A Winnable Battle

Welcome to living in the light with Bible teacher and Graham Lutz is only one name given to have a nonmember value can be saved just the name Jesus. From that is message this week is from Daniel chapter 10, but let's begin. In first Peter chapter 5 verse eight describing our adversary the devil, we have an invisible adversary and I'm going to go outside this passage from scrap first Peter 58 says he's a lion, and Peter says be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. So a roaring lion tells me that is hungry. He's motivated to hunt us down is not complex ever. He prowls activated to defeat you. He's not lazy he's looking dedicated to defeat you destroy your relationships, your witness, your family is your ministry is not a gentleman. He doesn't consider anything off-limits and he wants to devour you, which means to render you totally useless to God ineffective in your prayers.

Make sure you don't finish your life's work. If he can't keep you from being saving a fight to keep you from things they want to save he's going to try to render you so ineffective that when you get to heaven. You have nothing to show for your life and bring glory to God. He's a lion Bible says, resist stand firm in your fleet is like a toothless lion but he can work pretty loud. Secondly, he's a liar, and John 844 Jesus said he's the father of lies being not see Jesus in Matthew 24, four times, be not deceived be not deceived to be not deceived because in the last generation is going to be a spirit of deception that even if it were possible. The very elect would be to see the not the sea, and in these last days. I believe Satan is unleashed as the monies on God's people, especially the leaders of God's people, especially the families of the leaders of God. Jesus said the devil would come to him, but he could find no hold on because Jesus had no sin. Satan could latch on to anything. So I say this to you because challenging you guard your hearts rear facing an invisible adversary. And he will deceive you into thinking what if our nanometer. What I do I deceive you into thinking I was a little Ghana red jumpsuit horns and pitchfork of stoking the fires of hell and not taken seriously don't think he's a joke that he is no joke. So I'm just telling you, for your own protection your own good. Your own freedom. Let those things.

So we have an invisible adversary who is a lion he's a liar and is the angel of lights.

Second Corinthians 1114 says that false apostles and deceitful workmen masquerade as Angels of lights. They just come looking like the real thing but it's the devil, dressed up as an angel of light so he can be very deceptive and Ephesians 6 says that he throws flaming arrows. He's a schemer. He subtle he sharpies convincing. Don't be deceived.

Don't be deceived. Competency the devil is alive and well.

We have an invisible adversary.

We have invisible armor.

Praise God. Chapter 6 of Ephesians.

I expect you know this and I don't know you know I but I'm going to read it verse 13. Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after done everything stand. Verse 14 stand three times in that two verses. It says, stand, stand, stand, and just so interesting. He doesn't say fight fight fight. He says stand and I love the fact we put on our armor, and we just suit up and show up and we stand. The battle is the Lords you know that would hold onto our sword, which is the word of God. We pray which are to offensive weapons really go through the armor okay you stand.

Stand your ground. After done everything you stand.

Stand firm, then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and request with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the same and he goes throughout pieces of armor belt of truth, you know, this is the first piece of equipment that the Roman soldier put on because everything else hooked to it. You got to know the word of God your whole life needs to be reoriented.

According to the word and cannot just say that means your worldview. Also, your whole life cooks on now to the belt of truth, which is God's word. You're to be encircled by your to be saturated in its and then the breastplate of righteousness that covered the plastic covered the heart and that means right living. That means you're right with God and your right with others. As far as you know, if you're not right with somebody else and you try to get right.

Maybe they won't reconcile, but you do all you can to reconcile with them to make it right and you have to have a clear, clean conscience if you don't, and if you're harboring something done a little root of bitterness, a little anger just something a laugh but then then you're vulnerable to the enemy and your breastplates not in place to need the breastplate of righteousness you needs cleated sandals, stand firm on the gospel and in this day and time you just dig your heels in. Don't let anybody move you from the truth of the gospel God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him.

