God Hears and Answers

For those of you who ever question whether God hears and answers prayer, here is something I read from the book Daniel and the Revelation that struck me in a beautiful way as an encouragement for anyone who deals with misconceptions and questions regarding God's will and power to hear and answer the requests presented to Him. Daniel had a vision and was wanting clarity. He was as it was suggested, not less than ninety years of age. He wanted to understand more fully the divine purpose concerning events that were to befall the church of God, therefore he fasted three weeks. How long he would have continued this fast had he not received the answer to his prayer, is not known. But his course in continuing it for three full weeks shows that he was not a person to cease his supplications until his petition was granted. His petition to God unbeknownst to him, involved the King of Persia heeding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. How little do we realize what is going on in the unseen world in relation to human affairs! Here the curtain is for a moment lifted, and we catch a glimpse of the movements within. Daniel prays. The Creator of the universe hears. The command is issued to Gabriel to go to his relief. But the king of Persia must act before Daniel's prayer is answered, and the angel hastens to the Persian king. Satan no doubt musters his forces to oppose. They meet in the royal palace of Persia. All the motives of selfish interest and worldly policy which Satan can play upon, he doubtless uses to the best advantage to influence the king against compliance with God's will, while Gabriel brings to bear his influence in the other direction hesitates; he delays...... Day after day passes away, yet Daniel fasts and prays on. Three weeks expire, and lo, a mightier than Gabriel joins him in the palace of the king, and then they come to Daniel to acquaint him with the progress of events. From the first, said Gabriel, your prayer was heard; but during these three weeks which you have devoted to prayer and fasting, the king of Persia has resisted my influence and prevented my coming. Such was the effect of prayer. God erects no barriers between Himself and His people since Daniel's time. It is still our privilege to offer up prayer as fervent and effectual as his and to have power with God, and to prevail. Sherry