living inside of them. This is the MYSTERY and MASTERY of the New Covenant.

This same power and life-giving Spirit is still very much available for all of God's children today! It is not about ACHIEVING anything but RECEIVING the anointing that comes from above and changes life here on earth below.

The Three KEY Transformations that made all the difference in these disciples:

1. An AWARENESS of God’s Abiding Presence…in every place.
2. A READINESS to Speak and Testify of Jesus…at any time.
3. A DEPENDENCY on the Sufficient Power of the Spirit…for all things.

Does this describe you dear saint? When we understand this overflowing reality of the Holy Spirit, we can be free to truly LIVE and LOVE and FREE the living spring in every believer.

Paul the Apostle said, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place" (2 Cor. 2:14). Christ in us is not only the hope of glory but the HELP in our story. It's all about what He does in and for us.

Our Responsibility is always singular in this life:  It is our "Response" to God's "Ability!"

We can practically live out this God-sufficiency by...
Acknowledging Him in all our ways and look to Him to meet our need.
Saturating in the Word daily and speaking of Jesus by the Spirit’s prompting.
Being confident for God to supply what our need and expect Him to act on our behalf.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers" (3 John 4-5)

God is love. And God is truth. If either one of these divine attributes were ever missing, we would not be able to be sustained in this life because  He is perfect love and we are perfected in His love. God loves in truth only and He truly loves us always.

Truth is not only 'what is' but 'WHO is'. Jesus declared this when He said, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life" (John 14:6). To walk in the truth is to walk in the reality of the revelation of Christ and to express His love freely toward others.

God wants us to get rid of whatever lies we are believing that may be getting in the way of His love being fully expressed in our lives. If truth is simply 'what is', then falsehood is 'what is not.' We must then be careful not allow a mixture of truth and falsehood lest we be deceived. Thus, to truly be free in this life, we must truly know the truth and reject all forms of falsehood.

The Apostle John reminds us that truth isn't just something we know intellectually but something we live out practically. Truth is living what we know and yet knowing the God of all truth.

Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).

In this short letter of 3 John, we are encouraged to:

• Walk in the TRUTH (v.1-4)
• Work for the TRUTH (v.5-12)
• Speak the TRUTH in LOVE (v.12-14)

Too often, we are content to know the truth about something but are not always willing to help others know that same truth by the way we are loving them. We are called to speak the truth in love and to love others in truth at the same time. In God's economy, TRUTH and LOVE are always INTERTWINED and they need each other TO FULFILL GOD'S PURPOSE.

The most mature people in the faith are not necessarily those that learn the most but those that love the most. Paul taught that this was "the most excellent way" and that without love, we basically accomplish nothing. Jesus emphasized His way of love as the priority of Christian living and even summed up all the law with this singular word.

John says that we do faithfully what we do "for the brethren and strangers" (3 John 5). So to focus only on selfish gain is to do unfaithfully. He then illustrates this by speaking of two kinds of people: Diotrephes and Demetrius.

Diotrephes made everything about himself and, as a result of his pride, he sought to tear the church down and divide God's people. Demetrius, on the other hand, focused on others and sought to build the church up, which is why he had "a good testimony among all."

So you must ask yourself, "Am I a Diotrephes or a Demetrius?"

Since there will always be those who will not walk in the truth, we must not allow the falsehood of others to diminish the truth or to allow our own love to grow cold. We must discern what is getting in the way of Christ's love, even in times when it is appropriate to set boundaries to protect ourselves from those who bear the name of Christ and yet refuse to follow His teachings. Love can be shown even when truth is being shared or when no words are being spoken at all.

Dear saint, do not let anything get in the way of your heart expressing Christ's love to those around you. Choose to walk in the truth, work for the truth, and to speak the truth in love. Truth always moves toward love and love is the motivation behind knowing and showing the truth.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." (1 John 5:3-4)

For the outworking of truth is when we allow our faith to mature in Christ's unfailing and unending love. So let us LET US LIVE TO LOVE and we will LOVE TO LIVE.

"Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began," - Luke 1:67-70

Before God's hand ever accomplishes His work, He first speaks His prophetic Word so that we have His divine signature that it is Him doing the work. As the prophet Amos says, "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).

Once we hear the Word spoken, we must patiently wait for God to fulfill HIS WORD in HIS WAY and in HIS TIME. Since faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, we must believe that a promise made by God is as good as done.

James puts it like this, "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)

As we go into this Christmas season, ask yourself what is it that you are waiting for? Is your faith based on what God has spoken or what you have imagined or wished for. If the source comes from God, then you can be sure of this:  God speaks His Word, then performs His Word, and He always CONFIRMS His Word when all is said and done!

May we remember the words of Job in our time of waiting...
"I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You" (Job 42:2). Jesus is the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies spoken about Him and He is the ultimate purpose of the prophetic Word.

So what is a prophetic word?

A prophetic word is when something is declared which can only be known by divine revelation. It is like a mystery being revealed or history being given before it has ever happened. It is not always predictive in telling the future but it is always true in what it is declaring with a confirmation that follows.

The Apostle Peter says, "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Even in the days of Moses, God was raising up people who would not only hear His prophetic word but who would speak His prophetic word. In Numbers 11, Joshua complained to Moses that there were two men, Eldad and Medad, who were prophesying in the camp and not in the tabernacle. But Moses answered, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD’S people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” (Acts 11:29)

This was a foreshadowing of the fact that God would one day pour His Spirit on all men and women in the Church to be able to prophesy in a way that builds up the body of Christ by bringing edification, exhortation and comfort to others in Christ (1 Cor. 14:3).

Today, we who are filled with the Holy Spirit can bring a prophetic word in a timely manner to a person or congregation that points out something relevant in the Word or that points to Jesus who is the revelation of the Word. Paul says, "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged" (1 Cor. 14:31)

For when all is said and done, we are to give all of our worship, attention, and adoration on Jesus. "...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 12:10)

"And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:11)

The wise of the earth have a tendency to leave wisdom behind them wherever they go. The Proverbs tell us that the wise spend their time with those who are wise and "the lips of the wise disperse knowledge" (Prov. 15:7). They do not conform to the ways of the world but are transformed by the renewing of their minds to prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2).

When Daniel was exiled and living in the midst of Babylon, he showed us that "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king's delights but rather to delight himself in the Lord so that he might be directed by His light and direct others in the worship of the true King.

Daniel made such an impact in Babylon that the prophetic revelation he left behind would later impact the wise men who knew that a Messiah King would one day come. So they set out on a long journey to behold the birth of Jesus Christ by following His star in the East. They travelled until it led them to the area where Christ would be born.

The Word of God served them as a LAMP unto their feet and the STAR above them guided them as beam of light that led them directly the feet of the Child Jesus.

The Apostle Paul would later write, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Gal. 4:4-5).

O how important it is to be guided by the Scriptures and to follow the present leading of His Spirit in our lives. God is glorified whenever His Son is BEHELD and BELIEVED and we are letting Him take full control of our lives as we daily learn to trust and follow Him.

From the beginning of time, the heavens have declared the glory of God and the stars were uniquely placed for times and seasons, and for days and years" (Gen. 1:14). God even told Abraham to look up and count the stars, if he could, for He said, "so shall your descendants be (Gen. 15:5). Every believer who would ever place their trust in God's provision would be like one of those shining stars in the sky that gives testimony to God.

Daniel said, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3)

How can the wise in heart turn many lost souls to the righteousness of Christ today?

Let us learn from the wise men who not only saw Jesus with their own eyes but also responded to Jesus with transformed lives.

Their reaction to the revelation of Christ shows us three very powerful things:

• They had hearts that were READY TO WORSHIP the Lord Jesus.
• They were WILLING TO GIVE THEIR ALL and offer their best gifts to Jesus.
• They would not compromise but were ABLE TO BE REDIRECTED for Jesus.

How about you? Are you READY, WILLING, and ABLE to worship God, give your all to Him, and let God fully direct your life? Are you living as a wise person today? Are you abiding in God's Word and allowing the light of Scripture to guide you to His perfect light?

