2 DURING the first year of his reign, I, DANIEL, LEARNED FROM READING THE WORD OF THE LORD, as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.
3 SO I TURNED TO THE LORD GOD AND PLEADED WITH HIM IN PRAYER AND FASTING. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.
4 I PRAYED TO THE LORD MY GOD AND CONFESSED: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always FULFILL your covenant and KEEP your promises of unfailing LOVE to those who LOVE you and OBEY your commands."
Daniel 9:2-4 (NLT)
• Daniel learned through the Word of the LORD that Jerusalem would lie desolate for seventy years!
- Daniel was a student of the Word. The solutions to things bothering your heart would be found in the Word of God.
- The clue to the deliverance of the Israelites was gotten through the Word of God by Daniel. Thus, what you would need to come out of whatever predicament, is in the Word of God.
- The end to any desolation is through the discoveries in the Word of God, and that coupled with prayers.
THE key to it is gotten or found through the search of the Scripture. - Also, to come out of any captivity, you have to pray. Seek God in prayer. What you discover through the Word would lead and enable you to pray.
- There is a time limit for whatever the predicament, in your life. Turning of a captivity started with the discoveries in the Word of God:
2 IN the first year of his reign I, Daniel, UNDERSTOOD BY THE BOOKS THE NUMBER OF THE YEARS SPECIFIED BY THE WORD OF THE LORD THROUGH JEREMIAH THE PROPHET, that He would accomplish SEVENTY YEARS in the DESOLATIONS OF JERUSALEM. 3 Then I SET MY FACE toward the LORD GOD to make request by PRAYER and SUPPLICATIONS, with FASTING, sackcloth, and ashes" (Daniel 9:2,3 NKJV). - If you failed to study and allow the Holy Spirit to tutor you, you may stay longer than necessary in the captivity.
- The keys to the turning of captivities are discovered or gotten, on the pages of the Bible. Daniel got to know they, the Israelites, were to spend seventy years in the Babylonian captivity, that prompted him to start praying (Daniel 9:2).
• In the time of distress, let the Bible be your companion. The time of predicament is the time to study the Word of God the more.
What you needed to come out of that problem or challenge which you are confronted with or battling with, could only be discovered or gotten in the study of the Bible (Daniel 9:2).
Any number of people, even Believers, are fond of sharing their problems with those whom they think could pity them.
Being pitied by well-meant or concerned people cannot change your condition, what will change it, is the Word of God.
The Word of God gives you the light, the direction, on what to do about the situation at hand:
105 YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET And A LIGHT TO MY PATH. 130 THE ENTRANCE OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT [light gives direction]; IT GIVES UNDERSTANDING TO THE SIMPLE" (Psalm 119:105,130 NKJV).IN another translation
105 YOUR WORD is like a LAMP for my feet and a LIGHT for my path [it shows how life should be lived].
130 ·Learning [L Opening] YOUR WORDS ·GIVES WISDOM [illuminates; gives light] and understanding for the ·foolish [immature; simpleminded]."
Psalm 119:105,130 (Expanded Bible)
• Purpose is discovered through the Word of God. God reveals Himself to those who make themselves available to be taught by Him through His Word.
- When you camp around the Bible, wanting to know more about God, the solution to your problems would come—it would be revealed to you in the place of studying and praying.
- Daniel got to know when their captivity would end through the studying of the Bible, the book of Jeremiah the Prophet (Daniel 9:2).
- In addition: Pray more in tongues, in the Spirit, as you read and study the Bible (1 Corinthians 14:2; Jude 20).
- The Holy Spirit is the One Who reveals the Truth. The truth which you needed to know, in order to come to the limelight, prominence, in whatever you do, would be revealed to you in the the place of the study of the Word of God!
- Thus, study the Word and pray as you study—pray in the language of the Spirit alongside with the study of the Word (1 Corinthians 14:2; Jude 20).
- Take what you have learnt in the Word, and turn it into prayers. In other words, pray the Word into your life (Daniel 9:3).
- Daniel was moved to pray when he discovered the number of years they were to spend in the captivity:
3 SO I TURNED TO THE LORD GOD AND PLEADED WITH HIM IN PRAYER AND FASTING.... 4 I PRAYED TO THE LORD MY GOD AND CONFESSED...." (Daniel 9:3,4 NLT).
• Those who disregarded knowledge would stay longer in the captivity—the bondage (Hosea 4:6).
- Knowledge is power. Seek for knowledge of the Word of God, to know more and be free from whatever shackles of the enemy: "AND you shall KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE [knowledge of the] TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE” (John 8:32 NKJV).
- Enrol in the Bible training programmes that can build you up. Attend the school of ministries, teaching seminars being organized by those sent for the purpose, that can enhance your spiritual growth.
- You consciously and deliberately created time for the learning of the Word—you have to take time out to learn more of God.
• Knowing more of God takes a discipline and determination.
- It is not enough to learn, or study, you have to practice whatever you have learnt, and pray with it. Endeavour or strive to apply the knowledge you have aquired (James 1:22,25).
- Whatever you learned which you did not practice and pray with, would make you puffed up—proud and be self conceited:
"NOW I will write about meat that is sacrificed to idols. We know that “we all have knowledge.” KNOWLEDGE PUFFS YOU UP WITH PRIDE, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1 New Century Version). - And remember:
"PRIDE LEADS TO DESTRUCTION; A PROUD ATTITUDE BRINGS RUIN" (Proverbs 16:18 New Century Version). - Whatever you have learnt in the Word of God is for living, to be practiced, and not for boasting and bragging about.
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Whatever is contrary to your health is cursed in Jesus' name.
- You are delivered from every oppression of sickness and disease in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace!