The story of Daniel reminds that behind every influential believer is a robust prayer life

3 min read

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.” -Daniel 10:12

If you were to measure someone’s fame and influence by how many people are named after them, you would have to give props to the biblical character Daniel.

Think about it, how many guys do you know whose names are Dan or Daniel? Personally, I can think of at least five in my life right now…my nephew, a fellow pastor, a deacon in my church, and two good friends named Daniel.

But what was it about Daniel that makes him such an inspiration?

For one, he’s an amazing example of someone who stood true to his beliefs even when he was under pressure to compromise. Even when it meant being thrown to the lions, Daniel never cowered to the dark political and cultural influences around him. He remained focused on the Lord and, because of that, he thrived in a hostile environment.

Daniel’s Prayer Life

Upon a closer look into the life of Daniel, it becomes clear that prayer is a thread that runs through his story. That is, he was a regular at the throne of grace. Here are a few specific highlights:

1. When there was a problem, he talked to God. When Daniel got word that the king (Nebuchadnezzar) was going to kill people if someone could not interpret his disturbing dream, he prayed. He went to his three friends and “told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon” (2:18). God answered their prayer and enabled Daniel to interpret the dream. Crisis averted.
2. But prayer was also a part of his everyday experience. When some of Daniel’s haters talked a different king (Darius) into outlawing prayer offered to anyone except the king, Daniel kept on rolling with his normal practice. Three times a day, Daniel prayed “as usual” to God (6:10). It was his persistence in prayer that ultimately got Daniel tossed into the lion’s den. But as you may remember, he came out of that situation unscathed.
3. When Daniel prayed, good things happened. It was while Daniel was talking to God that he received insight into what was coming in the future for his people. The posture of prayer availed much for Daniel. And this is true for the rest of us. Good things happen as we pray. When our hearts open up to God in prayer, he meets with us. He provides answers to our questions. He puts peace in the place of our anxiety. He gives courage where there was previously fear and hope rises in our hearts once again.

It has been said of Jesus that the key to his public life was his private life. And the same could be said of Daniel. Behind the scenes, both talked to God. That was their “secret power,” if you will.

The crazy thing is, I have that same power. And so do you if you are in Christ.

Even broken, imperfect people like us have the attentive ear of Almighty God. Because of Jesus, we have open access to the Most High. We have the power to talk to Him and say whatever we need to say, whether it’s a confession, a request for help, a praise, or all the above.

What else do we need?

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.