Please meet with Daniel Daniel chapter 10 and
I make bold to say to Mike that
this is one of the greatest chapters not
only in the book of Daniel but I
think it's one of the great chapters of
the Bible because you might rightly say to
me all the chapters in this Bible are
great and that is very true but then
you know sometimes when one has to give
a week's Bible readings here and there sometimes
I take a Bible reading Bible week of
readings on great chapters of the Bible and
I call them great because there are chapters
that bring doctrines to us and revelations and
give us an insight into things that we
don't find in other chapters think of Genesis
1 and we get the doctrine of creation
and the doctrine of the creator think of
Hebrews chapter 1 and there you get the
great story of the sweet fellowship between the
father and the son in times past through
the prophets the father spake unto the fathers
about his son and there are great chapters
just like that right on through and this
is a great chapter this evening because it
gives us an insight into what goes on
in the heavenlies when man and woman get
really down to pray that's why I think
it's one of the great chapters I think
that this is an inspiring chapter because you're
going to see an old man of 86
years of age and I'll sort of prove
his age for you an old man of
86 years of age getting down to pray
something through not just saying prayers not just
bowing his knee at the bedside for a
moment or two an old man of 86
years of age getting the grip of God's
throne and determining in his own heart to
pray this matter right through and staying there
for 21 days no food, no washing, no
anointing praying it through and I venture to
say that not one of us know anything
about it I trust we shall learn what
it really means to get alone with God
it's much easier to sing choruses than do
this, I assure you and it's much easier
to come to the Bible class than do
this blessed are those choruses and Bible classes
this is a man getting alone with his
God and determining in his soul to see
it through in prayer this is the mighty
thing we're getting an insight into what this
means in the heavens this scares the devil,
you know he's got to get his purses
going now if there's such a man around
and so it's an inspiring chapter when you
come to look at it from that angle
it's a very interesting chapter because you see
all heaven moving to meet and answer this
man's thirst all heaven, I tell you all
heaven moving most interesting and then I think
it's a great chapter not only because it
gives us an insight into this and inspires
us to pray and it's interesting to watch
all heaven moving but we get an instruction
here about principalities and powers and the rules
of the darkness of this world I don't
know whether we've ever stopped to consider this
phrase the rules of the darkness of this
world who are these rulers that determine to
keep the world in darkness well there's instruction
here for us it's an interesting chapter it's
an inspiring one it's an instructive one it's
an indispensable one the modernists would love to
tear it out and they have tried they
say it doesn't come, but if not we
shall see I tell you if they could
tear this chapter out we haven't this instruction
anywhere else in the book that I know
that's why I say it's one of the
great ones and it's not only inspiring and
interesting and instructive and indispensable it's an intricate
chapter there are difficulties I admit that we've
got to face them honestly why some of
the greatest expositors in the world are all
at sixes and sevens with each other as
regards this chapter so one must think how
to wear the shoes from off his feet
when we come here we're on very holy
ground it's ground that the devil doesn't want
us to be on and all the forces
of hell will be against this bible reading
this evening and then we take fresh courage
because we're living in the age of grace
and the holy ghost the comforter has come
and Jesus promised us when he the spirit
of truth is come he will guide you
into all truth so depending on the holy
ghost we're coming to this great chapter this
evening I've called it twenty one days of
prayer you see verse two in those days
I Daniel was mourning three full weeks and
it's the same word that we had last
week in the chapter it's the word week
weeks it's the word sevens but it was
sevens of years last week from the context
and it's quite easy to see that it's
sevens of days this week it's three sevens
of days it's twenty one days three full
weeks see what verse three says I eat
no pleasant bread neither tin flesh nor wine
in my mouth neither did I anoint myself
at all till three full weeks were fulfilled
twenty one days of prayer my what a
blessing to see you this evening and when
you realise that the same Daniel is somewhere
above eighty six years of age let's get
the first verse in now in the third
year of Silas king of Persia now that's
very interesting isn't it those of you who
know this book and I think by now
you should know it do you know how
the chapters go well chapter one and two
and three and four all has to do
with Nebuchadnezzar the great king of Babylon that's
an easy way of knowing Daniel one, two,
three, four all belong to the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar and then you want to watch this
because it's chapter five and then it misses
six and seven it's chapter five and eight
that belong to Belshazzar you see the chapters
are not in chronological order but one, two,
three, four belong to Nebuchadnezzar and then five
and eight belong to Belshazzar and then six
and seven and nine belong to Darius and
then ten we find Cyrus the king of
Persia so that you can see at a
glance that Daniel lived right through the reign
of Nebuchadnezzar right through the reign of Belshazzar
right through the reign of Darius right into
this very time in this chapter and here's
a very interesting fact if you go back
to the book of Ezra let's go back
to Ezra just for a moment first and
second Samuel, first and second Kings first and
second Chronicles and then comes the book of
Ezra now take your time and find a
place and you young ones who are here
and you don't know your Bibles any well
if you open the first part of your
book just behind the back there you'll find
directions to the page and I have all
the sympathy in the world with you because
when I was first saved and went to
church if the picture preached out of anywhere
only Matthew, Mark, Luke, John I couldn't find
it I hadn't a chance I used to
just open it anywhere and pretend but that's
no good you're getting on no well like
that have you got Ezra?
