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In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes[a] (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:
24 “Seventy ‘sevens’[c] are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish[d] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.[e]
25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One,[f] the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.[g]The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’[h] In the middle of the ‘seven’[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple[j] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.[k]”[l]
Pray Like Daniel - Even Facing the Lion's Den
1. Daniel Prayed with a Hunger for Purity - Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God".
Daniel chapter 1 makes it clear that Daniel hungered for a pure relationship with God. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled". This is a huge point in having power in prayer. James said, "the effectial, fervant prayer of a righteous man avails much".
2. Daniel Prayed and Got Other's to Join In - Especially for Intercession in times of trouble.
Daniel saught to get his friends to join him in a prayer focus. He needed others. He believed joining together in agreement with others had a multiplied influence.
Daniel 2:17-18 "Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends: Hannaniah, mishael, and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest..."
When Peter was in prison, the believers were gathered in a house to pray for him. This was the blessing of group prayer. And God answered to deliver Peter from the prison with a miraculous escape. Acts 12
3. With a Desire to Interceed for Others - Daniel prayed, not just for himself, but with a desire to help others and His people as they were in captivity (see Daniel 9). Daniel prayed for those in danger of being killed by the Kings anger, and he prayed for his people in captivity.
4. With a Passion for God's Glory and Sovereignty -
Daniel continuously recognized in prayer that God was worthy to be praised, and that God had all wisdom and all power. This is a theme in the book of Daniel. Inspite of the fact that the people of God had become slaves, God was still on HIS Throne. He was in control and working to exalt His Holy Name. And Daniel prayed with that truth in the depth of His heart. That is why he was powerful in prayer.
Daniel prayed showing a focus on God's Name and asking for mercy based on God's character: "Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake,my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” Daniel 9:18-19
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar about his dream in Daniel 4:17, he said, "...that the living may know that the Most High isSovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people."
Daniel knew Israel was suffering because of their sins and that God was punishing them. He acknowleged that God was righteous in that punishment, and thereby he pleaded with God for mercy. (See Daniel 9 and compare it to Abraham Lincoln's prayer as listed in this website).
5. With a Thankful Heart - Daniel prayed with a thankful heart. A very beautiful point -
Daniel was facing the danger of the lion's den, and he got on his knees, opened the window, and HE THANKED GOD.
Oh how important it is that believers are thankful. If we know God is in control, we can be very thankful for His grace and mercy even when times are very dark. The believer has a sure hope for an eternal future of peace and joy. The believer that is thankful will be blessed to draw near to God. Hebrews warns about the danger of having a root of bitterness which can defile many. Pray with gratitude - express your gratitude to God for all the good things. If you have nothing in this life, then thank God for the future that He has given you by grace.
Ten Lepers were healed by Jesus, but only one return to give thanks. Jesus asked, "where are the other nine"?
"Give thanks in all circumstances" I Thessalonians 5:18
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Ephesians 5:20
6. Expecting an Answer - DANIEL PRAYED TO THE LIVING GOD WITH FAITH - Faith expects an answer.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who deligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom as God's way of inviting believers to come into the Holy Presence of God. We now have a High Priest, Who is our Saviour. By His blood, He cleanses our sin and brings us into the Holy Presence of God. Power in prayer comes with a mixture ofhumility, boldness, and faith. To come into the presence of God knowing that you are accepted is a foundation for a powerful prayer. Claim the promises of God in prayer. Pray from a standpoint of claiming the character of God. For example, Daniel prayed affirming that God was merciful and just.
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need". Hebrews 4:16
7. Daniel prayed with humble confession of national sins. He knew the people were suffering because of their sin. He knew they deserved nothing but punishment. He confessed the sins of his people and his nation as he plead with God to show mercy. Read Daniel 9 and compare that with Abraham Lincoln's proclaimation for prayer. We need to pray like that with passion for America today.
DANIEL 9 - Daniel's Longest Recorded Prayer
8. Daniel poured his heart out in prayer - Daniel 10:2, Daniel wept for 21 days. He prayed with emotion and persevered. At one point, Daniel says he was overcome with weakness. Daniel 8:27, Daniel was worn out and exhausted because he had been very passionate and emotional. It was not exhaustion from physical work but from the emotions he had experience in the presence of God. Emotion over what God had revealed to him. We need to open the door for prayers to get emotional and passionate.
9. Daniel prayed with a special emphasis on the suffering of God's People - He did not forget God's people and God's plan - He interceeded with a strong desire to see God forgive and show mercy to His people- (see Daniel 9).
10. Three times per day - Daniel made a consistent plan to pray, and he stuck with the plan inspite of the circumstances. His plan to pray three times per day showed an emphasis on his personal relationship with God. "Pray without ceasing" I Thessalonians 5:17 - Christian Prayer should be an overflow of a personal relationship that is constant. Jesus said, "He that believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water" John 7:38 - The person that walks in a contant personal relationship with God will be powerful in group prayer as well as personal prayer.
11. Daniel Prayed Loving His Country - Daniel was in captivity, but he did not forget his homeland. He longed to see God work to bless Jerusalem again. When he prayed, he opened his window toward Jerusalem -
21 Day Prayer Focus - Pray Like Daniel
12. Daniel was in Tune with God's Voice - It is clear that Daniel received answers to his prayers. Sometimes he had to wait, but it is clear his heart was in tune with God to hear and receive the answer as God wanted to give him. We also might say that God put prayers in Daniel's heart in order to answer them in His own timing. If our hearts are in tune with God's Spirit, then we also may expect The Holy Spirit to put God's desires in our hearts and prayers so that we will receive divine answers to our prayers.
See Youtube - Do a Search on...
The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz
The Daniel Code by OS Hawkins
How Did Daniel Pray-
1. With a Hunger for Purity
2. Getting Others to Join In
3. With a Desire to Interceed for Others
4. Wtih a Passion for God's Sovereignty and Glory
5. With Gratitude and Thanksgiving (even facing the lion's den)
6. With Expectation of an answer
7. With Humble Confession of National Sins
8. With a Special Concern for the People of God
9. With Love for Jerusalem and the Suffering of His People
10. Hearing From God - Being In Tune with God's Word
11. Persevering with Emotion - At times Overcome with Anguish and Weakness - 21 days weeping
12. Receiving an answer -
Youtube: Athiest Doctor Converts to Christianity - Amazing Testimonial