When Daniel prayed, he did not see immediate fulfillment in the physical realm. But his prayer initiated a spiritual battle against the principality of Persia who hindered God’s messenger that brought the answer for Daniel. Like Daniel, our prayers can impact the spirit realm as they expose for judgment those principalities and powers that resist God’s Kingdom in the earth. And like Daniel, God brings us wisdom and understanding of His will in answer to our prayers.

Listen Now:

Download Transcript

Show Notes:

Are our prayers really effective and how effective are they? Obviously, we are concerned about the radical changes in society over the last years, and we are facing a world that is far different than the one we knew in the past. What should our response be as Christians? First we must understand that as humans we tend to look at things on a natural level. And when we do, we tend to react and respond on a natural level. But that is exactly what Ephesians chapter 6 tells us not to do because our battle is not with flesh and blood. It is not on a natural level.

As believers, we find ourselves thrown into the midst of spiritual battle. Even though Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth, that authority must be executed until every enemy is defeated. This is necessary for us to understand if we are to understand prayer, our part in prayer, and how our prayer affects the Kingdom of God. A good example from the Scriptures is Daniel’s prayer about the promise of Israel’s return from captivity. He was praying about something physical, but his prayer started a war in heaven against the spiritual forces that were opposing God’s will.

We must understand that our prayers are more than just words. They have the potential of releasing judgment on the rebellious principalities and powers that oppose the will of God. You could easily ask, “How can I fight these powerful beings and forces when I am just a human being?” It is true that we cannot engage these kinds of forces in ourselves. But our prayers can literally initiate warfare in the spirit, and that warfare will be used to bring every enemy under the feet of Christ until every enemy is abolished, and He returns to establish His Kingdom on this earth.

Key Verses:

• Ephesians 6:10–13. “Our struggle is … against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces.”
• John 19:30. “He said, ‘It is finished!’”
• Hebrews 10:12–13. “Waiting … UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.”
• Matthew 28:18. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
• Matthew 6:10. “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
• Isaiah 5:20. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”
• Ephesians 6:14–18. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit.”
• Matthew 24:22. “No life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
• Daniel 10:12–21. “I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me.”
• Revelation 12:3–4. “A great red dragon … swept away a third of the stars of heaven.”
• Daniel 7:10. “Myriads upon myriads were standing before Him.”
• 1 Peter 3:22. “Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven.”
• Isaiah 5:16. “The LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment.”

Quotes:

• “When we really understand these Scriptures, we also understand that we as believers—though our salvation is won for us and though satan is a defeated foe—there is still a war going on.”
• “We must be so given in this generation to knowing and rehearsing and memorizing and living by the Word of God.”
• “God answers prayers. He sends messengers to accomplish it, to accomplish those prayers, to answer us, to bring wisdom.”

Takeaways:

1. We must understand the power of prayer. Sometimes we question its effectiveness in our lives or if God is even hearing our prayers. But we need to understand that the power of prayer must be discerned in the spirit to see what is transpiring as a result of our prayers.
2. As God is sending through answers to our prayers and moving to manifest His Kingdom on the earth, then everything that is blocking it manifests itself because it is drawn out against what God is trying to do. The rebellion of those spiritual forces is revealed, and they can be fought and abolished by God’s spiritual warriors, the archangels.
3. For Christ to return, every enemy must be made the footstool of His feet and our prayer plays a major role towards the fulfillment of His authority over every principality, every power, and every force of wickedness. They will be brought down, and He will return with the Father, the leader of the hosts of heaven.