Community & Discipleship

The Prayer of Daniel (Daniel 9:1~23)

2016.08.07Mike Lee

Daniel's prayer teaches us to pray with Scripture, humility, specific confession, a desire for God's glory, and confident faith that God answers, even when the answer is no.

Let God's Word guide our prayers (vv. 1-2)

Daniel, nearing ninety, reads the book of Jeremiah and discovers that the seventy years of exile foretold there are coming to an end. His prayer begins with Scripture. Prayer not rooted in the Word of God cannot grow in spiritual confidence, however long we fast or pray. Read a passage slowly, let a phrase that impresses your heart become your prayer, and offer it to God with confidence. Write those prayers and the truths God shows you in your Bible.

Come before God in humility (vv. 3)

Daniel turns his face to the Lord with prayer, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Fasting expresses our discontent with sin and our longing for more of Christ, yet it is hard because food is always within reach. Hunger makes us irritable, so when we feel it, we should remember that we are fasting for a purpose and let it call us to prayer. Daniel's sackcloth expresses humility. We should approach God not demanding an answer but saying, whatever your will is, may your will be done.

Confess sin precisely, including the sin of our people (vv. 4-14)

Daniel confesses sin even though the Bible records no wrongdoing by him, because he sees himself as part of a community of sinners. Citing 1 John 1:9, the preacher explains that confession admits wrongdoing and invites God to remove sin and guilt, and unconfessed sin hinders prayer. Daniel gives specific details before God and confesses on behalf of the whole nation. We are challenged to pray for the sins of our nation, such as Korea, and of our home countries, asking the Holy Spirit to bring them to mind.

Desire God's glory above our own needs (vv. 15-19)

Daniel's plea rests on God's great mercy, not on his own righteousness, and he asks God to act for his own sake. Daniel prays for the return and rebuilding of his nation, though he dies before he sees it. Too often we treat God as existing to meet our needs, but our prayers should seek God's will and glory. Perhaps unanswered prayers come from wrong motives, so we should pray with God's glory as our goal and not our personal gain.

Believe that God answers, even with no (vv. 20-23)

While Daniel was still praying, the angel Gabriel came to give him insight, because Daniel was greatly loved. Citing Isaiah 65:24, the preacher notes that God answers before we call and hears while we are still speaking. God answers every prayer, even when the answer is no, and it may be for our good. Quoting John Piper, who said God may be doing ten thousand things in our lives while we see only three, the preacher urges us to record the doors God shuts, because He may be opening another.

Apply to Life

  • Let us read a passage of Scripture before we pray and turn a phrase that speaks to us into prayer.
  • Let us fast once a week, beginning with one meal, for what God has laid on our hearts.
  • Let us confess our own sins and the sins of our nation with specific details before God.
  • Let us pray with God's glory as our goal rather than our personal gain.
  • Let us set a regular time for prayer and record our prayers and God's answers, including the no's.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

← Back to 영어 예배(English Service)