Resolve Day 1: Rewards

Day 1: Rewards & Resistance     

Day 1: Rewards & Resistance

    Have you ever grown weary of doing the right thing? I remember a single mom who used to seek counsel when I was ministering in Brownsville. Time and again, she’d ask what she should do, and invariably, the counsel I offered—rooted in Scripture—wasn’t what she hoped to hear. Truthfully, it wasn’t always easy to give. Not because I didn’t want her to follow God’s will, but because God’s will is rarely the easy path.

    Yet each time, she listened—not to me, but to the Word. She recognized its alignment with God’s truth and chose joyful obedience, even when it was hard.

     In the Old Testament, few figures embody a life resolved to prayer more vividly than Daniel. Through prayer, Daniel was delivered, received visions, fasted, and was elevated to serve multiple kings in a foreign land.

    It’s as if Daniel could echo the words of the aged martyr Polycarp, who was burned at the stake around 160 A.D. for refusing to offer incense to the Roman Emperor. On the day of his death, Polycarp declared, “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? Bring forth what you will.”

    Daniel was commanded not to pray to anyone but Darius, king of Persia. He not only refused to comply—he continued his practice of praying to the Lord, even opening his window to boldly proclaim his loyalty.

¹ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; ² and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.

⁴ So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

Reward by God:

    A lifestyle of prayer invites God’s blessing. Daniel was among the top three governors under Darius—and ultimately rose above them. From his youth, Daniel had set himself apart for God’s service, even in adversity. His reward came after a lifetime of sacrificial devotion. Yet even then, the path wasn’t smooth.

Result in the Spirit:

    What flows from a prayerful life? Scripture says Daniel had an excellent spirit. If prayer leaves you more anxious than peaceful, it may be time to examine how you’re praying. The Bible assures us that prayer brings peace. Look again at Daniel 5:4—his enemies knew they couldn’t touch him except through his source of strength.

    A person who prays is filled and led by the Spirit. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:18, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” What a striking contrast—between the intoxication of wine and the glorious results of being Spirit-filled.

Resistance from the World:

    

    Daniel faced opposition because of the visible rewards and inner strength that came from his prayer life. Likewise, Satan—who stirs the impure and evil in this world—will resist those who pray. Don’t expect applause for standing with the Lord. It’s not historical, biblical, logical, spiritual, or even practical. God doesn’t strengthen us through acceptance, but through resistance we gain resolve.

    Jesus taught that our greatest resistance in prayer often comes not from the world, but from within:

    “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” —Matthew 26:41

See Day 2 Rejoicing in Prayer