Jesus once said, "But wisdom is justified by all her children" (Luke 7:35). Let us be among those who are willing to go to great lengths to behold Jesus with our eyes and then to help others realize that the greatest gift of all is KNOWING and SHOWING Jesus to the world!

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him...
CHRIST THE LORD!

"All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?” (Daniel 4:35)

In every situation of our lives, there are often many hands involved. Some of those hands are meant to be there while at other times certain people put their hands in where they do not belong. The enemy of our souls is always working to add a hand toward division, deception, and destruction. But one thing is always for sure, the hand of God is always at work on our behalf.

The same hands that stretched out the heavens are the same hands that were nailed to a tree and the Savior's hands are now molding and shaping you and me into His perfect image.

For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). We see this theme beautifully expressed in the life of Daniel who was taken into Babylon in exile and went through many trials and tests. Although Daniel had fallen into the hands of the king of Babylon, He was still being upheld and controlled by the mighty hand of God.

The Lord’s hand is always stretched out toward us to help refine us, revive us, and to redeem us. No matter what hand may be working against you, His hand make all the difference.

Are you aware of God's hand at work in your life at this time?

David was aware of the hand of God and even prayed:
"Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out YOUR HAND Against the wrath of my enemies,
And YOUR RIGHT HAND will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”  (Psalm 138:6-8)

The Lord is on your side. 
He will never leave nor forsake His own precious children and especially His faithful servants. He is always present. He always cares about you. And He is always working behind the scenes and in various visible ways to accomplish His purpose for His glory and our greater good.

In fact, there is never a time in our lives where God's hand is not at work in our lives.

Here are three things that God's hand is doing in your life:

• God's Hand DIRECTS our Ways.
• God's Hand DEVELOPS our Character.
• God's Hand DELIVERS us from all evil.

He is directing our steps since all of our times are in His hands.
He is developing our character since each our trials will soon become our crowns.
He is delivering us from all evil since our every battle belong to the Lord and He is our victory!

"So...Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10)

When you understand this to be true, you will be able to face any obstacle, any opponent, and overcome every test and trial in your life.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
Maybe you need to get your hands off of something and let go of what you are holding onto too tightly. Maybe you need offer your hand to help someone in their time of need. Maybe you need to cast your cares from your hand to God's hand or freely receive what God desires to give you.

When all is said and done, IT IS WHAT IS IN GOD'S HAND THAT TRULY MATTERS. For in His right hand are all His precious sheep and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore!

PSALM 100

1 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

In Psalm 100, often labelled a “A Psalm of Thanksgiving,” we are given nothing less than a divine Call to Worship, directly to us from Heaven, and reminded that we have been divinely CALLED to worship. It’s what God made us for, and it is the purpose for every person ever born (“all the earth”).

Everybody worships something, but of utmost importance is WHO you worship. Here we see most clearly that our worship is to be completely centered on and for the glory of ONE and ONLY ONE PERSON: The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. The worship of anyone or anything else is sinful idolatry and a great offense and affront to our Creator, who will not share His glory with another! He alone is the one true God, who created us and has saved us by His great grace. He alone is most praiseworthy, beautiful, and glorious in His unchanging attributes, being always and only good, full of lovingkindness (mercy), and faithful. When we behold Him with the eyes of our hearts for who He truly is and all that He has done, the question changes from “Why should I worship?” to “How can I keep from worshipping Him?” In response to seeing but a glimpse of His greatness, we cannot help but do so.

   
     Yet, worship is not limited to a single action; it is multi-faceted. The psalmist identifies two major categories of worship: Acts of the tongue (verbal proclamations like shouting, singing, & praising) and acts of the body and life (serving Him, knowing Him, entering into and enjoying His presence, etc.) We find that worship is not so much something we do as it is something we are! As believers in Christ, we now have a new identity: Worshippers of the Living God. Thus, worship is not just something we do on a Sunday morning in a church building for an hour or two; it ought to be a continuous, 24/7 reality in our hearts and lives.


