And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting… (Daniel 9:3).
There’re moments when, deep within your spirit, you sense that something ought to change. It may concern your family, your finances, your work, or even your walk with God. You simply know within that the time has come for a new phase, yet the outward circumstances don’t seem to reflect it. Don’t ignore such moments.
The Spirit of God can stir your heart to recognize divine timing. If you fail to respond to that prompting, you may lose the opportunity to step into the next phase or higher level of your walk with God. Daniel gives us a remarkable example of how to respond when you recognize such spiritual timing.
While studying the writings of Jeremiah, he discovered that the seventy years of Israel’s captivity were coming to an end, yet there were no visible signs of deliverance. Instead of ignoring what he knew from the Word, Daniel set his heart to seek the Lord. He prayed and fasted, giving earnest attention to the matter at hand.
For three weeks he continued in prayer until an angel appeared to him with a message from heaven. The angel told him that from the first day he began to pray, his prayers were answered. Daniel refused to abandon what he knew in his spirit and continued to pray until heaven’s response manifested.
This teaches an important lesson: sometimes the Spirit of God stirs your spirit to know that it’s time for a change; when that happens, seize the moment. Pray and fast. If the situation doesn’t seem to have changed immediately, continue steadfastly in prayer.
Persistence in prayer at such times is important for the Bible says, “…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]” (James 5:16 AMPC). When you recognize spiritual timing and respond with prayer, you position yourself to participate in the fulfillment of God’s will and purpose.
Daniel’s prayers were connected to the unfolding of prophetic events. The message he received revealed that the Persian Empire would fall and be replaced by another kingdom. What began with a man recognizing God’s timing and seizing the moment to pray in alignment with God’s Word became part of the unfolding of God’s eternal plan for His people.
Prayer / Confession
Dear Father, thank you for the guidance of your Spirit who helps me recognize the times and seasons of my life. I respond with faith and obedience to your Word, aligning myself to pray and see your will fulfilled in my life and in the nations, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