Anybody anywhere they put their faith in Jesus. They will not perish but all have everlasting life. But if you don't put your faith in him you will perish and go to hell. RI. God doesn't want anybody to go to hell. That's why he sent Jesus to save us. But if you don't put your faith in Jesus is not God condemns you to hell at your own sin that condemns you there is only one name given under heaven. Among men, whereby you can be saved just the name Jesus. Don't let anybody move you from that and is the gospel of peace. It brings peace with God brings peace with others.

You are bring peace to the Middle East.

The news that the gospel be preached in Israel and the gospel be preached in all those Arab nation and it is been right undercover.

You know, but oh, Jesus is showing up in the Middle East and most thrilling ways. If you want to read some stories read Tom Doyle's dreams and visions read his killing Christians story after story after story happening right now in the Muslim world is revival in the Muslim world that do have this picture of ice is coming to behead us and fight us and behind them is nobody following because they're all going to Jesus you know and Clardy can tell you about the streets of Jerusalem and Israel and Jews that are coming to crimes and people who are putting their faith in Jesus.

And when they do have been there seemed Jews and Arabs are now brothers and sisters in crime and that wall of partition is broken down is now no more Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free world one in Christ Jesus put on the gospel of peace, be ready to take the share with others and then the shield of faith. That was the shield that was as big as a man. It was only as effective as how close the soldier stated the shield if if he was at a distance from the shield event.

Of course the enemy could get in so he had to be very close to the shield of the shield protected his entire body and that your dependency upon the Lord, absolutely totally dependent on him and you stay close to your shield and if the enemy attacks and gets through. You know it's gone through your shield first. Therefore, I don't take it from the enemy take it from my father saying and I know he's allowed to come into my life, his own purpose for my good and for his glory.

When Jesus went to the cross and he took the cup that represented his death on the cross which was the enemy attack on steroids. He took the company thanked his took that knowing that his father was sending them to the cross wasn't the enemy enemy thought it was. But Jesus was going in obedience to his father's will and give his life for you and me. So put on that shield, take up the shield of faith in the helmet of salvation, you are assured of your forgiveness in your salvation you don't go around doubting her salvation. If you do that the enemies got you will be, we won't be able to stand. You can't take the gospel to others because you're not sure of it for yourself to put on the helmet of salvation so you know that you know that you know your safe and in pick up the sword of the Spirit, you read it every morning. What is it say what is it mean what is it mean about life. What you take away and you live it out you love. It's take up the sword of the Spirit you're ready to share with others you don't wield.

You know like you going to slaughter other people, but clothing in prayer and the precious love of the Holy Spirit in your ready in season and out of season to give a word from the Lord and and then Ephesians 618 says that's when you really begin to pray. You pray all kinds of prayers you can put on music. I do that when I stretch actually listen to worship music while I straightens her while I'm stretching him just praising the Lord is not worshiped on you can go for a walk.

You can set sovereign weather was warm. I go outside and sit have my quiet time and with the dog up so wasn't distracted and memorize a list of his names alphabetical names of Jesus. We do that the nuns in the car were traveling with the children will just start with a unity's alpha be. He is the beloved sees Christ the use of the liver, ease Emmanuelle and just go through and just worshiping for in his names is his names all reveal something about his character and his so many ways that you can pray in so many things that can help you stay focused.

So if I were the enemy are words try to get you to think that you have to hide from them in the face of his power that he is greater than you are and actually you know he is in our flesh, he would be greater than we are but the one who is greater in us is greater than the one that's in the world so he doesn't have power over us like that so don't let him convince you that the armor is useless. Don't let him convince you that this is just a sort of a poetic picture of a Roman soldier and it's for back van and that sort of quaintness are what people give you super spiritual people to come out with his or her chart and all the skin you know, put it on you, not armed, and you're going out there than your vulnerable to put on your armor nobly run around wondering what pieces go here and what pieces go there you you learned you go through it you think about it and then you put it on.

You have invisible adversary, invisible armor and then thirdly, you have an invisible ally Owen.

I love this verse 10 hand touched me and set me trundling on my hands and knees.

