How can the delay in Daniel getting answers to prayer be explained?
Daniel 10:12
ESV - 12 Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
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Al Mark
Supporter
I recently led a study on Daniel 10 as part of a series on prayer, and this passage in particular dealt with prayer and spiritual conflict. We are told in Eph 6:12 that, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world, and against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.” The picture in Daniel 10 is that sometimes, there is a connection between what happens in the heavenly realms and what happens on our physical earth. The answer to Daniel's prayer was on its way to Daniel, but it was hindered by an agent of Satan. God allows this, and some of God's agents got involved in this struggle to make things happen. What is more than the answer to Daniel's prayer was the way God dealt with him when he entered God's presence. He was touched three times: once to set him on his hands and knees, twice to let him speak, and the third time to fill him with strength. Daniel sees his glory and senses his power, yet experiences his tender touch. When we come into God’s presence, we experience this as well. When the people of God set their hearts and minds on defeating the kingdom of this world, it sets off a conflict in heaven. The angel was telling Daniel that his prayers were leading to conflicts in heaven, to things bigger than what he was aware. When the saints pray, opposition is inevitable.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
I remember hearing about this for the first time in my young Christian life as a student at Arizona Bible College in Phoenix, Arizona. Sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, Arizona Bible College changed its name to Arizona College of the Bible. Eventually, Arizona College of the Bible closed and was succeeded in some form by College del Rey. It continued some aspect of biblical education before ceasing operations altogether. Sad. Those 3 years were some of the best years of my life! Daniel’s delay in receiving an answer to his prayer is explained in Daniel 10:12-13. Here’s the passage from the NET Bible: Daniel 10:12-13 (NET) 12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia. The delay then was because of spiritual warfare, I believe. The angel tells Daniel that God heard his prayer immediately (Da 10:12), but the answer was delayed because a powerful demonic being, called the prince of Persia, resisted him for 21 days (Dan 10:13). This shows that spiritual battles in the unseen realm can hinder the delivery of God’s response.
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