The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Daniel 10-12
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 8: Exile: God Disciplines His People
Background Information: Daniel 10-12
Daniel’s final vision occurs during the time that thousands of Israelites had returned to the Promised Land and had begun to work on repairing the temple. But the work of rebuilding was not easy; there was dissension, opposition and spiritual apathy. After all those years of waiting for the promised return to the land, the fulfillment of the promise was less than spectacular. This second time in the promised land, a rebuilt second temple was not the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises. That fulfillment would come in the form of a person, not a place. What Daniel saw in this vision was so powerful that even those around him ran and hid in terror, though they didn’t even see what Daniel saw! Daniel’s strength left him, and he fell face first on the ground. This was a vision of the exalted Son of God. It is the same description of the risen and exalted Christ that John saw in Revelation 1. Daniel is told that even as he was fasting, mourning, and praying for three weeks, an unseen spiritual battle had been raging. As Daniel labored in prayer, the Israelites in Jerusalem experienced human opposition to their physical work to restore the temple. At the same time, there was a mighty spiritual battle taking place. Daniel’s vision of the ongoing persecution of God’s people, yet final victory of the Son of Man, brought courage to the old warrior Daniel. Daniel would die outside the Promised Land, but upon death he entered all that the earthly land foreshadowed. As you pray, and as you do whatever work God has put before you today, keep in mind that there is much more happening than you can see with your physical eyes. There is spiritual warfare going on that we cannot see. This fact should not make you feel weird, but instead it should make you hopeful and faithful. Think of how it would be if you had to live a faithful life through all the trials and troubles, and yet the final outcome was still in doubt. What if you spent your life faithfully fighting the good fight, and yet had great doubts as to whether it would be worth it in the end. Though we are in a real but unseen war, the outcome of the war is not in doubt. The enemy fights on, but his defeat is assured by the resurrection of Jesus. Spoiler alert from God: “I have won, I am winning, I will win.”
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Pray for the River Youth. Ask God to strengthen their faith. Ask God to use the youth leaders to encourage them in their walk with Jesus.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.