well second Chronicles is before Ezra and the
last chapter is chapter 36 do you see
verse 22?
verse 22 now in the first year of
Cyrus see where we were reading tonight?
it's the third year of Cyrus now way
back there in second Chronicles just before Ezra
verse 22 now in the first year of
Cyrus king of Persia that the word of
the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah
might be accomplished the Lord stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king of Persia that he
made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and
put it also in writing saying thus saith
Cyrus king of Persia all the kingdom of
the earth hath the Lord God of heaven
given me and he hath charged me to
build him a house in Jerusalem which is
in Judah who is there among you of
all his people the Lord his God be
with him let him go up now this
is the first year you see just to
fulfill what Jeremiah had said Jeremiah had said
that God would take his people as captives
into Babylon and keep them for 70 years
now the 70 years are gone it's all
the fact I want out of it and
if we come to the conclusion that Daniel
was brought as a captive to Babylon at
the age of 16 some of the scholars
believe he was 14 some believe he was
15 some believe he was 16 it's very
difficult to be exact Old Testament computerism isn't
altogether correct but he was somewhere about 14
or 15 or 16 we'll say 16 and
if he came to Babylon as a young
prince captive at the age of 16 70
years have gone now these kings have all
run the course Jeremiah's prophecy is about to
be fulfilled he's 86 years of age let's
get that settled now some people ask me
if the king of Persia let the captives
go back two years before this because it's
the first year that the king let them
go back why did Daniel not go back?
it's a very good question because in the
third year he's still in Babylon and I
believe maybe the answer's found in the book
of Ezra you know when these captives had
the liberty and the opportunity to go back
not very many of them responded at all
a great multitude had made their home in
Babylon and I believe that Daniel stayed to
pray them out of it but we'll find
out as we go on with the story
this evening I'm only proving his age so
we'll not ponder that anymore we'll go back
to Daniel 10 so you can see this
old man 86 years of age bowing down
before his God holding on to the throne
for 21 days I want you to look
at those days of devotion that Daniel had
I want you to notice this phrase in
verse 3 I ate no pleasant bread neither
clean flesh nor wine in my mouth neither
did I anoint myself at all I want
you to see this old man got down
before God and denied himself I want you
to get that because I can tell some
of you young ones if you're going to
learn to pray at all you'll have to
deny yourself and I'll tell you this is
not easy you know if you're going to
really pray if you're going to really get
alone with God you'll have to learn what
it meant when Christ said and thou when
thou dreast enter into thy closet and shut
thy door because you've got to get alone
you've got to deny yourself you know when
you're really praying something through something that's burdening
you something that you must get right before
God then you'll have to deny yourself food
maybe we wouldn't be prepared for that maybe
the snails that come from the kitchen wouldn't
allow you to do it have to shut
the door on food at times and you
have to shut the door on friends at
times sometimes I just tell my wife it
doesn't make a matter who comes you just
tell them that I'm with God maybe they
think I'm dodging you can think whatever you
like if you go ahead with the thinking
what you think doesn't worry me you've got
to shut the door on food you've got
to shut the door on friends you've got
to shut the door on fun you give
up your fun too you've got to shut
the door on fools because usually when I
get down to pray there's always some fool
at the door I think the devil sends
them round well I just send them away
I'll tell you this is the great matter
of this praying business you know there are
bottles that have been engaged here that have
never been put on the page of history
and never will you see this is 21
days of denying yourself have a look at
verse 11 there just for a moment the
angel who came to Daniel when he had
prayed for 21 days and he'll not hurry
this the angel said he said unto me
O Daniel a man greatly beloved I can
tell you whether the folks talked about him
or not heaven loved him sometimes when the
critics are turned away at the door they
could say all sorts of things about you
I'll tell you heaven doesn't say a word
yes he said unto me O Daniel a
man greatly beloved understand the words that I
speak unto thee and stand upright for unto
thee am I now sent and when he
had spoken this word unto me I stood
trembling and he said unto me fear not
Daniel for from the first day that thou
didst set thine heart to understand this is
what it was all about you know he
got down before God and I want you
to watch the rephrase set thine heart because
in this great matter of prayer it is
the heart that matters it is not your
language nor how quick you can get through
it nor how fast nor how loud nor
how dramatic no not at all it's the
heart that counts you know that the psalmist
knew this he said if we regard iniquity
in our hearts the Lord will not hear
us and if you're going through the whole
