How to Know if You Are a Prayer Warrior, Like Daniel

I long to pray like the prophet Daniel!  He was a humble servant of God, during Judah’s exile to Babylon and he was a mighty prayer warrior! The book of Daniel sheds light on Daniel’s faithfulness and prayer life. With open hearts, Daniel can teach us a lot about being a prayer warrior.

Daniel was an exile in Babylon who trained for three years to serve in the king’s court. Daniel and his friends chose to honor God by not eating the choice food and drinking the drinks from the king’s table. Then, in Daniel chapter 2 the king had one of his crazy dreams and he wanted someone to tell him the dream and the interpretation. No one could do that! So, King Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree to kill all of the wise men, magician, and diviner type people. When Daniel heard about the decree, he asked for some time and he and his friends prayed to God for mercy. God answered their prayers by revealing the dream and its interpretation to Daniel!

A prayer warrior recognizes that God is omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing) and that He reveals knowledge and understanding. “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Often, we don’t ask God for what we need because we realize that we need something really big. Yet Daniel, asked God to tell him about the king’s dream. He didn’t assume he was a goner, but asked for God’s help. A prayer warrior prays BIG, asking God for what is impossible without God!

Daniel had a consistent and bold prayer life. In Daniel chapter 6, King Darius was persuaded by some of his officials to sign in a law that no one could petition any “god or man except the king”. If they did, they would be thrown in the lion’s den. I know this is sounding familiar! “When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). You may remember that Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, but God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions and he was brought out unharmed in the morning. Daniel faithfully prayed, even at the threat of death. He chose to remain faithful and to please God over man.

Like Daniel, a prayer warrior will boldly pray, choosing to please God over man. We don’t have the threat of death, but we may have other threats. We may worry about what others think as we are praying before our meal or how they will respond if we offer to pray for them.

Daniel also knew how to praise God and confess on behalf of his people. The people of Judah were taken into captivity because of their sin. Many prophets were sent, but the kings and people refused to live righteously. In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel refers to God as great, awe-inspiring, gracious, compassionate and forgiving. Daniel fasted and confessed the sins of his people saying, “…we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commands and ordinances” (Daniel 9:5).

A prayer warrior lifts up praise and adoration to God, recognizing His attributes. Like Daniel, we must recognize that repentance for personal and/or corporate sin is necessary for restoration. The warrior eagerly intercedes for others, and repentance is often needed.

In Daniel chapter 10, we get a real picture of the spiritual battle and the part prayer plays in the battle! “Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers” (Daniel 10:12). The angel told Daniel that his prayers were heard from the very first day he began praying! Let’s look at how long Daniel had been humbly praying. “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over” (Daniel 10:2-3).  Daniel not only prayed, but also fasted for three full weeks. His prayers were heard from the first day, but his answer was delayed. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days…” (Daniel 10:13). This is an indication of spiritual warfare. In this instance, God had sent an angel with an answer, but he was detained in battle.

We can apply several principles from Daniel’s answered prayer to ourselves. A prayer warrior acknowledges that God hears every single prayer. Daniel’s prayer was heard by God, and so is ours. “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). God encourages us to call Him: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). We are also told to bring our requests to God (Phil. 4:6). 

Along with prayer, Daniel fasted. Fasting allows you to humble yourself before the Lord.  “The secret to fasting is not giving up food, but spending time in the presence of God.”[1]  “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek” (Psalm 27:8, ESV).  Do you get this? Fasting has to do with the heart! You are giving something up, to seek something you want more; intimacy with the Lord. Jesus fasted (Matthew 4:2), as did the New Testament church (Acts 13:2). A prayer warrior will sacrifice things of this world to seek the presence of God.

Like Daniel, we don’t always receive an answer right away. Daniel’s answer took three weeks; maybe you have been waiting much longer than that! I have waited years for prayers to be answered! Hear me as I say, that waiting on a prayer to be answered doesn’t mean we are unworthy to pray or are unrighteous! God’s timing is not our timing, but He does know best.  Daniel was treasured by God (v. 10), and so are we! Daniel was persistent, but he was humble and his motive was to understand. A prayer warrior prays with a humble attitude and a pure motive.

God answered Daniel in a real and mighty way; He can do the same for you! A prayer warrior prays consistently in hope, knowing, all things are possible with God.

There was a spiritual battle going on in Daniel’s time, and it hasn’t ceased! A prayer warrior recognizes that we are in a spiritual battle. The battle delayed the answer to Daniel’s prayer, and may delay ours. That is all the more reason for us to stand firm!  Remember that prayer is part of your spiritual armor; “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request…” (Eph. 6:18). The battle is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens (Eph. 6:12).

Daniel is a great example of a faithful, bold and mighty prayer warrior!

Are you a prayer warrior, like Daniel?

• Do you recognize God as omnipotent and omniscient?  
• Do you pray BIG, asking God for what is impossible on your own?
• Do you boldly pray, choosing to please God over man?
• Do you praise God, recognizing His attributes?
• Do you repent on behalf of others (such as your nation)?
• Do you recognize and accept that God hears every single prayer, but that you may not receive your answer right away due to the spiritual battle?
• Do you sacrifice things of this world (fast) to seek intimacy with God?
• Do you recognize that you’re in a spiritual battle?

If so, you are a prayer warrior, like Daniel! He was a bold, persistent, faithful warrior who sought to please God! And so are you! Daniel lived a long life…he was in exile for 70 years! Daniel trusted God to answer his prayers and to reveal Himself and He did! A prayer warrior continues to grow in prayer by focusing on and trusting in the Lord. A warrior determines his or her strengths and weaknesses, which reveal how to best engage in the spiritual battle. And, the warrior makes engaging in the battle a priority!

For more information on the spiritual battle and becoming a prayer warrior check out How to Know if You are a Prayer Warrior. https://encouragingtruth.com/how-to-know-if-you-are-a-prayer-warrior/

---

[1] Jerry Falwell, Building Dynamic Faith, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 145.