Praise for The Prayer of Daniel Lauren’s passion to expound scriptures is truly a gift from God. Simple yet profound, Lauren has taken Daniel’s heart to please God and infused it with his sincere prayers of repentance. For his people. For his nation. Oh, that we would be like Daniel, interceding with effective prayers for our people. Our nation. These 31 daily devotionals of Daniel’s prayer express Lauren’s unique perspective that focuses on prayer rather than fasting, and on repentance rather than rules. Lauren leads the reader to pray as Daniel did. Broken over man’s sin. Hopeful over God’s mercy. Most assuredly, The Prayer of Daniel: When Angels Bring the Answer will open your eyes and reveal answers from angels—just as Daniel did. —Julie Payne Miller Author, Strong Women Cry Too Word Weavers Orlando, President
Lauren Erika Myers is a faithful prayer warrior who displays the love of God in everything she does. I know that her devotional, The Prayer of Daniel, will serve as a light and source of hope for those who read it and use it throughout their spiritual journey. —Dr. Janice M. Gravely PhD in Public Policy and Administration Specializing in Terrorism, Mediation, and Peace First woman to command the Carthage American Legion
I have known Lauren Erika Myers for several years as a nurse, and now as a spirit-filled and gifted writer. Her theology is sound and biblical. In her writing, she has a way of intertwining her life’s experiences with her great spirituality and love for our Lord and our God Jesus Christ. I have a glimpse of her knowledge of Daniel on her blog. I found her words to be insightful with practical lessons. I am sure her new book will inspire many through The Prayer of Daniel. —Dr. Gordon Rafool, MD Winter Haven, Florida
LAUREN ERIKA MYERS
THE P R AY E R O F DANIEL WHEN ANGELS BRING ANSWERS
Birmingham, Alabama
The Prayer of Daniel Iron Stream Harambee Press An imprint of Iron Stream Media 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 IronStreamMedia.com Copyright © 2022 by Lauren Erika Myers No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. Iron Stream Media serves its authors as they express their views, which may not express the views of the publisher. Library of Congress Control Number: 2022930757 All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Cover design by Hannah Linder Designs ISBN: 978-1-64526-378-4 (paperback) ISBN: 978-1-64526-379-1 (e-book) 1 2 3 4 5—26 25 24 23 22
Dedication Dedicated to my grandmother Thirza Asenath Williams (1905–2005), who used the Bible to teach me to read, and whose life and prayers continue to guide me today.
Contents Foreword ................................................................................ix Day 1: Praying According to Scripture ................................... 1 Day 2: Confession and Covenant ........................................... 4
Day 3: No Excuses.................................................................. 6
Day 4: Receiving the Message ................................................ 8 Day 5: Sin and Shame—The Deadly Duo ............................ 10 Day 6: Scattered ................................................................... 12
Day 7: Old Sins Have Long Lives........................................ 14 Day 8: Mercy Wrapped in Love ........................................... 16
Day 9: The Word of the Prophets ......................................... 19
Day 10: Selah Moments ....................................................... 21
Day 11: A Promise Fulfilled ................................................. 24 Day 12: A Reasoned Response ............................................. 26 Day 13: Righteous in Judgment ........................................... 28 Day 14: A History with God................................................ 30
Day 15: No Surprises............................................................ 33
Day 16: An Object of Scorn ................................................. 35 Day 17: For His Name’s Sake ............................................... 38
Day 18: Historical Foundations............................................ 40 Day 19: Evidence of Mercy .................................................. 43
Day 20: A Sense of Urgency ................................................. 45 - vii -
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Day 21: The Family Name .................................................... 47 Day 22: The Active Word ..................................................... 49
Day 23: When Angels Bring the Answer ............................. 52 Day 24: Insight and Understanding ..................................... 55
Day 25: Honored by God ..................................................... 57 Day 26: Understanding God’s Timing ................................. 59 Day 27: The Messiah Comes! ............................................... 62
Day 28: For This Purpose ..................................................... 64
Day 29: The Beginning of the End ....................................... 66
Day 30: The End................................................................... 68
Day 31: Five Lessons from the Prayer of Daniel .................. 70
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Foreword Prepare Your Heart for the Next Thirty-One Days
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hen we take a close look at Daniel’s prayer, we see he teaches us about praying and fasting and how important it is to engage in both. He did not totally abstain from eating when he was under King Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. He simply passed on the rich banquet cuisine which was normally served at the king’s table, and he chose instead all manner of grains, vegetables, and water. Even when we pray and fast, it still comes down to a deep and personal place where the focus is not on food or personal comfort. We must be careful not to fall into the trap of being taken up with what is the right thing to eat, when to eat, and how much. Rather, it is a special time to make food secondary to the desire to be in the presence of the Savior. Daniel chose to be an intercessor for his people when the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy regarding Israel’s exile to Babylon took place under King Nebuchadnezzar. He does not excuse the people’s behavior or exclude himself from the results of disobedience. He did not portray hopelessness, although his prayer brought no obvious change in Israel’s circumstances. Instead, he remains faithful in prayer and constant in worship. There are several prevalent themes throughout Daniel’s prayer. First, even in the midst of judgment, the book of Daniel resonates with good news of God’s sovereignty, mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, and righteousness.
