Text: Daniel 10:1-21

Dear Young People,

PRAYING ON VALIANTLY AT ALL TIMES
The teaching angel who came to help Daniel understand the vision that God had given him spoke about how he was resisted by a powerful spirit being who resisted his efforts to teach Daniel God's Word. Mercifully, God sent another angel, an even more powerful angel to assist him in this spiritual battle.

We may never fully understand the significance of this word, but it is enough to say that mighty angels of God can be resisted by powerful evil spirits. Daniel was right and wise in praying diligently. The hindrance to his prayer being answered was powerful spiritual forces at work! Ultimately, God will prevail! However, He has allowed these spiritual battles to go on, until the Lord Jesus returns for us and then He would put and end to all the activities of the wicked demonic powers! Meanwhile, we must pray on and expect resistance even in the matter of understanding God's Word.

UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S WORD
The teaching angel then spoke to Daniel and said that he had come to help him understand the vision that God had given him.

"Now I have come to make you understand
what will happen to your people in the latter days,
for the vision refers to many days yet to come."
Daniel 10:14

Let us not take for granted that understanding of God's Word will come about naturally! Let us be reminded of the Parable of the Sower that the Lord Jesus told. He spoke about how the evil one would try and snatch away God's Word as it is sown lest it took root in the lives of the hearers (Cf. Matthew 13:19).

DEEP SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
As Daniel sought to understand all these truths, he found himself overwhelmed. Candidly, he spoke to the teaching angel.

"When he had spoken such words to me,
I turned my face toward the ground
And became speechless. "
Daniel 10:15

Insight into the spiritual realm, words of spiritual forces at war with each other - these were mind-boggling thoughts! They were not easy to absorb or understand. Even as the teaching angel explained the vision of God to Daniel, he found himself unable to respond appropriately. He was just "speechless". How Daniel must have been humbled as he learned deep truths from the teaching angel. How we too must learn deep humility.

Prayerfully,                                                                             

Pastor Charlie

First released 28th July 2002, © Bethany Independent-Presbyterian Church, Singapore