I thought 2020 was bad with illness, shut downs and restrictions; but 2021 doesn’t seem that much better so far. Some restrictions are being lifted, but just about all of my Christian friends are going through some sort of difficulty or problem and it seems there is an increase in the number of prayer requests coming to our prayer team. The good news is that there is also an increase in the number of praise reports of answered prayer as well. I have admitted before that I am neither a prophet nor a student of end time prophesy. But this increase of activity by the enemy and his demons on earth matched by the increased presence of God and His angels seems to point to an ominous escalation of that battle that has been raging since Adam and Eve.
It has never been more important for Christians to be active for our Lord. We need to increase our prayer time and our scripture based devotions. We need to reach out with love and the Gospel of Christ to those who are hurting; lifting them up in every way we possibly can. As the world becomes darker, God’s light within us will become brighter and brighter. We are in the world but it must become obvious that we are not of the world. As the battle lines are being drawn we need to strengthen our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God hears and answers our prayers. A few months ago, when prayer requests from friends and church goers increased, I began to close each intercessory prayer with praise to God for hearing and answering my prayer even before the word “Amen” crossed my lips. I now close all of my prayers with that same confidence.
Daniel gives us a behind the scenes look at what happens when we fervently pray. In response to Daniel’s prayer, the angel Gabriel explained to him, “The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God.” (Daniel 9:23) In the next chapter, Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days. Again Gabriel showed up in answer to his prayer and told him the order went out from God the moment he began praying, but a spirit prince of the enemy blocked his way until the archangel Michael took on the spirit prince allowing Gabriel to get to Daniel 21 days after he had received the order from God. These passages of scripture give us insight into three things. First, God hears and responds to our prayers even before we finish them. Second, the spiritual battle between good and evil has been raging for a long time although not as apparent as it is today. Last, but certainly not least, we are precious to God.
Because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we have God’s Holy Spirit within us. God doesn’t have to dispatch an angel to explain something to us as He did Daniel. Peter assures us that, like Daniel, we are precious to God. “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:4) So my precious brother or sister in Christ pray with complete confidence in every circumstance.
It has never been more important for Christians to be active for our Lord. We need to increase our prayer time and our scripture based devotions. We need to reach out with love and the Gospel of Christ to those who are hurting; lifting them up in every way we possibly can. As the world becomes darker, God’s light within us will become brighter and brighter. We are in the world but it must become obvious that we are not of the world. As the battle lines are being drawn we need to strengthen our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God hears and answers our prayers. A few months ago, when prayer requests from friends and church goers increased, I began to close each intercessory prayer with praise to God for hearing and answering my prayer even before the word “Amen” crossed my lips. I now close all of my prayers with that same confidence.
Daniel gives us a behind the scenes look at what happens when we fervently pray. In response to Daniel’s prayer, the angel Gabriel explained to him, “The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God.” (Daniel 9:23) In the next chapter, Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days. Again Gabriel showed up in answer to his prayer and told him the order went out from God the moment he began praying, but a spirit prince of the enemy blocked his way until the archangel Michael took on the spirit prince allowing Gabriel to get to Daniel 21 days after he had received the order from God. These passages of scripture give us insight into three things. First, God hears and responds to our prayers even before we finish them. Second, the spiritual battle between good and evil has been raging for a long time although not as apparent as it is today. Last, but certainly not least, we are precious to God.
Because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we have God’s Holy Spirit within us. God doesn’t have to dispatch an angel to explain something to us as He did Daniel. Peter assures us that, like Daniel, we are precious to God. “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” (1 Peter 3:4) So my precious brother or sister in Christ pray with complete confidence in every circumstance.