Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Wait on the Lord Pt.5

Hallelujah! Amen! Good to be in His presence and enjoy the fellowship together! A good time we had Friday at the alumni game. Good to see all of the past students getting together. Some of them are getting older. Did you notice that? That's why we didn't necessarily have a prayer line this morning; we didn't what to revisit the basketball teams; we know all of them are probably sore. Some of them, like Jason, who broke his nose, and there were other different aliments. But, a good time together. It was a time of rejoicing to see the guys, the girls, the students that are still here and part of us. Think about those that were here and have chosen not to serve the Lord any more and be thankful for what God's doing in your life. Amen?

The fact that some of you now are raising your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, what a privilege to see that next generation! Praise God! That's what it's all about, just watching a godly seed being raised up. That number of years ago, when we started the school up here, whatever year it was. The year of 1976 was the transition to this property. The school, I think, we actually started in '75. Just a vision of seeing a holy seed raised up, a jealousy for the glory of God and a desire to move away from compromising with the world and the spirit of antichrist that's in the world. Because of your prayer and faithfulness as a people, we've been able to create an environment where God is exalted and our children are being instructed in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. Let's not take it for granted. As we're studying on prayer, let's do battle in the heavenlies, because there are a lot of forces out there right now trying to take this away from us. We're not aware of them. We're hanging out in here and things are going well. Every day the spirit of this world is working to take away this privilege that we have. There's nothing they would rather do, because they truly believe your children belong to them. Don't take it for granted. This is going to be won through battle. It's going to be won through intercession and prayer. Let's just thank God for what He has blessed us with and realize that it's not something guaranteed. It's something that's going to have to be preserved by our perseverance in prayer.

Let's turn to Ephesians. We'll pick up where we left off this morning in Ephesians, Chapter 6. We were talking about the prayer armor, the need to adorn ourselves in the armor of God on a daily basis. We really, then, come to an understanding of what this armor's all about when we see in verse 18 that it says, once you've adorned yourself in this armor, you've made this preparation that you're to pray always. Verse 18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, [Paul says] that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel."

We see, then, each day we are to prepare ourselves for this war that's at hand. As we go out into the world, we realize that in the atmosphere, in the spirit realm that surrounds us on a continual basis, is a warfare and principalities and powers that are warring to dominate your life, your mind. You're sleeping. They're not. There's a continual working in the spirit realm to bring about the destruction of the Kingdom of God. It's so important then that we realize what is taking place. It's so important for us to continually keep on the armor, the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation, this saved mind or the sound mind. Which is then--as we were doing in our study a couple of weeks ago--contrasted with the spirit of this world or the insanity of worldly wisdom. It's continually trying to seduce us. One of the things Scripture tells us here, spiritual darts are constantly being hurled at our thought processes. Two things are necessary for you and I to be able to start the day in victory. That is, we need to have the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation in place. We need to have our minds guard against every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Prayer is what does that. Prayer pulls down these strongholds; all of these suggestions that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Prayer allows us to go in, war with those, contend with them and pull them down. The same way Jesus did by saying, "It is written." Praise God! "I see the natural, but I'm telling you I'm walking in the realm of the spiritual. I'm walking in the wisdom of the kingdom of God and it is written; therefore, get behind me Satan." That's what prayer is all about. We're starting the day grappling with principalities, powers and all the natural thought and all the natural wisdom supernaturally trying to posses your mind. You need to understand that. It is supernatural power. Let me ask you something. Can you naturally pull down supernatural opposition? No way. So if you're not moving in the Spirit, if we don't have on the armor of God, what's going to happen? You're going to be overcome by the spirit of this world. Paul comes and he very graphically gives us this understanding. Look, get the armor of God on! "Finally, my brethren, [here's the conclusion] be strong in the Lord, [you're no match for Satan in your own strength] and in the power of his might" (verse 10). Now, how are you going to do that? Through prayer. How are you going to do that? By consciously checking to make sure that we have on the armor of God in place. He says, "Now, remember what's happening here. You're going out and wrestling against principalities and powers. Your war isn't against the flesh. It's not against the flesh of the world. It's against the spirit that dominates and controls the world's system and all of the people that are its representatives."

