Prayer Answered Quickly
Daniel 9
In This chapter Daniel gets his prayer answered, “while he was yet speaking”, verse 21. All of us want immediate answers to prayer. Some wait for answers for months or years. We must not interpret delays in answers for denials. We wait because it pleases Him who is sovereign and who gives according to His own pleasure. What are some of the things seen in the text that could help our prayers to be answered quickly?
[Dan.9:3] he set his “face unto the Lord”
He had his prayer face on!
We all are familiar with the “game face”, meant to freak out the opponent
When you set your “face unto the Lord”, it must be for real!!!! You are not fooling God.
God knows your heart, so the following points parts of your Prayer Face:
Firm Determination [Matt. 14:30] Peter needed an answer now, and it was written all over his face. God cares just as much as you do about your prayers. If we desire a quick answer to prayer, God must see it in our face.
Resolute Purpose [Matt. 14:30] Peter had a clear and definite request. He didn’t beat around the bush. Tragically, many of our prayers are so vague that if God were to answer them, we wouldn’t even know. Have no fear about praying for the wrong thing, [Rom.8:26-27] the Spirit of God will intercede for us according to the will of God.
Undivided Attention [Luke 18:1-8] Committed only to it. She had only one request, and that was what she was committed to. It seems as if nothing was more important in her life than to get the judge to avenge her of her adversary. She focused in on that request.
Resolute Perseverance [Luke 18:1-8] She was not going to give up and the Judge knew it. In sports, you can easily see on a player’s face, when things get tuff, his resolve not to give up. Can God see your resolve when you set your face unto the Lord?
“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well, and if it is not worth doing thoroughly, wise men let it alone.” unknown author
[Dan.9:7-8] “confusion of face”
This is the classic picture of the young child with chocolate all over his face because he had his hand in the cookie jar, while proclaiming his innocence. God can clearly see our confusion of face when we come to him in prayer.
Sin [Ps.66:18] Prayer will make a man cease from sin. Sin will make a man cease to pray, John Bunyan. You are not going to get any, much less quick answers to prayers while we have sin between us and God. [Isa.59:2-3] confused face
Unbelief [James 1:6-8] not wavering. [Heb.11:6] You must believe that He answers prayer!
Asking Amiss [James 4:1-3] This is not asking for the wrong thing by mistake, this is asking “that ye may consume it upon your own lust” Coming to a holy and righteous God with these motives must look to him as “confusion of face”
[Dan.9:17-19] “cause thy face to shine upon”
You can cause God’s face to shine upon you by asking for Him to get the Glory! “for the Lord’s sake”, “for thine own sake” is the best way to get a quick answer to prayer. [Ps.50:15] If all our prayers were asked for the soul purpose to glorify God, wow would He be pleased! As much as you would like to think, everything is not about you. It is all about Him. When we finally get there, our prayer face will really make a difference.