Trusting An Unknown Future To A Well Known God Series

What am I supposed to do with my life? Why am I here?

• What is there to this life? Is there life after death?

NOTE: Common questions that swirl around the lives of believers and unbelievers alike.

• Who can I trust? What am I supposed to do?

• They sometimes trouble, even other times tease the lives of those who want to make a difference and live with impact!

APP: It’s always a good thing to TRUST AN UNKNOWN FUTURE TO A WELL KNOWN GOD.

• It’s in the Bible that we learn of God; of His love, His care, and His concern for every man, woman, and child.

Jer. 29.11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

• Look at John 15.

NOTE: But living in this world sends conflicting messages

• Over again, there is a heavy, lingering question.

• “If God is a God of love, then why is there war and famine, crime and disease, drugs and death on the earth?”

• If God is who you say He is, then why does he allow these things?

TRULY, God is a God of love. But this world has rejected the Lord’s love have submitted to another one, the prince of darkness, a fallen angel we know as Satan.

John 3.19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

THE BIBLE TEACHES US that Satan is the prince of this world, the god of this age.

• He’s causing all hell & havoc to run loose, the stuff we read about in our newspapers, watch on our local news!

1 Peter 5.8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

SO IT’S VITAL not to blame God for the way things are happening.

• This world has been under the authority of the enemy & is feeling the pains & effects of choices we made to reject God!

It’s ALSO IMPORTANT to be ready… putting on the full armor of God.

Eph. 6.10-13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

NOW Daniel went to prayer in CH10. He was fasting & seeking the Lord with great spiritual intensity.

• Some days later an angel comes on the scene with the answer.

• The prayer was heard the first day, but the Prince of Persia, a demon held back the answer from Daniel.

• Finally, Michael came to assist and free me.

• We saw in CH10 that there is really a war in the spiritual realm.

• That sometimes answers can be delayed by demonic forces.

APP: I’m convinced that if Daniel would have given up, he would have missed out on the blessings that God had right up ahead.

Q: So why doesn’t God just wipe them out, take them out!?

• He could. And one day He will.

• But He allows us to opportunity to struggle, to grow, because there is A STRENGTH that comes to us only in the struggle!

• We’re being prepared for eternity as our inner man becomes stronger and stronger.

NOTE: It’s just like those that like to work out or run.

• They use a phrase. It’s “No pain, No Gain”

• It’s true in the spiritual realm too. stamina & strength.

• Faith & commitment are built up in the realm of struggles!

SO in CH10, Daniel is 85-90 years old, in prayer for 21 days and Gabriel comes… in CH11 we have the message he brought!

• The best way to view this section is through the lens of Daniel’s 70 weeks that we studied in CH9. The 69 weeks & 1 week.

• 69 weeks fulfilled, and we await the fulfillment of that last week in the prophetic time clock with Israel in the future.

• Verses 1-35 have already happened in the 69 weeks of Daniel.

• Verses 36-45 will occur in that last period of 7 years.

I. (11:1-35) BATTLES: Looking Back.

1. (1-2) Persia

a. Remember that Daniel was in Babylon for 70 years and now at this point, the Babylonians have been overthrown.