So he says to us in verse 11 that we're going to constantly contact satanic wiles, or the wiles of the devil. In our studies, you remember, we talked about those wiles being the supernatural cunningness of the enemy. How deceitful, how cunning, how effective Satan and all of his cohorts are in seducing man. We see the foolishness, and we shake our heads sometimes at the decisions that are made in the natural realm. You say it's insanity, and it's all the fruit of these cunning devises. Many of us stand back and sometimes we almost take for granted; we look and we say that's insane, that's just illogical. But it sounds very logical to them. It's illogical because of our perception. Our perspective of the spiritual realm. Let me encourage you with something. Don't take that for granted! Unless you continue to put that spiritual perspective and the eternal perspective into place, you're going to begin to think like them eventually. Here we are, then, being admonished to war against these principalities and against these powers.

We've seen in the Scriptures--in fact, we'll take a look over in Daniel and study and see these spiritual powers that you and I are warring with. Many times they're individual. Did you know that certain demons and spirits are sent to affect you in particular? Paul said, there was given, what? Given to what? Me. "There was sent to me a messenger of Satan to specifically deal with me; to buffet me." He wasn't just a "random" buffeting angel. He was a "Paul buffeting angel." He was sent to harass him. How many of you are aware of somebody that's been hassling you lately? Where do you think some of those thoughts are coming from? Where do you think that discontentment is coming from? Where do you think that depression's coming from? Where do you think that anger is coming from? It's not just what's in our members. It's what's in our members that's being enticed by the warfare that we're involved in. In other words, the devil knows how to push your buttons! We're warring against that on a continual basis, and Paul says you need to be aware of it. There are those powers that affect us as individuals. Then the Scripture makes it very clear in Daniel; we realize that there are powers that move nations. They actually come, and their whole role is to seduce the leaders of nations, and to move the hearts of individuals. Like your Saddam Insanes and these guys. The Quaddafis. You go back and the Idi Amins and the Ayatollah and the Mussolinis and the Hitlers and the Pharaohs. God moved upon the lives of these men and He allowed the demonic host to move these men to perform His purposes. At the same time, God allowing and sovereignly overseeing doesn't give you and me the luxury of sitting back and waiting to see what's going to happen, believing by faith that God's will will be done. We see that very clearly in the book of Daniel.

Look over there for just a moment. Let's see whether we're going to have to contend with getting the will of God done in our lives, or not, or whether it's just going to happen. "I mean, what's going to be, is going to be. God is sovereign, it's going to happen." We find out scripturally that sovereignty doesn't really work that way. Sovereignty works in conjunction with foreknowledge. Sovereignty works in direct relationship to God's foreknowledge, His omniscience, and how we are going to respond to His covenant and His commandments. Whether we are going to obey or not, and from an eternal perspective, then, affects His will. It's vital that you and I understand how this thing works in the spirit realm. Daniel Chapter 9. Some principals that will help you in your prayer life: though God is sovereign, you need to fight the good fight of faith. There needs to be a laboring to enter into the rest that God has promised us. "In the first year of his reign [Darius] I Daniel understood by books [verse 2] the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish [in] seventy years in the desolations [judgment] of Jerusalem [and the people of God]."

Daniel is saying, "I studied in the Word of God. I saw that Jeremiah had prophesied the captivity, and here we are, the fruit of it, and we're under the bondage of this nation." But God had spoken and He said, in 70 years I'm going to finish this purging and I'm going to set you back in to the land of promise. The way a lot of us perceive prayer, and perceive sovereignty, that we would have said, "Well, praise God, there it is; amen and I confess that and receive it done in the name of Jesus. There it is, the promise of God. I stand in agreement with it; I speak it, I believe it, and I'm going to rest in it." Well, the Scripture tells us right here that once the revelation came through the Word of God, the promise, it is spoken; "In 70 years my people will be restored." Listen, who are the people that are going to be restored? The ones that prepare themselves. Not everybody. Who gets prayer answered? Those that are keeping His commandments. Those that are walking and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight. Not everybody who professes the name of Jesus. Not everybody, who says they're a Christian. Not everybody that attends church. You want to see who gets their prayers answered? We'll study it over in 1 John 3 in our next session. We're going to see the Old Testament type of it right here. Look! The revelation comes, and then look at what Daniel does once he saw what God promised. "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes" (Verse 3). Now what's the big deal? It's a done deal, isn't it? God said, "In 70 years I'm taking them out, man. I'm sending them back." Shouldn't we just have to say, "Amen" and pack? "Let's just pack up and see if we can jostle for first class. Take this ride home." Daniel realized that every promise of God was affected by a war in the spirit realm and in the heavenlies.

