The Prayer of Daniel (Part 1)
Daniel 9
How many of you know the promise from the final words of James 5:16, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”? We often quote this verse to remind us that when righteous people call out to God, their prayers actually make a difference. And it is true. We see examples of this throughout the Bible. And some of us as Christians can testify that prayer really works, we’ve seen God answer again and again. It’s a great promise, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
But how many of you remember what the first half James 5:16 says? Let me remind you. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” What kind of prayers are powerful and effective? James says that it is especially those prayers that involve mutual confession of sin. It is prayers for repentance. It is prayers for healing and forgiveness of our spiritual diseases.
Whenever we dare to come clean with God and with each other about our faults, failures, and personal sins, when we stop playing religious games and cry out for forgiveness, that is when our prayer truly avails much.
I see that principle lived out in Daniel 9. This chapter is especially well-known for its prophecy in the last part of the chapter. And many people, when they study Daniel 9 want to jump right to verses 24-27 that describe the 70 weeks prophecy. And certainly this is a monumental prophecy in Daniel. These inspired words of prophecy speak of the coming Messiah, through whom God will provide the forgiveness of sins and bring to earth the kingdom of God. They speak of the hope which lies ahead for every believer. They speak of those future certainties which put present events in perspective. For the first time in Daniel’s prophecy, the suffering and death of Messiah is introduced. More →