The Prayer of Daniel

Daniel was a man of prayer.  He not only 'purposed in his heart' to keep his mind, body, and soul pure in the sight of God but was also a man given to prayer.  Even when Daniel knew that king Darius had signed the royal decree, he knelt and prayed as was his custom since the early days.  Daniel read the scriptures and based his thanksgiving and supplication based on the Scriptures. Even though Daniel himself lived according to the Scriptures, he confessed his nation's sins and prayed seeking God's mercy.  Daniel fasted and prayed.  The Bible says in Dan 9:23 that God answered his prayer "at the beginning of his supplications"itself!  We have a lot to learn from Daniel!

The Word has to be the basis of our prayer. The Word should convict our hearts and lead us to repentance.  Remember, prayer is supernatural. It is reaching out to the power of God by faith to fight the forces of darkness.  The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." No prayer, no power! Prayer is never the last resort.  It is always first, and foremost. The Bible says in James 5:15, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  We have to pray with faith, believing that our prayers will make an eternal difference.  A man of God once said that there is no greater ministry, no higher calling, no better investment than prayer. 

The society we live in has become money and power-centric, where human life has no value. Our culture celebrates the criminals, and the rapists roam free. Corruption is rampant in every area of life.  Oppression by the powerful is commonplace.  The incident where a woman belonging to the Scheduled Caste, being forced to sit on the floor while others sit on chairs has been very shocking.  And she was the president of the Panchayat!  Seventy-three years after independence, we are more divided than ever!  What we see may be discouraging but remember prayer is never passive.  It is active!  Prayer is trusting God that He can accomplish more than what we can ask or imagine! 

My friend, let us commit ourselves to fervent prayer! Let us pray for a corruption-free, secular India where all men and women will be equal.  Let us pray like Daniel and change the future!

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