More Than We Realize

In Daniel 10, the Bible tells us that Daniel has been mourning for three weeks. During that time, he “ate no delicacies, no meat or wine” (v. 3). Three weeks have passed—presumably with no answer, no breakthrough. But then a man appears.

Daniel is terrified. And as he describes the man, we learn why.

The man’s face is like lightning, his eyes like torches, his arms, and legs like bronze, and the sound of his voice like a roaring multitude (vv. 5-7).

Inexplicably, the man tells Daniel not to be afraid.

He tells Daniel that he is loved greatly.

And then he says he’s been sent to give Daniel a message.

He reassures Daniel: “From the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words” (v. 12).

And then he explains why the message took so long to get there: “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me ….” (v. 13).

Jon Bloom writes:
“This experience of Daniel is an example to us. It’s not a formula that can simply be boiled down to pray and fast for 21 days and Michael will come help you overcome cosmic forces. But it is an example of what is taking place outside of our sight. God does not want us to know more about the angelic realm than what he has revealed in Scripture, otherwise, Scripture would have revealed more. But he clearly wants us to know that there is more going on than we see so that we will pray to him and fast until he gives us an answer.”

As a church, we have committed to fasting and praying for a breakthrough. We’re seeking personal revival and revival for our church. And we’re asking for a great movement of God. As Pastor Jeff reminded us Sunday, how we fast is between us and God. The more important thing is that we fast in some way and do so with the purpose of seeking God.

Take heart from Daniel’s example. Don’t stop seeking God in prayer and fasting. Don’t stop asking Him for a breakthrough.

To paraphrase the 17th-century English churchman Thomas Fuller, it’s always darkest just before the day dawns. But the dawn is coming. Breakthrough is coming.

There’s more going on in the spiritual realm—and there’s more at stake—than we realize. And God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20).