David Macdonald - September 2, 2018 - a podcast by NBC Podium

Daniel’s prayer
Daniel 9 – Key chapter
Greatest prophecies concerning times, purposes, coming and death of Messiah
Edward Denny – “the Backbone of Prophecy”
3 Parts:
Preparation – vs 1-2
Prayer – vs 3-19
Prophecy – vs 20-27
Daniel 9 – The preparation (vs 1-3)
Daniel is in his late 70’s (67 years after captivity)
Reading the scriptures
Specifically Jeremiah (25 & 29)
Understands the captivity is nearing its end
Moved by fact – “time is short” to pray
Daniel 9 – The prayer (vs 4-19)
Daniel prayer is a priority:
Fiery furnace
King Neb’s dream
Lion’s den
Prayer can be controversial esp. public – in the name of Jesus Christ
Persecution
Daniel faced same controversy – lion’s den
Satan hates prayer. Why?
Powerful
It is his undoing & demise
Our Problems in Prayer:
Some wait until the crisis until they pray
Trouble is already here and you are in crisis
Need to see it as communication as children with Father in heaven
Model prayer as taught by Lord Jesus Christ:
"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (10) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. (13) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matt 6:9-13 NKJV
Daniel’s prayer similar to Model Prayer
Charles Spurgeon – "prayer is the rope that you pull down below so that the great bell rings up above in the ears of God."
Daniel’s Prayer – 4 strands of the rope – 4 points
Strand #1 – Humble adoration
King of kings – not King Darius
Puts our troubles in perspective
Jews begin prayer with adoration -
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam - "Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe
God is:
Great and Awesome
Righteous
Merciful and forgiving
Daniel uses terms of adoration, Jesus taught us to begin with adoration – hallowed be Your Name…
Do we take the time to worship & adore God? Or just rush into our “needs”
As we mature – so should our approach to God in our prayers – e.g. – baby to mature adult
Strand #2 – honest confession
Jesus taught – forgive us our debts
Daniel Prays: Dan 9:5 NKJV
Plural – Daniel recognizes he is also part of the problem – (we x 16, our x 17, us x 9)
Isaiah 6 – when we see the holiness of God, we see ourselves in the right perspective
Leonard Ravenhill – "The self-sufficient do not pray, the self-satisfied will not pray, and the self-righteous cannot pray.“
Shame = embarrassment or guilt – bad guilt vs. good guilt.
Our prayers begin looking upward (adoration); looking inward (confession), then outward (intercession)
Strand #3 – heartfelt petition
Daniel looks outward to pray for others
What he sees happening around him –
Asking God – look, forgive, act, do it (amen)! - vs 17 – 19
Sense and Nonsense about Prayer - Strauss
Intercessory – sympathetic – entering into lives of others with loving care
Hardest form of prayer (Epaphras – laboured in prayer Col. 4:12)
If we don’t – become spiritual couch potato – resort to criticism, slander, gossip
Difficult to be angry with someone if you are praying for them!
Strand #4 – Holy motivation
For the Lord’s sake
Emphasis on You
Glory of God is the priority
James 4:1-3 – wrong motives in prayer – our own lusts and desires – asking amiss
Difficult to be angry with someone if you are praying for them!
Matt 6:9-13 …For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
How is your prayer life?
Do you prepare for prayer – Word of God
Do you enjoy spending time with God?
Do you know Him?

“Pull the rope, pull it frequently” Remember the 4 strands:
Adoration
Confession
Petition
Holy motivation

Further episodes of Our Sunday Messages

Further podcasts by NBC Podium

Website of NBC Podium