     And as the heart is the essential component in our worship, the psalmist here emphasizes how we go about our worship: “joyfully,” “with gladness,” “with thanksgiving” and “with praise.” We see that when it comes to worship, it is not just about what we do, but HOW we do it, that matters. It’s the condition of our heart in its feelings and affections as we worship and serve our God that is essential. And so, when it comes to your worship lately, How are you doing at how you’re doing what you’re doing? Has your worship and service to God been characterized by joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and praise? If not, what’s been getting in the way? And what are you going to do about it?


     It is true that these virtues are the fruit of the Spirit – they are Holy Spirit-produced, not self-manufactured by our own efforts. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean this happens automatically. We still bear responsibility to cooperate with the Spirit and position ourselves spiritually in the pathway of His sanctifying work that He wants to do in our lives.

So, if you have been operating with a lack of joy, and an absence of gratitude, and/or a hesitancy to praise, commit to be purposeful in taking the following steps:

1. Admit it, confess it, and repent of it
2. Pray for the Spirit to produce His fruit in your life!
3. Examine your life for the ultimate joy-killer, sin
4. Guard your heart from the world’s influences
5. Spend focused time with God daily
6. Keep doing the things you know to do, even when you don’t feel like it!
7. And preach to yourself (Directing your body and feelings rather than them directing you!)

By God’s grace, may we increasingly become a people who truly worship our awesome God joyfully and gladly, with thanksgiving and praise, and give Him the glory He deserves!

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION:
1. What most stood out to you in this deep dive of Psalm 100? What fresh insight pertaining to worship did the Lord bring to your awareness?
2. Which of the reasons to worship presented in this psalm most stirs your heart to worship God even more and to make personal changes in your life? Explain your reasons.
3. Why do we sometimes miss the fullness of joy available to us when we worship and serve the Lord? How can we become more joyful in our worship to God?
4. What correlations and connections can we make about this psalm and God's powerful deliverance of Daniel in the lion's den? How was Daniel a true worshipper of God?

"And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

The moment of truth had finally come. After years of being immersed in the corrupt culture of Babylon and now the Medo-Persian empire, Daniel's purposeful and pure heart was about to go through his greatest test. His refusal to compromise his faith had won him great favor with the king but his contemporaries were envious and schemed a plan that they hoped would bring an end to Daniel's life and influence. So Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions. Would this be his end? How could he possibly survive this?

But GOD...

After a restless night of trying to find some way to get around the decree that he so foolishly signed, King Darius fasted and contemplated and then arrived early in the morning wondering if Daniel's God had delivered him.

Then came the ANSWER...

After the king called out to him, the silence was finally broken only to reveal that Daniel's life and body were fully intact. The answer came...God had rescued Daniel by shutting the mouths of the lions so that he suffered no harm at all. The king was astonished and overjoyed by the amazing power displayed by Daniel's God.

And now we come to YOU...

Are you needing the Lord to come and silence the roar of the lion in your life? The devil daily seeks to deceive and destroy you with his strategic attacks and he seeks to drown out any assurance you may have from God.

The Bible describes the enemy of our souls as being just like a lion. The Apostle Peter writes, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Although we have a lion who opposes us, we also have the Lion of the tribe of Judah who defends us and fights our battles. The Apostle John says, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is GREATER than he who is in the world."

Are you being opposed by the lies of the enemy or from those who are seeking to find fault in you at this time? Will you hold on to your integrity and continue to trust in the Lord so that the only fault anyone can find with you will be that you have sincere faith in the living God?

No matter what you are facing, the Lord's face is always before you. The Lord stays with you, prays for you, and displays His power through you in every battle you fight.

The enemy knows you well and studies you carefully to trip you up. If you are not careful, the devil can turn any place into a lion's den for you to fall into. He will deceive you if you are not feeding on His Word and will accuse you whenever you slip up. But His presence is our protection, His power is our greatest weapon, and His promise is our victory and deliverance!

Have you felt the breath of the lion lately? We need to be aware that the devil is waiting to attack. He is crouching...sizing you up...looking to devour you. So stand your ground, admit your weakness, and rely on His power!

The Apostle Paul did this very thing, saying, "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many." (2 Corinthians 1:9-11).

