Drawing God Near Series

Drawing God Near

Book of Daniel Series

CCCAG 3-30-25

Text: Daniel 9:3-19 (NIV)

Introduction

When I was a very new Christian, my senior pastor had a few of us younger guys he’d spend time with—either mentoring us directly in a small group or kicking our butts on the church’s racquetball courts.

One Sunday, he preached a sermon about something I’d never encountered during my childhood in the Lutheran church: intercessory prayer.

I didn’t quite understand what he was saying. After all, I’d been confirmed as a Lutheran, we had our three prayers, and that was that. But as I attended more Pentecostal services, I began to see that prayer wasn’t just reciting a pledge of allegiance to God—it was a conversation with a Father who loves you fiercely and craves time with you.

I talked to Pastor Clair after the service and he told me he’d follow up with me later in the week. Thursday afternoon, my pastor called me up.

“Are you free to meet me at the church?” he said.

“Should I bring my racket?” I asked.

“No,” he chuckled, “this is a little more spiritual than racquetball.” As I drove over, I wondered what could be more spiritual than our usual court battles. The secretary greeted me and told me they were in the prayer room, saying he was waiting for me up there.

Our church was a decent sized church that seated about a thousand, with a balcony and two rooms off the sides of the balcony.

One was labeled the “Upper Room,” and was a place set apart for prayer. I climbed the stairs and quietly opened the door. The room was dimly lit, and I heard the soft murmur of men praying.

As the door shut, I felt something I never felt before- it was a weight that settled over me. It felt like being under water, surrounded by something touching every part of your body. The weight gave me a dual feeling in my spirit- something I’ve come to understand is the terrible, yet comforting presence of Almighty God.

A man I didn’t recognize lay on the floor, sobbing and praying in what sounded like an oriental language. My pastor knelt beside him, praying in tongues. I sank into a chair, soaking in the atmosphere, silent before God as these two men showed me what intercessory prayer looked like.

Later, I learned the man was Peter Chun, our missionary to Asia. One of his secret house churches in China had been raided, its pastor arrested and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. Peter was waging war in the Spirit for that church and it’s pastor.

That day, I saw intercession in action—raw, desperate, and Spirit-led.

What I didn’t understand in the sermon about intercessory prayer immediately became clear as I watched it demonstrated before me.

This is the kind of prayer we’ll see in Daniel 9, where one man’s passionate intercession moved heaven for a nation.

As we study these scriptures this morning, we will also see the kind of prayer that ALWAYS gets our Father’s attention and moves things in the spiritual realm.

Some background about today’s scripture-

It had just been revealed to Daniel that the 70 year exile of the Hebrew nation was almost over. Realizing the pending release of his people back to the promised land, Daniel desperately wants them to get it right this time.

Daniel is keenly aware of Leviticus 26 that says that when they return to the promised land, if they fall back into sin, God will multiply HIS judgement for their sin 7 times over- meaning the 70 years of captivity and exile from the promised land would turn into 490 years.

So Daniel puts aside his rich clothing and food he had as a high ranking official in his government. He puts on sackcloth, and refuses to eat as he goes into intercessory prayer for his people and their return.

Dan 9:3-19 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. (4) I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: Ah, Lord?—?the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands?—? (5) we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. (6) We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

(7) Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel?—?those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. (8) LORD, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. (9) Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him (10) and have not obeyed the LORD our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets. (11) All Israel has broken your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. The promised curse written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him.