©picture by scribbles (Marye McKenney)

Thursday, June 9, 2016

The Daniel Prayer

I will never forget the opportunity I had to go see Anne Graham Lotz deliver her "Just Give Me Jesus" address in the Key Arena in Seattle a number of years ago. She is a compelling speaker with an engaging personality and an extremely biblical focus. So when her newest book came up as a reviewable book on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to "hear" her teachings again. The Daniel Prayer is EVERYTHING it's cracked up to be and more.

Anne takes an intensive look at the way one prophet prayed and how he was answered. Then she took that prayer and applied it to living in today's world.

In Daniel 9, Daniel is praying for his country:

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

“Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

Anne shows us how to take this prayer apart, piece by piece and then make it our own prayer through worship, through confession, through understanding the way our world works, through intercession, and through warfare. She quoted a list of sins we commit that was written by Charles Finney in one of his treatises on revival, and she helps us understand that revival can only come about when we are clean before God. She goes through the Armor of God and explains how each piece is to be worn, what each piece does, and how it is effective in our lives because of prayer, and because of recognizing our enemy.

This is a five star book I cannot recommend enough. EVERYONE should read it.

My thanks to Zondervan Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. My only obligation is to give my honest opinion about the book.

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