God--though He has no equal, though Satan is no match--I want you to understand something. In this conflict, God is not winning each round ten to nine. Okay? Satan can't even get off the stool! Don't ever think that this is a conflict and that God's barely winning. God in His sovereignty chooses to give place to Satan's expression for His own eternal purposes. In a moment, God could end the kingdom of darkness. In one breath, all of the satanic wiles could be crippled, paralyzed and totally ineffectual. So, then, what is it that God's doing when He's allowing this to take place? We are being proved. It's all about the proving of our own hearts, our ability to rest and rely in His presence. A people, who defected from Him for our own lusts and self will, now choosing to subordinate our will, accept His provision and His loving kindness. A people, who wanted to be self-providers, now having to return in humility to an absolute reliance and trust in their heavenly Father.

I set my face unto the Lord. I set my face unto the Lord, to you only, Lord. We seek you early Lord. There is no other name under heaven. As we've purposed, it says that I came by prayer, supplication, fasting, sackcloth and ashes. "And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments" (verse 4). That's a very important part; get that in your notes. When we go to 1 John 3, you're going to see this is the pivotal point in successful praying. This is the difference between experiencing the presence of God, the supernatural manifestation of the promises of God in your life, or not. Right here. The awareness that God keeps covenant and is merciful to those that love Him and keep His commandments. As we go on in our study, we're going to talk about the fact that many of us have trouble coming to grips with the fact that we don't love God like we should. Many of us find ourselves giving lip service. He said, if you love Me, you'll do what? Keep My commandments, and they will not be grievous to you. It's a delight when you can draw on His grace and mercy to crucify your own flesh and your own will. It's a delight not to do what your flesh wants to do. It's not grievous. Daniel, as he's speaking towards that same spirit, he said He's a covenant keeping God and merciful to those that love Him and keep His commandments. Now, realize the condition that natural man is in. We're not talking about our legal position through regeneration. We're talking about the natural effect that's in us, that sin is still in our members, that Paul relates to, in me, that is in my flesh. "We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments" (verse 5). The rebellion against the percepts of God. I wonder which ones he's talking about.

You see, a lot of us seem to think we're doing pretty well. "I'm keeping the Ten Commandments, not really killing too many people. Committing adultery, got it down to three or four times a week. So, things are going better." To us, we're looking and we're thinking, "I don't do any of those things." We find ourselves almost like the rich young ruler, "I kept those things since my youth." I don't have any other gods, visible, discernable, idols that I'm aware of or others around me. I'm keeping the Sabbath day, I'm not stealing, I'm not killing, and I'm not committing adultery. "Then sell all you have, give it to the poor and come and follow Me. Empty yourself of your own provision, reliance upon your own strength and the right arm of the flesh." There's still some more growth to be taking place, and yet many of us are satisfied in keeping the Ten Commandments.

How many of you know there are a lot of other commandments? As we study the other commandments--it has to do with our ability to humble ourselves that God might exalt. It has to do with crucifying ourselves daily. It has to do with serving one another. It has to do with esteeming others. It has to do with seeking others wealth and not our own, etc. Then we ask ourselves, are we keeping the commandments of God? You say, "Well, Pastor the standard, what you're talking about, the standard is so high." Yes, the standard is perfection. The question we were asking this morning is, how diligently are you pursuing that standard? Or, has there begun to be a complacency? Has there begun to be an acceptance of that spirit that we were talking about this morning, the "rest of faith," and we've lost sight of the need to apply ourselves and crucify this flesh? As Daniel said, seek by prayer, supplication, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes, the promises of God in our lives. We just, frankly, want life easy. That's the flesh. It's not reality. It's not what God has called us to.

When we begin to see some of these things, we're going to have to contend with that spirit of the age that seduced us, that spirit of antichrist that destroys us by our prosperity, or our ease of life. Our ease of life has eased into our prayer life. It's told us that prayer is as easy as putting something into the microwave. Prayer is as easy as just flicking out your cell phone and punching a button and you have somebody on the other end. I want you to understand something: it's tougher to access God than that! You say, "Don't we just have His ear immediately when we cry out?" Well, let me ask you, are you keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight? I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I want you to see God's escape clause there. How many of you are sharp enough to catch the escape clause? Keeping His commandments. "Amen!" Those of us who are legalists, those of us who want to live by the letter of the law. "Keeping His commandments. Amen!" And what? Doing those thing that are what? Pleasing in His sight. Not only what has God commanded, but also what pleases Him.

