Many Christians believe in prayer. They know the promises God has made about prayer. And they have even heard about God answering prayers. Yet, they use prayer sparingly.

When do you pray?
Why do you pray?

Daniel prayed 3 times every day. He prayed in his room. He prayed in the lions’ den. He prayed for wisdom. He prayed for guidance. In fact, it seems that Daniel had an ongoing conversation with God.

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. —Daniel 9:1-3 (NIV)

Daniel learned from reading Scripture (Jeremiah) that the time of the exile was coming to an end. And immediately, he prays.

Read Daniel 9:4-19.

What do you notice from his prayer?

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision. —Daniel 9:20-23 (NIV)

As soon as Daniel prayed an angel of God was sent to give understanding. We don’t often talk about it and we aren’t usually aware of it… but there is a spiritual world in our midst.

Some people focus too much on angels and some focus too little on them.
What do you think is a healthy balance for our awareness of the spiritual beings?

In Daniel, we see that our connection (and communication) in this spiritual world is aided by prayer.
How might our prayers be connected with the spiritual world?

Have your prayers ever been answered in a way that can only be explained by the supernatural involvement of the spiritual world?

If not… consider the next chapter where Daniel has another vision and again he prays for understanding.

A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” —Daniel 10:10-14 (NIV)

Again, right when Daniel started praying, an angel was sent to give him understanding. But this time, the angel was hindered for 21 days by the “prince of the Persian kingdom”.

What do you think is going on here?

There are more things happening when we pray that we are aware of. In fact, it seems that angels and demons respond in prayer and a spiritual war breaks out. And the message seems pretty clear… 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT): Never stop praying.

What does it mean to never stop praying?
Why is consistent prayer encouraged all throughout scripture?