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T H E P R AY E R O F D A N I E L
Second, with the acknowledgment of God’s judgment, Daniel had a purpose. A spiritual purpose. He prayed for the very life of his nation through fasting and prayer. Third, Daniel understood prayer was not a means to change God’s mind or to get him to do something he never intended. Prayer helps us align our thoughts and desires with God and is a most effective way to drown out all the other voices to hear his more clearly. The interactive nature of this book allows you, the reader, to contemplate the same themes as Daniel did, through fasting, prayer, scripture focus, and your own honest personal response. In response to Daniel’s prayer, God sent one angel with the answer and another to see that it got through. In the words of Psalm 20:5, “May the Lord grant all your requests.” Lauren E. Myers
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DAY
1 Praying According to Scripture I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures . . . So, I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:1–3)
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or any of us to develop a sound basis for our faith or engage in the discipline of fasting and prayer, we need to know what the Word of God says. Jesus told Satan food was not the most important means to support life. The most pressing need is the Word of God (Matthew 4:4). Be aware the enemy can easily let the focus of your fast be about foods and recipes. This can lead to a battle of “dos” and “don’ts” and take away from spending time in God’s presence. Daniel’s heartfelt prayer came from an understanding of the words he read from the prophet Jeremiah. Yes, there seemed to be an endless exile because of Israel’s disobedience. However, in the middle of it all, there was also the ever loving and merciful God who daily worked for the good of his people. -1-
T H E P R AY E R O F D A N I E L
What drives your prayer today? And how does scripture relate to your concern? I am sure whatever the need, it is covered under the heading of “all things.” Jesus promises whatever we need we should approach the Father in faith, and we will have our prayers answered, but the answers may come in ways we may not expect. As in Daniel’s case, this may not mean we will immediately get out of the situation, but we know everything changes when God steps in. Until the answer comes, there are multiple reminders of God’s faithfulness to sustain us along our way. Here is one well worth remembering as you pray over the next several days: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” ( Jeremiah 29:13). Dear Jesus, you invite us to come to you with our requests. As I begin this journey today, I rest upon the truth of your promises that I shall have the answers that align with your will. Amen.
Scripture Focus: Matthew 7:7–8 (AMP) “Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.”
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Personal Response: Fasting and prayer would be pointless without the assurance our God answers. Do you have areas of unbelief you need to give to God before you begin your fast and prayer time? Let me encourage you, during the next thirty-one days, commit to fast—however God leads—and draw closer to him through the process. If you chose to fast, what are you fasting from? Write it down.
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DAY
2 Confession and Covenant I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong.” (Daniel 9:4–5a)
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ne of the biggest mistakes we make as believers is to think we attract God’s blessings no matter our lifestyle. God’s love and common grace comes to all, but “the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him” (Psalm 25:14 NKJV). There is a two-way relationship between us and God that involves a covenant—an agreement where we pledge to do our part, and he reciprocates by pledging to do his. Of course, a covenant works best when we enter in with complete honesty. Daniel wants to draw on the strength of God’s covenant with Israel, but he cannot. Not fully, without facing up to the fact Israel went back on their promise to live primarily as subjects of the one true God. Daniel begins with confessing his part in the falling away. What? Did he really fall away, too? -4-
CONFESSION AND COVENANT
No, not so far as we can tell from scripture. But he took the part of intercessor and identified with the people for whom he prayed. Moses did the same thing. In fact, Moses asked God to remove his name from the book of life if God would not pardon Israel. Daniel’s first prayer was one of confession, “God, you are faithful in keeping your covenant of love to those who love you and keep your commandment [“but we have not” is understood]. We have sinned and done wrong.” Here we see the prophet exercising the principle mentioned in Psalm 66:18 (NKJV): “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” The same is true for all of us. But the consciousness of sin is not the end of the story. Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of anything in my life that does not please you. I accept your death on the cross as my only salvation. Amen.
Scripture Focus: 1 John 1:8–9 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Personal Response: Effective praying begins with an understanding confession, and repentance is the strength upon which our covenant with God rests. What is your understanding of confession and repentance? How has God used confession and repentance in your life? -5-