day thinking about sex or naked women you
must stop praying for the Lord will not
hear you he just shuts his ears to
that sort of thing God bless the Lord
the heart that can't see it and it's
the same for husbands and wives if you're
barging and buckling it out and eating the
face of one another at home Peter said
your prayers will be hindered because your thought
life can hinder your prayer life and your
home life can hinder your prayer life you
know if you're going to pray at all
you have to set your heart that's the
thing that we're trying to get across you
see it's the desires of the heart and
it's the heart that's right with God you
know he set his heart to understand I
want you to watch that as you understand
what it says from the first day that
thou didst set thine heart to understand what
was Daniel praying about at all look at
verse 14 the angel said now I am
come to make thee understand what shall befall
thy people in the latter days that's what
he was asking you know there was just
a little remnant that went back with Ephraim
but there's a multitude in this land of
idols and Daniel's burdened about God's people and
he's getting down before God and he's gripping
the throne and he's honestly wanting to know
what's going to befall this people in the
latter days and you know the devil doesn't
like you to be anxious about the people
of God and their goods he doesn't like
you at all and so you can see
that Daniel denied himself and you can see
these days of desiring before God and I
want you to watch this phrase in verse
12 it says for from the first day
that thou didst set thine heart to understand
and to chasten myself before thy God you
know this was between this man and God
he got along with God it was God's
throne it was God's face it was God's
ear it was God that Daniel got before
this was a real business you know if
you're anxious about prayer and how to pray
one of the great books of the Bible
for you is the book of Daniel for
Daniel will teach you in one of the
chapters when to pray three times a day
never fails even when he faced the lion's
den he just went on as he did
the four times three times a day it's
the best medicine you'll ever get they write
it on the medicine bottle now three times
a day but I can tell you this
is better medicine and if we could just
dedicate our lives that somewhere each day maybe
in the morning maybe at noon maybe at
night but three times a day somewhere I
shall get along with God do you know
is Daniel would teach you when to pray
and I'll tell you that this chapter tonight
will teach you how to pray and if
you go through the rest of the chapters
you'll find for what you should pray but
I haven't the time to go into the
what you'll find them do you remember he
prayed for the secret and he found it
in the night he's praying for understanding of
the nation just now and I believe it's
nearly falling on some of the shoulders of
the saints at this time to really get
to grips with God about our problems because
I don't think they're getting anywhere I think
it's muddled right left and center maybe the
man of God will have to settle it
I wonder are there men in this province
being shut in with God I don't know
I can tell you that there are great
things in this chapter these devotional days of
Daniel you can see him denying himself you
can see his desiring for God you can
see him depending solely upon the Lord and
I want you to watch now exactly what
happens it says verse 2 in those days
I Daniel was mourning three full weeks I
eat no pleasant bread neither confessional wine in
my mouth neither did I anoint myself at
all till three whole weeks were fulfilled and
in the four and twentieth day of the
first month as I was by the side
of the great river which is Hedickel then
I lifted up mine eyes and looked and
behold a fetid man clothed in linen whose
loins were girded with fine gold of Eupheus
his body also was like the barrel and
his face of the appearance of lightning and
his eyes as lamps of fire and his
arms and his feet like in colours of
polished brass and the voice of his words
like the voice of a multitude this is
a wonderful vision that Daniel is having and
this is where one of the difficulties of
the chapter comes in because so many of
the great and valued expositors say that this
is the Lord Jesus and to be frank
I don't accept that I'll tell you for
why in a moment you know I know
why they do this I know quite well
let's go away back to the book of
Revelation and we're at Revelation chapter one Revelation
one and John here is on the isle
of Patmos and you remember that he was
in the spirit on the Lord's day verse
ten I was in the spirit on the
Lord's day and heard behind me a great
voice out of a trumpet saying I am
Alpha and Omega the first and the last
verse twelve I turned to see the voice
that spake with me and being turned I
saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst
of the seven candlesticks one light on to
the son of man there's no doubt who
the Alpha and the Omega is none at
all he's the son of man I asked
two rosselites at the door once who's John
looking at here this person says that he's
Alpha and Omega and this verse says he's
the son of man says that's right he
was the son of man I say that's
good for you now because if you go
back up the chapter to verse eight you'll
find something else have a look at verse
eight now I am Alpha and Omega is
that the same person?