What is it that just shows affection toward Him, love for Him and an appreciation? I don't do that because I'm commanded. I do it because I want to please Him. He doesn't require it of me. I want to please Him. That spirit that we have to wrestle with constantly in our lives is what we're trying to approach here in these couple of studies. To get you to search your own heart and say, "Where am I today? Have I become complacent? Have I become one who is very apathetic? Have I become one who through a doctrine of rest established that as a preeminent doctrine, because of my own slothfulness and my own inability to crucify the flesh?" Daniel tells us at these particular times, there will be conflict. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities, powers.

He sees the Word of God and now he begins to go into intercession. He believes God to affect the hearts of the people. He's praying and confessing his own sins; he's confessing the sins of the community; and the condition that we're in as a people. He said, "Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name..." (verse 6). We didn't listen to those that were in authority. That's why we're in this position. That's Daniel's take on it by the Holy Spirit. The reason we are in Babylon, the reason we're in captivity, is because of our own pride, our own self-will, our inability to submit to the prophets that spoke the Word of God, and to those in authority over us. Because of our rebellion, God placed us in this bondage to break us.

Those of you--listen to me young people and older ones alike! Those of us who seem to think that somewhere, "Bless God, as soon as I graduate, when I get to 21, then I'm going to be able to do anything I want." You'll never be able to do anything you want! There will always be authority over you. Ultimately, it'll be God or Satan. You'll be obeying one of those and you'll be serving one of those. So you'd better learn now to submit to God's servants, those He's put into your life that are over you; your parents and your overseers. Be able to humble yourself, because you will never be out from under authority; so you might as well chose the right authority to be under. It's so important! Parents, you need to listen to that! Some of the things I've been hearing about what's been taking place with some of our graduates. Like the fact that some of our kids graduate and we think, "They're on their own! They can make decisions." Let me tell you something! First of all, your children will never be old enough that you're not responsible for them to God. You will always be speaking into their lives. You will make sure that the commandments and the covenants of God are followed by your children and your children's children. Generations of responsibility. You never just step back and say, "Well, they're old enough to make their own decision." What's the Word of God say? What input do you have from the Spirit of God? You need to speak! It doesn't mean that they're going to do it. But, you're going to answer to God whether or not you speak it and bring the illumination.

The fact of the matter is, as they're still living under your covering, in the natural, you're responsible in that area. Those of you who have graduates, 19, 20 years old, I want to tell you something: they don't come and go as they please. They're still living in your house; they answer to you! I want to know about my teenagers. I don't care how old you are, 15 to 20. That's not a teenager any more, but wherever you are. Where are the courtesy and these particular things? Do you know, we ask even in the secular: "Do you know where your children are?" "Well, they're with somebody here in the fellowship." Well, big whoopee! Do you know where they are? Do your children know that when they go from home A to home B, they're suppose to call you and say, "I'm leaving home A"? My kids, man, when they left home A, it wasn't enough to tell me, we're leaving home A. You call me and let me know when you get to home B. I want to know whether you're dead along the street or not, so I can come and raise you up. I want to know where you are. I want to be part of your life. I want input.

You don't tell me when you're coming home; you ask. This authority and this oversight is what are built-in, so they can realize that's how they're going to respond to God all the days of their life. We're always under authority. Once we can move in that spirit of humility, we can learn to relate to that authority, and we can relate to the authority of God. It's all a training process. You're doing your children such a great injustice to turn them loose. There is no place for that. "Well, so much for that!" Anyway, this is so important. Something we're missing here because of this community. It's not your brother and sister's job to raise your kids. "Well they're with brother so and so." They're your kids! Now those people may be better parents than you, but your kids are still your responsibility. It's important! That's another thing. If your kids always want to run to somebody else's house, you might ask, "Why?" It's very important. "Well, because they've got a 40 foot wide TV set." Well that's not a right motive. You ought to ask, why? What is it my kids--if it's all carnal stuff, then you have a character problem. If it's the fact that you don't have any relationship with them, you have another problem. If it's the fact that you just want them out of your hair, you have a greater problem, but you need to come to grips with it. I'm off the subject. Let's get back over here. We understand then as Daniel's dealing with this--I'm going through all of that because of some of the nightmare stories I heard from the Tennessee trip.