Your obedience will influence others and your endurance will lead others to give thanks to God...just like it did for King Darius, who ended up writing a decree declaring the greatness of God:

"I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27)

Think of all the times that God has delivered you up to this point. Isn't He worthy of our highest praise! He knows what He is doing and every suffering has a purpose for God's glory. May we remember that, "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them...Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all" (Psalm 34;7, 19).

DANIEL CHALLENGE:
STAY AWARE OF YOUR ENEMY BUT FOCUS ON GIVING GOD
YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO DO ALL THE REST!

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days." (Daniel 6:10)

A new kingdom was in power but the same sinful nature was still in full operation. By God's grace, Daniel had been promoted to be one of the top governors of this new kingdom and had even distinguished himself above all the other princes of the Medo-Persian empire. But this time it was not the king but the men who served him that took issue with the integrity of Daniel's life.

Daniel was a man with an excellent spirit. However, his honorable character invoked a jealous spirit among the princes who began opposing Daniel's faith and the favor he received from the king. They joined forces and schemed up a plan to remove Daniel from his exalted position by manipulating the king to sign a written decree to throw anyone into a lion's den who prayed to any other god besides King Darius.

For the king, the decree flattered his ego. For Daniel, it threatened his life.

So what was Daniel suppose to do now? ...Complain? ...Panic? ...Come up with an escape plan or take vengeance on those who were opposing him?

What do you when life seems to be working against you?

When the going gets tough, the tough get...praying!
As Psalm 86:7 says "In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.

Daniel did what he alway did. He went home to get alone...and he prayed...and gave thanks before his God. This was nothing new for Daniel for he was a man who had given himself to prayer.

This habit of praying three times a day was something that started from his youth and these godly habits would serve him well in the difficult times later in his life.

King Solomon exhorted the people he ruled over to "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come..." (Eccles. 12:1)

Many godly men and women have suffered various forms of hostility, being persecuted or accused or plotted against. The enemy loves to set up his traps but God loves to "show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him" (2 Chron. 16:9).

When Daniel was faced with yet another trial, he had an already established prayer life that always steadied his heart and kept his mind and spirit at peace.

Just like David when he was in life threatening situation, with spears being thrown at him from the king, we see David encouraged himself through prayer and praise and crying out to God.

David prayed these words...

"Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I GIVE MYSELF TO PRAYER." (Psalm 109:1-4)

Jesus did the same and took time to get away in solitary places to seek the Father and release any cares or burdens to be perfectly directed into the Father's will. This meant moving away from the busyness of life, the noise of the crowds, and the regular demands others placed on Him.

When we refuse to react to the external issues of life and prioritize prayer in the secret place, we position ourselves to realign with God's heart and to be filled with the fresh power and anointing of His Spirit who gives to each us timely revelation, heavenly wisdom, necessary guidance, correction and personal inspection. It is only when we cultivate quality time in private with God that we will activate our faith in public.

In other words, our intimacy with God leads to our influence with others.

Jesus taught this very important priority when He told His disciples how to pray in a way that would surely bring favor and blessing into your life. He taught, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matt. 6:6).

To give yourself to prayer means to devote yourself wholeheartedly to consistently commune with God. It means making prayer the central focus and ongoing practice of our lives.

Let us learn to PRAY…

• Reverently…in God’s Name
• Responsively…from God’s Word
• Repeatedly…for God’s Glory
  

Prayer should start in the heart by longing to be with God so that we do not get stuck in our minds trying to figure out everything. Let us go deeper in prayer with this daily rhythm: "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice." (Psalm 51:17)

Discussion Questions for the Home Groups this week:

1. Share some of the ways that we naturally respond to crises and challenges in our lives. Think of times where you had conflict or were opposed by others. What did you do first?

2. What are ways you can increase or enhance your prayer life? Consider the points mentioned. Have you ever tried praying God's Word back to Him? Why do you think this would deepen your prayer life and communion with God?

3. Think of times that you were so excited to enter God's Holy presence and talk with your heavenly Father? Share some of the breakthroughs you have experienced in prayer.