the beginning and the ending saith the Lord
Jehovah is the word which is, which was,
which is to come the almighty keep the
first two words and the last two I
am the almighty now the boys were in
the fix at the door because they've got
to say he's gone and the wee one
said to the big one said you were
wrong when you said I said you lie
hurt of it you don't know what you're
talking about so he says friends Jesus Christ
is God manifest in flesh there's no problems
about that he's Alpha and Omega he's the
beginning and the ending he's Jehovah he's the
almighty but John's looking at the son of
man he just sees him like he was
on earth he was always called the son
of man but look at how he's called
verse thirteen son of man called with a
garment down to the foot and get about
the breast with a golden girdle you know
he's in the robes of the high priest
now because the son of man is our
great high priest that's how John saw look
at his head and his hair it's white
as snow like wool he's the ancient of
days his eyes were as the flame of
fire he can see through you he's the
judge of all the earth and it goes
on down and it ends the same of
the vision and Daniel his countenance was of
the sunshine of inner strength then just because
that Christ is revealed like this in Revelation
1 many of the great scholars come to
the conclusion that this vision given to Daniel
that this is the Lord Jesus coming to
him now I'm afraid I can't accept that
I know that the vision is very nearly
the same I know that there are many
things Jesus said here his body also was
like the burl his face as the appearance
of lightning his eyes as lamps of fire
his arms and his feet like in colour
to polish draught and the voice of his
words like the voice of a multitude I
know that but I'm going to show you
in a moment that this one who came
to Daniel this one was the one that
God had sent with the answer when Daniel
began to pray and this one was kept
back from doing the job for 21 days
and I want to know from the scholars
who kept my Lord back for 21 days
because I just don't know anybody who would
be able don't start to talk to me
like that I don't accept that no this
is an angelic being and remember when man
was made in the image of God some
of the great angels like the archangel like
some of the great messengers of the form
they have a likeness to the glory of
the Lord and one day we shall bear
the glory in full now I shall prove
that this is an angelic being that was
sent from God to answer Daniel's question here's
something I think we must gather up as
we go along you can see the majesty
of this person without any trouble I say
the majesty of the messenger his body was
like the bell there was a glory about
it if you go to verse 11 you
can see the authority of the messenger and
he said unto me O Daniel a man
greatly beloved understand the words that I speak
unto thee and stand upright for unto thee
am I now sent this was a sent
messenger he had come from the glory because
Daniel got down to pray and you not
only see the authority of the messenger but
in a moment or two you are going
to see the hostility against the messenger you
see he goes on talking to Daniel in
verse 12 fear not Daniel for from the
first day that thou didst set thine heart
to understand and had chastened thyself before thy
God thy words were heard and I am
come for thy words but the prince of
the kingdom of pleasure withstood me one and
twenty days that's the point he was kept
back he was sent alright he came from
the glory he's an angelic being oh but
somebody was bigger than him somebody kept him
back for 21 days don't come round telling
me there's somebody bigger than the Lord because
I don't accept that I would think if
the scholars would read a bit they would
get it that's the value of Bible readings
now let's get the hold of something else
to see this angelic being comes he's sent
from heaven he was sent on the very
first day that Daniel began to pray he's
been kept back for 21 days and now
he suddenly appears it says in verse 7
and I Daniel alone saw the vision for
the men that were with me saw not
the vision but a great quaking fell upon
them so that they fled to hide themselves
you know I think this is very important
just to note this it would be possible
for an angelic being to visit this meeting
and some one of us see this being
and the rest would not see it aren't
you to get that but it would not
be possible for this angelic being to come
to this meeting without you feeling his presence
even if you couldn't see the person his
presence would make itself felt because the men
that were with Daniel saw not the vision
only Daniel saw the vision but a great
quaking fell upon them so that they fled
to hide themselves they were conscious that there
was some other presence there wouldn't be able
to explain it sometimes when we preach at
meetings you can feel God drawing very near
to the meeting sometimes I have felt a
hush in the meeting that I can't create
and I think we get conscious that God
is very near I just thought I would
point that out as we went on with
this basic therefore I was left alone and
it's a great thing to be left alone
when God wants to talk to you I
think for you young preachers would you let
me talk to you for a moment unless
you young fellows get alone with God the
congregation is going to pass you on it's
something you sip about all day and every