We see the Spirit of God speaking to us in Daniel's repentance for the people, for himself, and why they were in the bondage. He says in verse 11, "Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us..." You see, prayer breaks the curse. Repentance, the awareness of why you're in the bondage. The awareness of it, the confession of it, and the repentance breaks the curse, breaks the judgment. The judgment of Moses, verse 13, "As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us..." Exactly what Moses said was going to happen, happened. Here we are, and now there's only one way out. It's through repentance. We come and we humble ourselves. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray--as we saw at the beginning of our study--then will I hear from heaven. He said, "I want to heal your land; I want to heal your spiritual life." Moses had told us this was going to be the consequence, and here we are and we repent. Verse 19, "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not..." Here's the motive we talked about this morning. Defer not, Lord work this thing in us. Whatever is necessary, the purging and the purifying, seventy years of bondage, but whatever it takes for thine own sake deliver your people. "...O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."

We see the real motive as we talked about this morning. The brokenness that God is not being glorified in our lives. The motivation to pray should be the awareness that God is not being glorified in our lives; so we're broken. Daniel repents, knowing the promise that deliverance is coming, but you know he wants it for himself. The deliverance is coming to His people. The question is: are you His people? Ask yourself that question this morning. Are you God's people? Who are His people? Those that love Him and keep His commandments. Who are those people? Those that abide in Him and His Words abide in them. Who are His people? Those that are doing those things that are pleasing in His sight. If you don't belong in that camp, then you can't expect any answers to prayer. We realize then that, as we're contending with the principalities and the powers that are in the heavens, Daniel's praying. He sees the Word of God. It motivates him to pray. He's repenting. He's broken. Then look what he says takes place. "And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, [he] being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision" (verses 20-23).

At the very moment you began to pray, the answer was sent. It's manifested following sackcloth, ashes, prayer, intercession, the brokenness, the confessions of sins, and then the revelation comes, and it's finished in his life. God knows, when we begin to pray, how serious our hearts are in pursuit of Him, whether we're seeking Him with all of our heart, or not. True prayer is energized by His presence. Chapter 10 goes on and speaks the same principle even to a greater degree. Look at this. "In the third year of Cyrus...In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks" (verses 1-2). Now the guy had just prayed and fasted, and got the answer from God. The revelation came and the interpretation of the 70 weeks was made real to him. He saw the accomplished promise that they were truly coming out, as a people, and its eternal significance. He had all of this understanding, and it was the fruit of prayer, fasting, sackcloth and ashes. He saw it by the prophet Jeremiah; he experienced it in the revelation of Gabriel; it's a fact, and he's still praying. It's a reality to this man and now he says, I was mourning, fasting. We talked about it this morning. The words we were using. I was striving; I was laboring; and I was intense. That's what this mourning is talking about. For three full minutes. Oh, okay. Three full hours. Three full days. I was mourning, fasting, warring, and bringing my flesh under. I understood what was at stake here, and for three full weeks I fasted.

"I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled" (verse 3). As he wrestled with principalities and powers, but he already had the promise of God. Let's see what's taking place here in the spirit realm. "And in the [24th] day of the first month...Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but [awareness of the presence was there] a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves" (verses 4-7). When was the last time you encountered the presence of God that way? When was the last time you were struck dumb by the presence of God and His visitation? When's the last time you pulled off your shoes because you knew you were on holy ground? You make people take off their shoes before they come in on your new carpet.

We realize that as the Spirit of God is speaking here, he says, "Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words...And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling" (verses 8-11). When's the last time you were moved by a word from God? Has His voice become so common that you don't even tremble at that voice anymore? That voice that shook Mt. Sinai that absolutely just overwhelmed the people of Israel when they knew God was present. Has the presence of God been so common to us, or so foreign to us, that we don't even know it anymore? When God speaks, is it like any other counselor speaking to you? Or do we tremble at His voice and know that this is a supernatural occurrence? This is a privilege bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. This is the fruit of sonship. What a privilege, to be called the sons of God. Oh, there are times for commonness as children. Children don't always need to come before us with oblation. But, there should be some in their hearts. There should be respect, honor, love and reverence. If not, then everything they take is thievery.