He said Daniel your highly esteemed. Consider carefully the words I'm about to speak to stand up from now been sent to you when he said this to me. I stood up trembling. Many continue.

Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you set your mind to gain understanding to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard as come in response and have a respond to hear that God answers prayer, and when you pray heaven is moving our prayers move heaven, especially the reverse thunder pipe prayer when you receive a promise from God. We are praying back to Hammond heaven is moving heaven responds in heaven.

Rallies in verse 13, the Prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me 21 days and Michael, one of the other chief princes naming another angel came to help me because I was detained there with the king of Persia, and I love the fact that Gabriel was in trouble here comes Michael to help him. You're so heaven is rallying. Daniel's prayer has stirred up a mess in the heavenly world and I'll just point out do something that the king of Persia, the Prince of Persia has risen up again. You realize that the ancient demon who wrote Persia is a wrong and he is risen up again and Michael is the Prince of God's people. He's the one to protect Israel. So you know right now in the Middle East. There are all sorts of battles taking place in the invisible world and when we pray and when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

We pray for our nation.

Heaven responds in heaven rallies in heaven replies in verse 14 he got his reply now. I've come to explain you what will happen your people in the future for the vision concerns a time yet to come. Daniel got his hair and he has moved heaven and earth to send me to bring you the answer sometime I think I prayers a delayed because of something going on in the invisible realm and we think it's just that God hasn't heard of. In fact, if our the enemy at convince you that heaven is silent because God doesn't really love you. You haven't prayed the right way you have invested long enough you're really helpless or insignificant. And heaven is busy with more important thing for him. You know, if I were the enemy song heaven crisp in heaven, rallies God moves heaven and earth.

When his people pray when you're reversing the thunder things are happening that you just can't see it. Invisible adversary invisible armor invisible ally.

The battle is personal, emotional, invisible, and listen to me it's winnable that battle doesn't get easier as it progresses, it requires stamina. Encourage perseverance. First John 44 reminds us a greater is he that is in you than he that's in the world and in the end. Daniel was empowered, he was given strength. Verse 18 the one you look like a man touched me and gave me strength and he was strengthened, empowered and Zechariah 46 is is not by might is not by powers by mass. Since the Lord in their times and we just need a fresh touch from heaven and nothing being in God's word and being in prayer and coming to the coven, or pray God would give your fresh touch here and he just reaches down and have you think you can't make it one more day and then you speak to you when you open your Bible, and a pray in the morning when you open your Bible, you read it and you begin to meditate on it. What is it say what is a meme as me in my life and when he speaks to you and some never sleeps up off the page and he's addressing something is in your heart and you have even expressed that anybody then told anybody but God is saying something to you about it… Makes all the difference in the world.

When you hear God speaking to you in the language of your own life and he strengthens you. Daniel was empowered and he was encouraged.

Don't be afraid only in highly esteemed then you already been told that once in this passage he was told that once in Daniel nine, but twice in this passage, so that makes me wonder did Daniel think he wasn't highly esteemed that he think that when everybody went back in the temple wasn't rebuilt in the city wasn't restored.

This amount was his fault. He did pray in the fading fast enough. He didn't do it right and then he's praying. Now he's gone three weeks of morning and fasting and praying and he still hasn't heard anything anything semi had fallen out of favor with God, that he was just too old now that he was set aside. He was you know has been did he think he wasn't blessed anymore that he just didn't have the prophetic gift anymore. You know I Daniel you are highly esteemed saying to him twice.

I think he needed to hear it again because I think you he must've felt discouraged because he was so encouraging fact when it says don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid PSP. I think he was terrified, terrified and discouraged not knowing which end is up and he keeps falling on his face, infecting our Ephesians tells us the stand and in this passage, all you see. Then I stand up and he falls down and then he goes asleep and he stands up and he falls down on his knees and trimming. You can't stand up and so you know you don't have to be some great big macho person to do this he he's an obvious example. That's all we need to do is just to be available to the Lord and the Lord will work through us. The battle is the Lords and he can use the weakest ones of us and then wasn't the weakest one, but physically this was laying him out and means if I were the enemy. I would tell you the reason God hasn't answered your prayers because you're just not blessed like other.