day and here and there and younger and
you think you're so clever you can walk
in and hold the people when you can't
and you'll lose out and you'll be no
good and you can't warm up the old
sermons you know you'll have to be alone
with God and when you're alone whether it's
an old sermon or not I'll tell you
this you'll come out fresh because unless you
go in you needn't come out to the
folks but Daniel was alone that's it for
this great vision and there remained no strength
in me do you see what this revelation
did to him my eye can catch the
boys on every time they come to me
and say they have revelation because you know
you couldn't get a heart big enough for
them oh I can see them you know
and the character came down to me one
night and he said Mr. Monk now you
should see him demonstrating this he must have
thought I was a fool you know but
I was watching him carefully oh I have
the greatest vision I've ever heard God came
into the room filled the room with light
and he told me that Mr. Monk was
the greatest man in this world God help
him for being such a liar you know
he was all charmed about it he was
working himself up he was exalting himself he
was all fresh from beginning to end I'll
tell you where you'll find him tonight up
in the pub he's in the pub now
I find him coming along drunk there sometimes
I just pass him by but one night
I was in there and saw him and
really just stopped him and said you the
boy that had the vision you were never
saved I tell you if you got near
to the Lord it would not have stopped
you there'd be no boasting about it you'd
keep in your hole my dear friends if
you get near to God you never talk
about yourself at all you're just a wee
fellow miserable wee fellow that's all St. Daniel
he was a great man he says therefore
I was left alone and saw this great
vision and there remained no strength in me
for my comeliness was turned in me into
corruption and I retained no strength yet heard
I the voice of his words and when
I heard the voice of his words then
was I in a deep sleep on my
face and my face toward the ground now
I want you to get the other part
because it's the other part that's important that's
really important and behold a hand touched me
and I want you to watch the word
touched as we go through the chapter I'll
gather them together afterwards and set me upon
my knees and upon the palms of my
hands and he said unto me O Daniel
a man greatly beloved understand the words that
I speak unto thee and stand upright and
that's a pretty good indication that this was
an angel pretty good indication because it would
be quite right to bow before the Lord
and you know when the Lord walked on
the water and got into the boat it
says that all the disciples worshipped him in
the boat they worshipped him and when the
old Scottish divine was preaching once a night
he said there wasn't a blessed Unitarian in
the boat because the Unitarians can't worship the
Lord because they don't believe he's God but
if you believe he's God you can worship
but this is just an angel and he
says now you just stand upright and I
think it goes on to prove it more
than that unto thee am I now sent
and when he had spoken this word unto
me I stood trembling my this book's a
great book how perfectly it is written then
said he unto me fear not Daniel for
from the first day that thou didst set
thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself
before thy God thy words were heard you
know he got right through once did he
get the hold of this my he really
got through to the full thy words were
heard and I'll tell you this if you
can be absolutely sure that God hears you
if you know that he hears you this
new testament says then you have the petition
that you desired of him oh Daniel got
right through but Daniel didn't know that he
had got right through and it said this
thy words were heard and I am come
for thy words but the prince of the
kingdom of God who withstood me one and
twenty days now let's think about this prince
for a moment or two you know the
chapter began in the third year of Cyrus
king of Persia and what's the difference between
the king of Persia and the prince of
Persia now there is no doubt at all
that this was a great angelic being that
was sent from heaven to answer Daniel's prayer
there is no doubt in your mind some
of the scholars believe it was the Lord
Jesus I know it was a great angelic
being now when it talks about the prince
of the kingdom of Persia do you think
it's talking about an ordinary human because I
would give you more marks than that you
would know right well on the seat where
you sit that no human could keep an
angel back for 21 days so we are
not talking about a human now we are
entering into something else that is really wonderful
you see let's go to Ephesians for the
moment 12th letter to the Ephesians and
we are now at the 6th chapter 12th
letter to the Ephesians chapter 6 I'm commencing
to read at verse 10 and Paul said
finally my brethren be strong in the Lord
and in the power of his might put
on the whole armor of God that ye
may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil for we believers wrestle not
against flesh and blood but against principalities against
powers against the rules of the darkness of
this world against spiritual wickedness in my places
I want you to see the enemy here
outlined before you principalities, do you know what
that means?