It's very important to understand what's going on in Daniel's heart and in his relationship. He said, "You're beloved." "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words" (verse 12). Powerful statement! We've studied this many times in our lives. As we begin to refer back to it again, look what the Spirit of God is saying to us here. From the first day, the Scripture says, before you speak, I hear. What a privilege! What a promise to know that God understands our hearts and even before the words come out of our mouth, He's aware of our need and He's moved! While you were yet speaking, the answer is coming. "...for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself [when you got serious]...thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words." Now see, so many of us think God just comes for our words; that's not what this says. From the day that you set your heart to understand; the day that you chastened yourself; your words were heard, and I've come for your words. Our words without this chastening and this preparation are cheap; they're meaningless. It's important for us to understand what's taking place here. Now look. Something happened. You begin to pray; you were chastening yourself; you're fasting for 21 days, and no results. But from the day you spoke I heard. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days..." (verse 13).

Look what's going on in the heavenlies. For 21 days, there's a spiritual war. Would've been cool to have our eyes opened and see what's taking place up there. I can't even begin to--I've got a half way decent imagination and to help that out you watch Star Wars and some of these other things. You can't even grasp what's going on. What kind of a battle could be going on between these beings? It's got to be cool stuff, man! I mean, the tantrum of one of them took a perfect earth and turned it into a planet without form or void. You know the earth was created perfect. Satan's the one that destroyed this thing and made it a total devastated mess, without form or void as he was cast down upon this planet. What's going on in the heavenly realm as these guys are rumbling up there? The power is beyond our imagination! As these spirits are in conflict and are warring, the will of God is being sent to His prophets; and yet they're being opposed by demonic powers. Why is it that God would allow this opposition to take place? Now remember, we're not comparing Satan or the angels with God. We're comparing angels with angels. The fact that a third of them were cast down, they didn't lose their power. They have the same power as those that did not defect. The conflict that's taking place. Look what the good angels can do in the book of Revelation. Look what the good angels have done through out the Scriptures, of shutting the mouths of lions and knocking the wheels off of chariots. Look at what they're able to do in stopping the flow of rivers and all of these different things. Understand those are the powers you and I are confronting on a daily basis. You think, "Man, I didn't know I was so bad that I can..." You're not. It's the grace of God keeping you alive. It's angels that are warring on our behalf and contending with these other powers. They're out to destroy us! What are we doing to prepare ourselves? Twenty-one days restrained by opposing forces, but, lo, Michael came. Hey, there's rank there, man. All angels are not equally bad. There are some bad dudes; then there's Michael; then there's Gabriel. Then there's, who? Lucifer--who goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, contending with other archangels for the body of Moses. Personal attacks. Aware of where you live! What have you done to fortify your house? The prayer for your children and for your household? How serious are we in this conflict when you would compare it to some type of a natural attack? What if we were being over run in a day when people were carrying weapons on the streets and there was anarchy? What would you do to preserve your household? What are we doing today? How serious are we in this war that's at hand? When we realize the conflict in the spirit realm, then we have to ask ourselves, how sober are we really in the warfare that's going on? Do we really understand the magnitude of the conflict around us? If we do, it's going to change our prayer life.

If we do--back to Ephesians--we will begin to put on the full armor of God. We're going to realize, then, that just throwing these prayers up, don't get instant results and it doesn't guarantee that there's not going to be conflict. We understand then, according to Ephesians, that our war is not against flesh and blood. Verse 12. Now, if you believe that--and we'll end with this for tonight--if you believe that, that we're not wrestling against flesh and blood, then you will put on the whole armor of God. If you understand the conflict, then your prayer life will change, is basically what Paul is saying. You're going to get serious. If you realize what you're contending with, you're not just going to play at prayer. You're going to put on the war armor and you're going to go to battle. You're going to take this sword in your hand. You're going to do warfare in the spiritual realm. It's going to be a conflict similar to what Daniel did at times. It's not every time you pray, but at times it might take you more than three minutes or three hours.

The questions is, then, are we aware of the war and are we ready to pay the price for the victory? "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). May I ask you something tonight? In your prayer life, have you "done all"? Are you absolutely putting the same energy into your prayer life as you do in basketball practice? Are you putting the same energy into prayer that you are into remodeling your house? Into that basement? Into the hours and hours thinking of where that new sofa is going to go? That's really important. May I ask you something? Have you done all? When you have, then we'll be able to stand.

