GOSPEL AMBASSADOR LIVING IN SPIRITUAL DARK TIMES

Daniel 9:1-23; Matthew 6:9-13; John 17; Luke 22:31-34

October 29, 2023, Sunday a.m. - MBC

This book of Daniels will help us how to live effectively as ambassadors of the Gospel of God in this modern Babylon, referring to modern today’s evil dark world.

1. Living in uncertain times in this modern world.

Like how Daniel and his friends lived, we must likewise learn to live confidently for God in uncertain times, as we face the challenging uncertain future similarly during the times when Daniel and his friends lived in Babylon powerful reign.

2. Living in a secular and immoral times in this modern world

Like Daniel, we too must speak the Word of truth with boldly and courage for righteousness’s sake, as we live in this secular and immoral culture world that infected our lives and has even invaded the church of God. This is an urgent call to do our part.

3. Living in spiritual dark times in this modern world.

Like Daniel we must show into the world the beauty and power of the gospel by living in God’s grace and living by faith even the darkness becomes worst and worst.

4. Living in desperate and confusing times in this modern world.

Like Daniel, we must strive hard to live humbly, prayerfully, and biblical mold living in this present desperate and confusing times where it is hard to find someone to be a good example living godly, when believers compromise and no one living in loyalty to Christ waiting for His coming.

Daniel is a courageous man living to face the evil, powerful influence of the nation of Babylon that captive them. Daniel had a great faith to willingly speak the words of God boldly and bravely stands for the truth and righteousness’s sake. Daniel was willing to sacrifice and pay the price for His faithfulness to God, no matter what the consequences would bring.

Daniel is confidently live because he personally convinced that God in His divine throne rules above any earthly rulers and for Daniel the kingdom of God is greater than any earthly kingdom in this world (Daniel 7-12).

Daniel in his life unceasing and unshakeable dependence on God to hear and answer his prayers is the clear evidence that Daniel truly confidently believed that God ruled and is in control at all times and that God’s kingdom is what matters most.

May we listen to Daniel’s prayer and learn that his prayer conforms to the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught the disciples His ambassadors and Jesus Himself prayed that kind of prayer He taught to His disciples as they were scattered throughout the kingdoms of the world, similar to the experience of Daniel that he was relocated to a foreign culture in a pagan city of Babylon and courageously stand against everything that he valued and believed as a faithful believer of God.

We are taught how to pray when we are living in the midst of lions in our modern Babylonian days and times of our lives. Therefore, it would be helpful for us to listen to Daniel’s prayer and learn from Jesus’ prayer.

I – DANIEL'S PRAYER FOR THE MERCY AND WISDOM OF GOD TO UNDERSTAND THE KINGDOM OF GOD – Daniel 9:1-19; 20-23

When time comes that God’s rule looks thwarted, and the purpose of the kingdom of God seems remain hidden, let us listen to the prayer of a man Daniel who believed that God always rules above anyone and that God’s kingdom matters more.

A. Daniel’s payer is shaped by the Scripture – v.1-2; Daniel 11-13

Daniel 9:1-2 “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; ²In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”

This is Daniel’s prayer for Mercy and Understanding about God’s Kingdom.

B. Daniel’s prayer is based on the Character and faithfulness of God – v.4-9

Daniel 9:4-9 “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; ⁵We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: ⁶Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. ⁷O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. ⁸O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. ⁹To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;”

This prayer of Daniel is based on God’s Character and Past Faithfulness.

C. Daniel’s prayer is marked by humility and confession of sins – v. 4a, 5-6, 7-15

Daniel 9:4a “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;”

Daniel 9:5-6 “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: ⁶Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.”

Daniel 9:7-15 “O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. ⁸O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. ⁹To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. ¹¹Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. ¹²And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. ¹³As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. ¹⁴Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. ¹⁵And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.”

This prayer of Daniel is marked by Humility and Confession of the sin of the people of God.