we wrestle against principalities against powers here is
a great phrase against the rules of the
darkness of this world against wicked spirits it
is translated once against wicked spirits in heavenly
places you see over the kingdom of Persia
was the king called Cyrus at that time
but then over him although he didn't know
it there was a prince one of these
principalities one of these powers one of these
rulers of the darkness of Persia and there
is a man in the nation now and
he is going to get white ah well
we will have to stop him to the
devil from getting white so he sent this
mighty principality he is called the prince of
Persia he is not a human being he
is one of these rulers of the darkness
you know friends over this province of ours
we have had many prime ministers but let's
get this in tonight that over all the
prime ministers that we have ever had or
are ever likely to have the devil has
designated one of his great princes and he
is the prince of Ulster that is what
he would be called as we could understand
and let me tell you he has done
a brave job for the devil he has
done a brave job I am sure the
devil is thinking of decorating them just now
you know there was an old man who
dreamed a dream once and he thought he
could see the whole army of the devil
and the devil is walking up and down
the ranks looking at all these principalities and
these powers of his and all these rulers
of the darkness and he is saying to
them there is a little province down yonder
and they are getting more light and more
light and more light and what are you
fellows doing about it and one of them
stepped forward and said Sir I have got
the folk attracted to the football and the
devil says that's not at all to stop
that and another one said this and another
one said that and they all stood and
the devil said I will tell you what
is wrong with you you don't know there
is an old woman way down in the
wee cottage down yonder and she is on
her knees from morning to night and she
is praying the blessing of God down upon
the place you will have to take her
and I will tell you this you just
examine it just in your own logic tonight
it doesn't matter how big it touches it
doesn't matter how many folks we have it
doesn't matter about the financial end it doesn't
matter about the blessings in the soul have
a look at the poor living you take
every church represented here and I will tell
you the smallest meeting in your church is
the pyramid because the devil keeps folks from
going to the pyramid there is a big
man who sits over there who prays sometimes
Lord thank you for the folks at the
prayer meeting tonight because the devil never brought
one of them the devil doesn't take you
to prayer meetings the devil keeps you from
going maybe he has kept some of you
for years you see these principalities need to
be understood and you know this great prince
of Persia this prince that belonged to the
devil's army this prince was so powerful that
he stopped this angelic being from coming from
heaven with the answer for 21 years you
don't tell me it was Christ that was
stopped not a bit of it, he would
just brush them aside but he was so
powerful that he stopped this angel now let's
get this better let's go back to Daniel
he is talking to Daniel he says thy
words were heard in verse 12 at the
end and I am come for thy words
but the prince of the kingdom of Persia
this wicked spirit withstood me, withstood this shining
angel for 1 and 20 days 21 days,
3-4 weeks I'll tell you this, Daniel
never gave in not a bit of it,
all the time he is on his face
this old man the battle's raged in the
heavens he's got the hold of the throne
by faith and he's not letting go he's
saying the truth and I'll tell you all
heaven came to his aid cause a man
on his knees or a woman on her
knees meaning business with God is a powerful
character some of us only fool around with
prayer not talking to you at all you're
only blabbering we're talking about people who pray
we're not talking about praying about business we're
talking about people who know how to get
about the business some of us have never
been at it yet oh it's a great
chapter isn't it with a lot of things
in it now watch this very carefully verse
13 the angel says but the prince of
the kingdom of Persia this mighty being who
was over the darkness of Persia withstood me,
this great angel one and twenty days but
no, Michael one of the chief princes oh
see now, see a human being turn off
on you life is not that's why I
know the exposition I'm giving is true you
see Michael is the archangel now here's what
this angel is saying the prince of the
kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty
days but no, Michael one of the chief
princes came to help me you know it
took the archangel to come down and help
this other angel pass this wicked spirit so
that he got there to tell the answer
to Daniel you know when a man gets
on his knees all heaven gets about the
business I'll tell you all hell gets about
it too that's where battles rage young man,
young woman go home and learn to pray
it's the greatest thing in the world I
had a wee mother you know she was
only about about four feet thick she was,
maybe more and I say this to you
she never owned a jacket in her life
she wore a shawl she was my mother
and I love her she always wore a
shawl the only shawl that was free I'll
tell you this she knew more about prayer
than anybody else I've ever known oh she
hadn't two coppers I fear in heaven and
I have a feeling that she'll be well
near the front maybe her son will not
be near the distance at all but there
were seventeen of us you know and we
were all in rags I never had shoes
on my feet when I went to school
boy I'd be amused that these great professors
on the TV these nights they amuse me
they're the greatest lot of doofs on God's
earth I heard one of them talking the
other night about the school children the tick
and the motocross he says you know they'll
grow up and they'll be all weaklings in
no time at all heh, he didn't know
a thing about it when I went to
school I went on the bus every day
summer and winter and there were screenings, do
you know what screenings are?