You just don't how to pray like others not special enough, like others already in. And thirdly, Daniel was nominally empowered and encouraged.

He was enlightened God and said that after 70 years. I'll take your people back Temple rebuilt the city restored and after 70 years, the people went back so God fulfilled that and that was 70 years from the first deportation. When Daniel was taken into captivity. So 70 years from the first deportation when Nebuchadnezzar came in and took those 200 300 young men back to Babylon than 70 years. From that point is when Cyrus king of Persia says all right now you can go back and 42,000 did, but 70 years from the third deportation when the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem was destroyed 70 years. From that point was 20 years later and that's when the temple was rebuilt in the city was restored so sometimes prophecies have layers, don't they, in one verse of prophecy. You can have several different fulfillments and end on patterns. If you look out of the mountain and if you get close to them. You'll find that those peaks are separated by miles and you can look at one verse of prophecy and it looks one-dimensional. Anything is all going to be fulfilled.

70 years after that first deportation. Everybody will go home but actually within that prophecy. There there is a dimension to their some separation so there's going to be 170 years friend the people go back and I'll be 70 years in the third deportation when the temple is rebuilt in the city is restored, so I just tell you that God's ways are not our ways and means his word has depth to its and sometimes it's just beyond understanding. But the angel comes to give Daniel the understanding that he lacks and we won't go into at all. But in verse 20 he says you know I've come don't want to point out soon. I'll return the fight against the Prince of Persia. The battle goes on. You fight this battle. You have a victory in you face another battle and all I know is that God knows when enough is enough and sometimes he gives us a little respite doesn't he gives is what I call a derby to member after Paul went to town after town is beaten stone you know whatever and then he finally got the Derby and nobody bothered him and he could have a little rest before he went back all these other towns were his beat up and going and whatever and and so sometimes God gives us a derby does the rest, and we resist the devil and he will flee from us for a while and then he comes back so he enlightens Daniel about the warfare ends and the ends about the word of God's first I will tell you which written in the book of truth, and the angel gave Daniel the understanding that he would pray for and as chapter 11. We will going to chapter 11 and 12. But Daniel received the answer to his prayer because he persevered in Daniel battle in prayer is a battle. His personal and its emotional because you care so much and it's invisible but it's winnable and and we win, God gives us the victory, but the battle won't and really the battle after battle after battle until you know what the sky unfolds, Jesus comes back rotting on the white horse faithful and true. His name is the word of God, sort of the spirit coming from his mouth and a Christ and all his enemies look up and they see the Lamb who was slain coming back to rule the world and they aim their guns out of their missiles and their bomb.

He just says the words and they all dropped and he sets up his millennial kingdom and we reign with him and are no more battles until then.

I just want you to have a heads up were in the battle, especially when you're on our knees. So what's the devil been saying to you if I were the enemy and say that he would tell you. Prayer is so hard. It's too hard so quick but when it regards prayer don't quit. You persevere until you come through with that encouragement and that empowerment and God gives you the answers interesting in that he doesn't ever answer your prayer the way that you secretly that I can tell you something you learn a lot about him and you're growing that intimate relationship with anyone knowing better and you love you more and more in his reminded us today that when we think God hasn't heard us. The truth is, God moves heaven and earth.

When we pray in the battle is personal, emotional and winnable years and with this closing encouragement. Jesus promised in John 1413 and 14 that I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the son may bring glory to the father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it. But Jesus also warned his followers that in this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.

And because he has overcome you and I will overcome. Also, the battle is the Lords listen to me when you stumble in your commitment to pray, don't quit when you struggle with concentration in prayer don't quit if your prayer remains unanswered. Don't quit. Persevere as you trust God to know best and keep on praying until he either answers your prayer or releases you from the burden of the glory of his name. This has been living in the light please take advantage of all the free resources that and Graham Watts.org to help and encourage you in your walk with God and in your study of his work join us here each week for living in the light