D. Daniel’s prayer desired for God’s forgiveness and desperate for God’s mercy – v.17-19

Daniel 9:17-19 "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplication, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate for the Lord's sake. ¹⁸O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolaions, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies.¹⁹O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."

This prayer of Daniel is desiring God’s forgiveness and desperate in need for God’s Mercy.

E. Daniel’s Prayer longed on deliverance for the sake of the name of God – v.19

Daniel 9:19 “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.”

If the one praying is convinced that God rules above any earthly kings or rulers and that God’s kingdom matters more or still in control and reigns against any earthly kingdom, therefore this prayer is possible. Daniel is a man that convinced that God rules and God’s kingdom above all kingdoms. This type of prayer is not inborn or instinctive, this prayer must be learned.

The person who teaches us this kind of prayer, is the person loved by God more than Daniel whose prayers are always heard and answered by God, that is Jesus Christ. As we listened Daniel’s prayer, now let us learn Jesus’s prayer.

II – DISCIPLE'S PRAYER FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND FUTHERANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD – Matthew 6:9-13

Matthew 6:9-13 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"

A. The Person that receives of our Prayers – v.9

Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

B. The Priority that controls our Prayers – v.10

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

1. The Person of God is exalted – “Thy Kingdom come”

2. The Powerful authority of God is established – “Thy will be done”

3. The Purposes and Plans of God is executed – “on earth as it is in heaven.”

C. The Petitions that mold our Prayers – v.11-13

Matthew 6:11-13 “Give us this day our daily bread. ¹²And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

1. Daily Provision of our food – “Give us this day our daily bread.”

2. Daily Pardon of our debts – “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

3. Daily Protection and Preservation in our lives - “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

We can pray also pray the kind of prayers, that Jesus had taught to His disciples because we fully believed that God rules and in control of everything and God’s kingdom matters more as God work for establishment and advancement of it.

III – DEITY’S PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMBASSADORS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD – John 17:1-26

John 17:9 “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”

A. People whom Jesus prays – v.6-9

John 17:6-9 “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. ⁷Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. ⁸For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. ⁹I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”

B. Proper reason why Jesus prays for them – v.10-14

John 17:10-14 “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. ¹²While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

C. Prayer requests of Jesus for them – v.13-24

John 17:13-24 “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.¹⁴I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. ¹⁸As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. ²⁰Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ²¹That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ²²And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: ²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. ²⁴Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

D. Purpose for which Jesus prays – v.23b

John 17:23b “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

Conclusion: In Luke 22:31-34, provide us a specific pattern of prayer that Jesus shows us as He prays for His own disciples.

Luke 22:31-34 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³²But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ³³And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. ³⁴And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”

We have found the truth that God rules and God’s kingdom matters more, which is the solid ground on which we stand, that would strengthen us when road way of life is hard to travel and would encourage us when we grow weary, exhausted and when we feel forsaken, alone that no one cares. Never forget that God loves us no matter what, and God hears our cries for help when we pray.

Perhaps the most wonderful truth of all is that Jesus having His intercessory prayer for you and for me, and there is a great assurance that the Father in heaven consistently hears and answers the prayer of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, we too as Jesus taught His disciples, we can freely and boldly come to “our Father in heaven” when we personally, believingly prays.

Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Therefore, like Daniel who confidently, humbly and scripturally shaped prayers unto God as he lived in a trying dark times ruled by paganism by evil kingdom of Babylon, we also make sure that our prayers are controlled and shaped by the kingdom of God priorities and not our own priorities. When the way gets so hard, rocky, uphill and we fail, let us take heart and gain strength by knowing that Jesus is in His heavenly throne praying for us no matter what comes in your way. Jesus cares!

Rejoice always no matter what will happen in uncertain times:

1. God always rules and His kingdom stands will never fail.

2. God always loves us, hears and answers when call Him in prayer.

3. God’s only Son Jesus always constantly and effectively praying for us.