that's what the yard was in Tarmac or
anything like that screenings and you used to
learn to run on the screenings in your
bus you could do it wonderfully once you
got to go and you know you had
a piece with you you know what a
piece is when I say piece in the
English book listen then to this they don't
know what we're talking about but then you
see they're way backward anyway that'll help them
when they hear this again you know we
had two pieces of bed I'd wrapped open
a bit of a telegraph and margarine margarine
in between sure you never saw butter in
your life my dear friend I stood for
all my school life frozen in the winter
time on my chair seat eating two slices
of loaf and a man I'd make that
little professor to come and have a look
at me I'd be talking to them they
should help them boys they don't know what
they're talking about they never saw kids growing
up they're mad the way they go on
friends at rich get the hold of this
we had sixteen boys and one girl in
our family and we were poor, we were
in poverty but my old mother got down
on our two knees on the bed tyres
every night I can see her you know
and put her old white hands up and
used to hear her pray boy you wouldn't
move and you wouldn't dare move either she
prayed for us and there's the whole bunch
of us say it we all say it
mother are you praying at all are all
these fool around why we need to get
back to praying don't we my of this
whole bunch could be enlisted to make to
really pray I'll tell you we could move
this province you see when this old man
of eighty six got down on his knees
and held on and this angel was kept
back by this other wicked spirit that Michael
the archangel came along and fought the battle
and got them through it's a tremendous thing
to see Michael named here if you have
any doubts about him at all just turn
over the page quickly and in chapter eleven
next week I'll show you something when we
get to verse thirty six as we get
that far next week it says the king
and it's talking about the antichrist it's this
king of sears carton shall do according to
his will he shall exalt himself and magnify
himself above every god and shall speak marvelous
things against the god of gods there's the
mouth again and shall prosper till the indignation
be accomplished and that which is determined shall
be done neither shall he regard the god
of his fathers nor the desire of woman
nor regard any god for he shall magnify
himself above all now coming into chapter twelve
here's how it begins and at that time
at the time when the antichrist is there
shall Michael stand up the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people you
see this is the wonderful thing this archangel,
this Michael this one who came to fight
the battle for this other angel this Michael,
this archangel he has a job to do
for Israel he's the great prince which standeth
for the children of thy people Daniel's people
of course the lord's talking to Daniel, he
says at that time shall Michael stand up
the great prince which standeth for the children
of thy people you know it's wonderful when
the lord Jesus will come and he's going
to come one of these nights and he'll
come like this the lord himself will descend
from heaven with his house armed with the
voice of the archangel what's he got to
do with it anyway they're only written for
the lord that's very true but you see
this fellow has been employed by God to
look after all the children of God in
Israel, the real Israel of God and many
of them have been buried and when the
lord comes and calls for the church he
shall descend from heaven with a shout at
the same moment Michael will bump in and
the voice of the archangel because we're taking
the old testament saints home with us too
not only the men you know they'll be
there you know when God wanted to raise
the body of Moses because he was going
to put him on the mount of transfiguration
with the lord Jesus you see nobody knew
where Moses was buried God buried him, there's
only one that Moses, you know God of
course he sent the archangel, he knew he
knew where he was but the devil comes
along and says you can't you can't take
this body out of the grave the redemption
price is not paid yet you can't take
the body out and there was a dispute
between the devil and the archangel of course
the archangel didn't bring any reeling accusation against
him or anything saying God can do what
he likes when he likes with whatever he
likes he's sovereign and he raised the body
of Moses ah but the archangel had to
be there because this is a Jewish body
you see when we come away back to
the book of Revelation let's get back there
for a moment, it's chapter 12 Revelation 12
and watch this carefully now, verse 7 and
