Prayer Summary for August 28

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The following excerpt is taken from Born for Battle by R. Arthur Mathews:

A Dictator’s Decree

…Satan is not out to get his men executed, but he is willing to sacrifice them if by doing so he can exterminate Daniel and his three friends. Remember, the devil has murdered from the beginning. He figures that God has overstepped himself and played into his hands by causing the king to dream. Now there is nothing to stop him from scuttling the purposes of God in one fell swoop.

But Satan’s vision is limited. Little does he realize that his brilliantly conceived master stroke is to bring about the very things he fears most and against which he has no power to prevail. The decree of Nebuchadnezzar is going to drive Daniel to his knees to seek the answer from the One he knows can alone fit the key and unlock the mystery. On earth, God’s last toehold may appear to be disintegrating with the dilemma that threatens his helpless remnant.

But in actual fact, he knows all about the decree of the king. Rather than restrain it, he is going to use it. More than anything else, this will give the right direction to the prayers of his faithful friends. If the decree does succeed in getting Daniel to pray, then Satan will have supplied God with the instrument he seeks in order to give the cruel enemy his coup de grace. Everything hinges on what happens next. The issue lies with a man and his prayer. So watch and see how Daniel acts in this crisis.

The Desire of Daniel

There is very grave danger in confronting a frustrated despot, but in Daniel’s mind this is completely offset by the urgency of the situation and the fact of God. I am sure he is aware that it is God who has spoken to the king in the dream and that he has a specific purpose in doing this. Therefore, if he should be killed off at this point, all that God is intending to do will revert to “square one.” As the secret that is involving so many lives is tied up with God, the key on earth lies with the man who is in touch with God. Not only do the lives of many depend on that man, the whole purpose of God is locked into him. This thought stiffens the backbone in Daniel, who refuses to bend in an earlier test of his loyalty to God.

Another factor emboldens Daniel as he contemplates the need for someone to confront the king. It is the assurance that God does hear and will respond to the prayer of his children in their times of need. He realizes that prayer is the master key to defuse the destructive decree. However, time is of the essence.

Hurrying to the palace, Daniel “desired of the king that he would give him time.” The assurance of Daniel’s faith must have communicated itself to the king, for without hesitation the king granted the request, though he had denied the same request to the wise men earlier.

I would like to have walked home with Daniel as he left the palace. I would like to have asked him about the things that were going through his mind. Did he read the situation as a mere threat to life? Or did he perceive that the physical danger was but the tip of the iceberg and an evidence that there were implications not discernible to the natural senses? I think by this time he had come to realize that the crux of the whole matter was bound up in his being able to stay alive. How else could God’s message be conveyed to the king? It was not that he feared the uncomfortable and messy business of being beheaded. But “dead men tell no tales,” and he is sure that God wants him to give the king a message.

Reaching home, he knows what must be done if the situation is to be saved, and save it he must. He gathers his faithful prayer cell around him and together they “desire the mercies of the God of heaven.”

Many of God’s afflicted servants have planted their faith on the psalmist’s word, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord” (Psalm 118:17, KJV). Living is not to be the end sought, but the means to God’s end. The works of the Lord must be declared. The king must be made to realize that the message of the dream is from the one and only true and living God of all the earth and heaven. It is not from any lower source that the magicians and sorcerers might have recourse to. Furthermore, Daniel must be credited in the king’s eyes as being God’s representative and qualified to speak with authority on his behalf to king or commoner. Everything hinges on prayer. There is no alternative solution. There will be no turning point of salvation apart from prayer.

Having maneuvered to get his team on their knees, pleading according to his will, God is now free to join the action, for this is just what he has purposed that prayer should do.

The Divine Disclosure

The lesson here is this: God will not do apart from prayer what he can do through prayer. This unusual drama was set in motion as God made the first move. But notice that following the dream, all the activity is on the earth plane until the prayer meeting in Daniel’s home. After causing the king to dream, God has maintained a waiting posture until prayers of the little band free him from his self-imposed limitations. Responding immediately, God reveals the dream and its interpretation to Daniel.

Back to the palace Daniel goes, though not to steal the glory for himself. Carefully and deliberately he draws the attention of the king to the greatness of God. Then he sees to it that the wise men and sorcerers are duly discredited before he gets down to the business of recalling to the king his dream and giving the interpretation. What a climax!

The Divine Dispositions

The political structure of Satan’s rebellion capital is changed. This came about through God’s working to create a crisis at the top and leading his men at the bottom to pray. We ought to ask ourselves, is there a country in the world today that does not have a crisis at the top? Are God’s people among the rank and file sensitive toward God’s attempts to unite them with himself in what he wants to do through the world’s authority figures? He needs us to plead for kings and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4). For the world to hear God’s message, Christians must believe with Daniel that the purpose in living is to secure through prayer the opportunity to proclaim God’s sure word of prophecy.

In all of this, what has God accomplished? He has given Daniel a new understanding of his God and of his own controlling role in world history. He has changed a dictator’s theology. And he has rearranged the government of Babylon by displacing four bad men and replacing them with his own good men. Then, as far as we are concerned, he has taught us the places and purposes of prayer in the conflict with evil powers that oppose his will.

If you would like to purchase this book, please contact Living Word Bookstore online or call (763) 315-7015.

The following commentary to Isaiah 26:9 is taken from The Revival Bible:

Isa 26:9 When earth experiences judgments

The judgments of God are to be sought, not resisted. His judgments are always righteous, and always exactly what we need. Many have a distorted view of His judgments, assuming that it means destruction. God’s judgments should never be feared by the godly, but they should be feared by the ungodly. If we are living in obedience, we do not need to fear even the greatest times of trouble that will come upon the earth.

If you would like to purchase this book, please contact Living Word Bookstore online or call (763) 315-7015.

Prayed…

Father, thank You for the Holy Ghost and Your Holy Word—You did not leave us as orphans!
We bring our supply in praying and lifting up these last days
Lord, we ask that You would strengthen us and open our eyes and ears
That we may fully cooperate with You in Your great work!
We do not want to just stay in our families, chapels, churches, and states
There are many things that must be accomplished in the world
Sending a supply of the Spirit to those who are weak in their knees
Applying the blood over every part of their lives
There are many believers who must receive their orders
Lord, we are looking for a tuning up and a standing out—knowing which way to go and where to sow!
We pray for those in government authorities!
That You would grant wisdom and turn the hearts of the kings
Some must be stopped and some must proceed
Help us to operate with You in a new way concerning the events in these times
We release our tongues to pray for our president!
Applying the blood over regions and situations!
Praying for utterance in Jesus’ name!
Father, we pray for Your will to come to pass
Moving in and on time—a single-minded response of the Church!
The body of Christ must be planted firmly in Your Word and plan!
Calling for the alignment to come forth—it is the power of heaven in full operation!
Enemy plans and operations, desist in Jesus’ name!
Coming against the opponents and oppositions to the plan of God
We move and operate by faith!
Applying the blood over the positions of authority in prayer!
No weapon formed against any one of them will prosper!
The anointing of God WILL pour out in this hour!
Men and women taking their places now
We pray for a greater revelation and outpouring
Breaking out of old patterns!
They will stay steady on their walk and way
Change coming in the right time and place
Lord, we believe Your glory will cover the earth!
We are desperate for more of You!
Help us to pray with great accuracy by and through Your Spirit!
Fill us to the overflow!
Words spoken under Your anointing are bringing change!
Lord, we believe when people see us they will see You today!
You are our way maker!

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