The book of Daniel will be our roadmap for this season of prayer. I have chosen this book because it gives us a playbook by which to navigate the days in which we live. Daniel’s and our circumstances are quite similar which you will see.
The theme of Daniel? God’s in charge! He knows the plans He has for us, and He will work His plan.
The setting of Daniel? Babylon. This is where the similarities lie. Babylon means, “sown in confusion.” Although the physical city was destroyed, spiritual Babylon is alive and well in our day. Actually, we live in it.
The apostle John had visions of the last days much like Daniel. In the book of Revelation, he is shown spiritual Babylon to be a demonically influenced culture full of sexual immorality, violence, lust for power, lust for wealth, abominable acts, and obsession with exalting self. This is just another news cycle in America.
Should we be afraid? Not on your life. Aware? Yes! Careful? Yes! But God has placed Daniel in the Bible for such a time as this. He demonstrates how we can stand strong in the midst of declining spiritual conditions.
Begin now reading the book of Daniel. It will be essential to get the most out of this devotional. We will walk together through this faith-fueling book to find God is in charge. He sustains. He strengthens. He protects. He promotes. He blesses. He speaks. He guides. He reveals. He forgives. He restores. He walks with Daniel as he walks with us so that we can stand when everyone else bows.
The key to Daniel standing through more than 70 years of evil was his dedication to prayer, fasting, and Scripture. He studied the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah and prioritized daily prayer. We will follow this same pattern as we start the new year.
A helpful hint: the first six chapters of Daniel are history and easy to read. The last six chapters (7-12) are prophecies and can be challenging to understand. We will walk together through those, and I’ll help you to understand.