there was war in heaven Michael and his
angels fought against the dragon and you know
who the dragon is, verse 9 will tell
you the great dragon was cast out that
old serpent called the devil and hidden ah
well this great princess there Michael and his
archangels fought it's a good thing to underline
the word war there there was war in
heaven because you know once I said somewhere
I think it was in Canada in one
of the universities I said if any people
near or far should come against this little
province to take it over and there was
a war here I should go to war
I would have no hesitation none whatsoever you
say you'd take a gun yes I would,
it is war I'm not talking about the
terrorists you know that's the state's job the
state should punish evil doers but they're stealing
there's a difference between terrorism and war the
state ought to be doing it's job it
tries to pamper them up it's not doing
the job but it's a team war that's
different when Hitler made war our men went
to fight and it's a good job they
did there's a full ground war on now
if Britain had failed you wouldn't be in
this place that's one thing sure an old
fellow came to me when I preached like
this at one of the universities he said
I'm a conscientious objector I will not go
to war will you not I said well
I'll tell you this Michael the archangel went
to war and he was holier than you
and I'm concluding if Michael can go to
war that's my answer that it'll have to
be war yes Michael went to war let's
get back to Daniel let's get this concluded
this evening it's wonderful verse 14 the angel
is speaking and saying now I am come
to make thee understand what shall befall my
people in the latter days for yet the
vision is for many days it was a
long time to the fulfillment and Daniel says
when he had spoken such words unto me
I set my face toward the ground and
I became dumb and behold one like the
similitude of the sons of men touched my
lips as that touch again then I opened
my mouth and speak and said unto him
that stood before me oh my lord by
the vision my sorrows are turned upon me
and I have retained no strength when he
understood what would befall Israel in the last
days it nearly killed him for how can
the servant of this my lord talk with
this my lord for ask for me speak
where there remain no strength in me neither
is there breath left in me then yet
him again untouched me one like the appearance
of a man and he strengthened me and
said oh man greatly beloved fear not peace
be unto thee be strong yea be strong
and when he had spoken unto me I
was strengthened and said let my lord speak
for thou hast strengthened me with a text
for a Sunday morning thou hast strengthened me
by his sympathetic touch by his
encouraging message that's how the people of God
are strengthened that's what I pray for every
week that God will come in from a
morning meeting and touch those heads and by
his message he will encourage them because that
has strengthened you that's what we need you
now we need the flock to be fed
not flogged then said he knowest thou wherefore
I come unto thee and now I will
return to fight with the prince of Persia
and when I am gone forth Lord the
prince of Greece shall come you see the
Persians were going to be overflown in a
very short time by Alexander the Great and
Greece would take the world wide kingdom ah
but there would be a prince of Greece
here too the devil will see he gets
somebody to rule the darkness of every problem
friends can we go back to start at
this matter of prayer like we have never
done before may God help us they are
the same three short verses three hundred and
eleven please what various hindrances we meet in
coming to the mercy seat yet who that
knows the worth of prayer but wishes to
be often there three hundred and eleven please
what various hindrances we meet
in coming to the mercy seat yet
who that knows the worth of prayer but
wishes to be often there
may God help us they
are the same three hundred and eleven please
what various hindrances we meet
in coming to the mercy seat yet who
that knows the worth of prayer may God
help us in coming
to
the mercy
seat may God help us in
coming to the mercy seat Lord
we thank thee for thy holy word we
thank thee for this inspired infallible eternal word
of thine Lord there are truths buried here
that we need to dig out for the
people and we pray Lord as they are
passed on that folks will grasp and that
the word will sanctify and that we shall
be changed bring us Lord into the centre
of this matter of prevailing prayer teach us
again that the factual servant prayer of a
righteous man availeth much that we give our
gifts to thee this evening receive them for
we love thee part us now in thy
season and with thy tender touch