DANIEL CHALLENGE
Commit to praying three times daily to give thanks,
cast all your burdens, and believe Him for deliverance.

“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven...and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.”

As we live life in this fallen world, there are many times we fall short of the glory of God and miss 'the writing on the wall' so to speak. We go the wrong way only to end up learning the hard way realizing that we should have gone God's way.

Haven't we all said at one point or another, "I wish I would have known then what I know now"? It is an even more serious thing to know the truth and to refuse to live in light of it. Sometimes, we take our sin too lightly and do not measure our decisions by the Word of God.

Jesus taught in Luke 12:48, "...For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

This was surely the case for Belshazzar, who should have known better as he was aware of the great works of God when he was entrusted with the throne in Babylon by his father, who was a descendant of King Nebuchadnezzar. The problem was that there was no fear of God in his heart and his heart became darkened.

Belshazzar knew about God and the history behind him but he had no regard for the God above Him. He ended up throwing a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, wives, and concubines. As they grew more and more intoxicated, Belshazzar decided to mock the God of the Jewish people and had the gold and silver cups of the temple in Jerusalem brought to him to continue in their sensuality and revelry.

He was willing to mix the holy things with the unholy, invoking God's wrath, "because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Rom. 1:21).

As followers of the Lord, we all need to live by the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God and heed the Word that is written on our hearts. Only then will we become more aware of God's presence and see His hand at work in our lives instead of pushing His hand away. After all, the very One who made us holds our very breath in His hand...and He is also able to hold the whole world in His hand!

The same Jesus who was in the midst of the fiery furnace was now extending His hand to interrupt the party of desecration and to warn the king of his impending doom and destruction. He had willfully ignored the writing on his heart and now he was confronted with the writing on the wall.

Is it possible that you might be missing the writing on the wall in your life?  ...Are you mixing the holy things of God with the unholy practices of the world forgetting your body is the temple of God's Holy Spirit and that you belong to Him now?

Whenever a person falls into sin and begins to walk in darkness, the lights slowly turn off and fade in his heart. It is only by the entrance of God's Word that the light turns back on in the heart of man.

This same finger of God that wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone was writing once again as the king and his guests trembled at the sight. The same was true when Jesus stooped down on the ground to write with His finger when the people were holding their own stones to throw at a woman being accused of adultery.

When will people learn to listen to God's voice and to choose to align their will with God's will before needing to be judged harshly. It is a serious thing to become blind or deafened to the living power of God's holy Word and it is "a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31)..."because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (Eph. 4:19).

They had already suppressed their darkened their hearts and ignored God's written law on their conscience, but now God was going to write down His judgment before their very eyes. The only problem was that they could not understand what the writing meant as they needed someone to turn on the light.

Proverbs 25:2 says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter."

There are many today living life with NO IDEA of the true state of their souls and the reality of the times they are living in. The writing is on the wall but their foolish hearts are darkened with blindness.

Titus 1:15-16 says, "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

Once again, God would use Daniel to interpret what was the rest of those dwelling in Babylon were too blind to see. We saw this in Acts 8 when Philip was sent by the Spirit to the Ethiopian eunuch to explain the scroll in his hand and to preach Christ to Him. Daniel remained true to His conviction of purposing in his heart not to defile himself and so God used him to expose the works of darkness and reveal the writing...

Mene meant "NUMBERED"
Tekel meant "WEIGHED"
Upharsin meant "DIVIDING”

...but Daniel used the word “Peres” instead because he was prophetically speaking in real time that the kingdom was already divided as the Persians were ready to come inside!

The same is true today as judgment has already begun in the house of the Lord.

To the lukewarm church of Laodicia, Jesus says, "Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see" (Rev. 3:17-18).

When all is said and done, let us learn that the scene of Belshazzar's feast is actually a foreshadowing of the final days to come and the result is...

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen...And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, “I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her." (Revelation 18:4-8).

DANIEL CHALLENGE:

GET RID OF ANY MIXTURE IN YOUR HEART WHERE GOD’S HOLINESS IS BEING DARKENED BY YOUR SINFUL PASSIONS.