(This part of a series. To read the rest of the series, click here.)
Victory is not automatic
God makes promises…
Prophetic words come with promise, but spiritual forces resist.
A prophetic word elicits resistance. A prophetic word is not a guarantee. It is a revelation of the will of God.
Yes.
But Victory is not automatic.
Even when the Word of the Lord has come concerning something with us, Victory is not automatic.
If it involves God alone His word will accomplish what He desires, but if His word is sent to us it is subject to us. If it is sent to us it depends upon us coming into agreement.
Even though it’s His word that is sent, He can not, He will not violate our will.
He has given us sovereign rule over our lives and we involve Him through willful submission and agreement.
Now if victory were automatic and had nothing or little to do with us, Satan would not rise up against us when we receive a good word, a revelation, an insight from God.
What good would it do for him to rise up against us?
How could he stop God’s word from coming to pass, afterall it is God’s word.
But knowing that we must come into agreement with the word. We much cherish the Word. We must become pregnant with the word and carry it to birth.
He attacks when the Word comes.
Persecution cometh due to the Word.
Matthew 13:20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and promptly receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.…
Mark 4:16 Others are like the seeds sown on rocky places. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word,…
In Daniel’s situation, A demon entity called the Prince of Persia was standing against the plans of God for Israel.
Daniel 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a [a]message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the [b]message was true and one of great [c]conflict, but he understood the [d]message and had an understanding of the vision.
2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any [e]tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the [f]Tigris, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. 6 His body also was like [g]beryl, his face [h]had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a [i]tumult. 7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my [j]natural color turned to [k]a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. 9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
Daniel Comforted
10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my [l]hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “O Daniel, man of [m]high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand [n]upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was [o]withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the [p]latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.”
Israel was at this time under Persian rule and living in captivity. God declared their time time of captivity would be over in 70 years, yet it persisited.
Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. 3 So I [a]gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. 6 Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.
7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us [b]open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. 8 [c]Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.
God partners with the prayers of the saints.
There is power released when we get into agreement with God.
For the Will of the Lord to come forth, there has to be agreement on earth with what has been decreed in heaven.
Did Daniel’s prayers release the answer?
Did Daniel’s prayers change things?
Beyond this; Are there others who did proper things to get their victory, the victory of the prophetic word over them?
The declaration over Israel was Jeremiah 29:11
I know the plans that I have for you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
They were in exile due to their sins.
Yet God desired good things for them.
Sin subjects us to Satan’s kingdom
Sin alienates us from God.
It’s now in this environment that Daniel seeks the Lord.
Jeremiah had proclaimed that Israel would be in exile 70 years.
Daniel’s heart was for His people.
Daniel’s heart was for the nation.
Daniel’s heart was focused on God.
This didn’t mean he didn’t have a life.
He went to college. He served the King. He had a very large administrative role in Persia. But he still took time to pray. Sometimes compartmental prayer is a good way to have intensified prayer. Focused prayer. Fervent prayer.
KEYS TO FULFILLED PROMISES AND VICTORIES
- Pray fervently (James 5:14-16)
- Wait on the timing of the Lord (what if Daniel would have started praying in the 66th year
- David went into hiding until the timing of the Lord
- Fuel your prayers by sacrifice (Daniel 10)
- Live with the assumption that the promise is yours