Are You Prepared For The Battle?

In January 1944, the US army created the ghost army. Their purpose was to trick the forces of Nazi Germany about the size and location of the allied forces. The ghost army would inflate rubber tanks, jeeps, trucks, and all other kinds of armaments and camouflage them so well that Nazi air patrols would be fooled. They would even broadcast military sounds on loudspeakers.

We can learn from this example. God strengthens us for battle, but if we aren't aware of and preparing for the right battle, we will find ourselves unarmed. Today, I'll be using Daniel 10 to give us some insight on preparing for a battle that we cannot see. Prayer

As we have examined the life of Daniel, we have seen that he lived a life of faithfulness, and he had seen and experienced incredible things. Now as an old man only a few years from his death, there was even more for him to experience. The first group of exiles had now returned to Jerusalem, proving that God was making good on his promises. Meanwhile, as a result of his prayers, Daniel received a vision about a great conflict that was going on. We need to be aware of this conflict.

Daniel 10:1–3 – “In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. 3 I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.”

So, Daniel receives a heavenly message about this great conflict that's going on and the news was distressing to him. So, for 3 weeks (significant) he mourned, fasted, and prayed. Daniel knew the right thing to do whenever he encountered things that were bigger than himself. He took his concerns to the Lord. Like Daniel, prayer ought to be our first recourse during our times of trouble. Daniel mentions that he fasted and prayed. Let's talk about fasting for a moment.

Fasting is often described in the Bible as an action taken in times of trouble and always is accompanied with prayer. Fasting is not a popular subject with Baptists. We like to eat. But there's something crucial that we can learn from this. When we fast from food, it means we are intentionally depriving ourselves of the basic nourishment that our bodies are built to crave. We choose not to eat, but we don't stop there. Fasting means taking up something as well as putting something down. As we deny ourselves, we choose to feast on God's word and prayer. So how does fasting bring us to a more focused and intense experience in prayer?

Why should we fast? Because fasting encourages regular prayer. It's easy to get so busy that we forget to pray. But if we commit to pray every time we're hungry, we have a constant reminder to talk to God. Fasting reminds us of what's truly nourishing. We rely on food for the strength and energy we need. When we stop eating, we intentionally put ourselves in a position to rely on something else. We remind ourselves that Jesus is the true Bread of Life and Living Water.

Fasting, in its own way, exposes our hearts. Being hungry has all kinds of effects. Our stomachs growl, we get headaches, and, of course, we get grumpy. I used to deer hunt on a lease with my Uncle John. Uncle John would never eat before he went out on a hunt. He said that you will be more attuned to the hunt if you're hungry. When we're hungry, all of our emotions and feelings are heightened, and as they come out, we see what's really been in our hearts. Fasting gives us the opportunity to confess the things we've kept buried.

And one more thing. Fasting demonstrates how committed we are. Many times we claim to want wisdom, direction, and intervention from the Lord. We might fool ourselves into believing we want these things more than we actually do. Fasting helps us face the truth. When we fast, we're validating our true need for God's intervention.

If you're struggling over an issue in your life right now, maybe it's time for you to go into a period of fasting and prayer. Try it for 24 hours. Ask the Lord for guidance first. Then feast on Him instead of food and wait and watch for His response. Fast from food. Feast on God.

Daniel 10:10-11 – “Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling.”