A Fresh Touch

James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.

TEXT: Daniel 10:1-21

TOPIC: A FRESH TOUCH

THEME: How to receive a fresh touch from God

A FRESH TOUCH

INTRODUCTION:

1. There is nothing written negative about Daniel, the great prophet. This can be said of only few of the Bible characters.

2. Daniel lived in a hostile environment all of his life. He lived in adverse conditions and still determined that he was going to have a constant touch of God upon his life. Daniel was taken as a youth from his homeland, Israel, a 1,000 miles away to Babylon. The king of Babylon took the brightest and best of Israel’s youth. The king determined to raise these youth in the ways of the Babylonians.

3. Yet, Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s meat and wine and ended up stronger and better than all of the other youth of Babylon.

4. Then, later in Daniel 5 when Belshazzar was king of Babylon and God wrote on the wall of the banquet, only Daniel could interpret writing of God. Daniel had the touch of God upon his life.

5. In Daniel 6, a decree went out that it was illegal to pray to God, Daniel threw open the windows of prayer and prayed toward to Jerusalem three times per day. He refused to obey the law of the king and stood courageously. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. However, Daniel had the touch of God upon his life and God delivered him out of the lion’s den.

6. In the Daniel 10, the great prophet is probably 95 years old. He was a man who had experience miracle after miracle and revelation after revelation. Yet, he was needing another fresh touch from God.

7. Do you need another fresh touch from God today? Have you been sitting by the river of doubt and depression and need the touch of spiritual revival in your life? Do you know how to receive a fresh touch of God?

T.S.: Daniel provides for us the spiritual prescription to receiving a fresh touch of God. There are several ingredients in this prescription in order to receiving a fresh touch from God.

I. OUR VALUE OF SPIRITUAL POWERS PREPARES US FOR A FRESH TOUCH OF GOD (vv.2-3)

In this chapter we have an extraordinary glimpse into the mechanics of prayer and a look at the spiritual forces that take sides for and against God’s people in the unseen world.

A. We Must Pray With A Determined Resolution (vv.2-3)

Fasting is never a prescribed ritual. Nor is it some kind of spiritual lever designed to force God’s hand. Fasting can be just as much an activity of the flesh as feasting. True fasting is brought on by a spiritual burden, by brokenness of heart before God. The desire for food is decreased because of the spiritual demands in one’s life.

Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks. He has seen God move in the past, but now the heavens are quiet. However, his power with God in the past was not enough. So, he mourns, prays, and fasts, calling on the name of the Lord for a fresh touch.

Daniel fasted and prayed through the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread. These were two feasts designed to remind Israel of their bondage in Egypt and their marvelous emancipation. This was a time of rejoicing for the Jews. Yet, for Daniel, he was mourning before God.

Many of us have seen revival in the past. In the past, many of us have walked with God in great power. Now, you need and want a fresh touch of God upon your life.

B. We Must Pray With Divine Revelation (vv. 12-13,20-22)

1. Delay does not mean Denial (vv.12-13)

We must learn to wait on God until the answer comes to us. Sometimes, the answer to our prayer takes time. As soon as Daniel began to pray, God began to answer him. The answer was on its way. There was no tardiness in heaven.

When we enter into fasting and prayer, we enter into a different level of the spiritual world. There is a battle raging in the unseen world.

2. Delay does not mean Defeat (vv.20-21;12:1-4, etc)

a. We will win personally (vv.20-21)

b. We will win prophetically (Dan. 12:1-4)

c. We will win powerfully (Jude 8, I Thess:416; Rev. 12)

We learn from Rev 12 that Michael is the marital angel who commands the armies of heaven. His arrival to Daniel swung the balance of the conflict. He had superiority over the Prince of Persia.

ILLUSTRATION: Different Examples of Prayer Partners

C. H. Spurgeon said, "Whenever God determines to do a great work, He first sets His people to pray." The year was 30 A.D. The city was Jerusalem. The evangelist was an untutored fisherman named Peter. He preached a short message and 3,000 souls were saved. The secret was the prayers of God’s people waiting in an upper room to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.