Father, we thank You for the Word of God; we ask that You'd stir our hearts as we continue in this study and realize the magnitude of the war that we're in. That many of these little prayers that we just throw up expecting You to respond and move heaven and earth, don't fulfill our part of the covenant. Your covenant, Your Word, is sure. Your Word also reveals our responsibility of loving You, keeping Your commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in Your sight. Father, we know that there's to be a commonness with You; that You love us as children and we can call You Abba. You delight to have us in Your presence and You delight to bless us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. You delight to call us "sons of God." Don't let us lose the fear, the reverence, of Your great majesty and Your holiness. That when we pray, we would be in awe of You. We would stand in awe of Your majesty. These men of God, when visited by the angels, bowed and the angels would say, "No, don't worship us! Man, we're not worthy! God is so far beyond us! I know we cause you to be undone, just our visitation alone. But He that has created us both is so far beyond. Only He is to be worshipped!" Angels moved these men, and we have access to the throne of God by the blood of Jesus. What an awesome thing to be called "sons of God." What an awesome responsibility now to represent Him, to pray with this as our heart's motive, Lord, hear me. Listen to Jesus pray in John 17: "That I might glorify You. Glorify me, deliver me, strengthen me, bring to me victory that You might be glorified." It's our hearts' desire Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's stand together. As we do, we were going to join with Dominic and Mandy in the dedication of their daughter, this little blessing, and it got by us this morning. So, tonight we want to take that time. Alayna Faith is joining the family here. Praise God! We're going to lay our hands on these kids for wisdom to raise their kid. From one generation to the next. What a privilege. Come on over guys. If we can, have some of the brethren join us here. We're just going to lay hands on them. The responsibility of the grandparents, as we've shared. This isn't just something you step back and pray, "Boy, I hope they do a good job." One thing good about being grandparents is that you have another opportunity to make up for the messes you caused. You should be smarter now! So we realize that God's called us into that privilege. We just want to serve in that as family. We've talked about it before. That as a community, we all assume the responsibility to speak into these parents' lives, into this child's life and encourage them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. What a privilege to offer our lives up again to assist in this new generation of a godly seed. The mighty warriors being raised up that He might be all in all. What a great opportunity, praise God. So, as we get ready to pray, just extend your hands. Where 's the--do we have some of the grandparents here too? Any of the grandparents here? Come on up here with us. We want you to stand with your children, your seed here, and understand the responsibility. This thing isn't over. Grandparents don't get to go on vacations. Dominic, I know your dad was here this morning. Thankful for a dad that's serving God and has spoken into your life; it's a privilege to have parents that are seeking the kingdom of God. We just want to pray for all of these that are a part of this child's life. Rejoice in the privilege of living before them a life of obedience and speaking the truth; requiring it in their lives and in ours. Praise God!

Father, we thank You for the privilege of coming into Your presence and the privilege, Lord, that You've blessed us with this child. This child doesn't belong to any man, but is a gift lent from You, Lord. So we ask for the wisdom to be good stewards. We ask for the strength to live before her lives of victory. To love her, Lord, as You've loved us, to be patient, to be consistent and to raise her up not in any natural heritage, but in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So we pray for Dominic, and Mandy, Father, that You would give them that understanding. Cause them to be strong all the days of their lives. By the authority that You've given us Father, we speak upon this household peace in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah!

Let's take a moment and just rejoice in the goodness of the Lord and how He's blessed us. The privilege of raising up a godly seed. As parents, we can access the throne of God on behalf of our children and war for their souls. "I just can't seem to do anything with my child." Then why don't you do something with the devils that are driving them? Why don't you war in the heavenlies; battle on their behalf, win the victory there, and see your kids set free? Oh, Father, thank You for the privilege of prayer, the power of accessing the heavenlies! We thank You for the benefits of the armor of God that causes us to be victorious, in the name of Jesus! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Dominic, why don't you and Mandy come up and let's see this precious little gift from God. Just believing God that she will have her mother's looks and not her father's. Ah, what a privilege. Amen! Isn't she a blessing? So beautiful, so innocent, as we've talked about. She's labored to enter into rest. Praise God! We're believing God that she'll be as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside. Amen?

Father, we thank You for what You've done in our lives tonight. We ask that Your Word would become real in our hearts and help us to honor You in our words and in our deeds in Jesus name. Amen.

Before you go, turn to somebody and say, "Get the armor on!" Amen.

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