July 2, 2023
Part 1: A Prayer of Confession and Repentance
1. What Motivates This Prayer
2 “… I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. 3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.”
Daniel 9:1–3 (NASB1995)
11 ‘This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 ‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.
Jeremiah 25:11–12 (NASB1995)
2. How To Pray This Prayer
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,
5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances.
6 “Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.
7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, … because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You.
…
9 “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him;
10 nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets.
11 “Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.
…
13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.
14 “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice."
Daniel 9:4–14 (NASB1995)
Part Two: A Prayer For Awakening And Restoration
15 “And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked.
16 O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.
17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary.
18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of [d]any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.
19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
Daniel 9:15-19 (NASB1995)
Look at Daniel's APPROACH, his reasoning, his rationale for praying for awakening and restoration.
Daniel’s reason for praying for restoration and awakening:
It’s all about God’s reputation!
I want YOU to be glorified, Lord. I want YOUR name to be renowned. I want spiritual awakening for YOUR sake, so that YOU are adored. Daniel is taking the Word of God, from Exodus and Numbers and praying it back to God.
That is known as “Reverse Thunder” - asking the power of God’s Word and speaking it back to God.
More than anything else, this is what our nation needs:
Daniels who will pray with “reverse thunder.”
You can find our sermon-only series and full worship services on our Bear Creek Church Youtube Channel each week. Watch, like, subscribe, and get notifications.