What will you be known for? Would it be a banker, a baker, a biker? This is an important thing for each of us to think about because what we’re known for will be our legacy - what we leave behind for others to remember us and our lives by. In the Old Testament one man was known to be the man in the lion’s den. Why? Because he prayed too much! His name was Daniel and prayer was important to him.  So much so that he defied the ruler’s decree to only pray to the ruler and the result is that he was thrown into the lion’s den as punishment (more about that story later).  By this, people knew Daniel had an extraordinary spirit for God.

Many times people say to pray yet we are not sure what the results will be. Catch this: before prayer changes anything, it changes you. This is the primary purpose of praying…to change us if not anything else. So what is prayer? Is it a formal posture we take on our knees? Well, it may include this however in a broader sense, prayer is basically spending time with God – hanging out with Him throughout the day and talking to Him about everything. Everything?  Yes, everything. It includes disclosing things to and processing things through God. By conversing with God in prayer you get to know Him and how He values things. Through prayer, we learn to see what God wants us to see and what lessons He wants us to learn.

Daniel was just one man yet he changed a nation with his extraordinary spirit. This happened in 586 A.D. when King Nebuchadnezzar swept down into Israel and conquered it. He took the best of the best of Israel and placed them in his hometown, Babylon. To dilute their race, he changed their names to Babylonian names and got them to inter-marry with the ones who conquered them.

Daniel was one of those that was taken to Babylon.  He was given the name of Belteshazzar.  Despite living in a foreign land, Daniel remained faithful in prayer to God. Doing so maintained his spirit. The same goes for us. It is important to maintain our spirit. We need ways to maintain and increase our spirit because it affects our countenance, our perspective on life and the way that we respond. It’s sort of like the air pressure of a tire. If your spirit deflates and you are exasperated and discouraged, you’ll feel every bump and pothole on the road of life. But if your spirit is sufficiently full, you’ll get over the bumps of life with a much smoother ride. 

So what buoys the spirit and what causes it to be extraordinary? Hanging out with God. Prayer.  In prayer, He gives perspective and clarity of life...

King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream and didn’t know what it meant. Although an un-godly king, he knew something was really wrong so he asked his wife if there was someone who could interpret his dreams. She tells the King of a man who has the spirit of the Holy God in him, an extraordinary spirit. Here is what his wife describes as the results of a praying person. “This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar” (Dan. 5:12).

Like Daniel, when you begin to pray and hang out with God, you begin to increase your conversation with Him about everything. Be it your health, family, finances, your future, your ministry or relationships. Your heart will be unto the Lord. You’ll ask questions like, “Lord what do you think about this?” Or, “How should I see this?” Or, “Lord I kind of went random into a wall with this one issue, what would be the best way to resolve it?” In no time, wisdom and insight will be deposited into your heart all because you’re asking God in prayer and He responds. The final result is that you will have an extraordinary spirit which people will notice.  

Though you will not be immune from problems, something in your spirit will outlast the problems. Hence, your spirit will not be deflated. It is in the midst of prayer that God will be able to give you this kind of spirit.

We do not know the tests that will come against us in the next week or future but as we speak to God in prayer, it prepares our hearts for whatever will be placed in front of us. So instead of bailing out when the going gets tough, we’ll hang on.

This reminds me of one occasion, when I was visiting my daughter in Oregon and she lives near a bird sanctuary.  It was a chilly, windy evening and I happened glance out of the window and saw a little bird hunched over with its feathers all flurried and fast asleep on this swaying branch. While the winds blew, the branch swayed but this little bird was hanging onto the branch and fast asleep. I wondered how in the world that bird could hang on and sleep so peacefully so I asked an Ornithologist (one who studies birds) about it. His says it’s all in the bird’s tendons. You see, when the bird’s legs (and tendons) are straight, it can move its claws but when the birds legs are bent, it pulls the tendons and claws which then clamp like a steel vice. In this position, the bird is virtually immovable and can fall asleep despite the weather.  This taught me something about prayer:  it’s sort of like when my knees are bent I can hang onto anything. But when I un-bend my knees, I am easily knocked around or I bail.

Storms in life will come, but stay on your knees and keep them bent. Your spirit will be buoyed enough and you’ll know that you can make it through this one. You’ll be surprised at how you’ll be able to rise above the tests and storms.  Daniel faced a great test. His friends thought he prayed too much but here are three things that praying produces:

The Results:

1.    IT INCREASES CONFIDENCE & TRUST.

When God gives you an extraordinary spirit through prayer, he also gives you insight to resolve problems, to explain enigmas and to interpret dreams. With respect to interpreting dreams, it just meant that Daniel knew what God was saying in every situation. As for us, by praying or hanging out with God, you’ll know what God is saying in the midst of a set back, a financial snafu, health issues or when something is going on in your family. You’ll have a peace knowing everything will be alright. This is a confidence that is built through prayer and this kind of spirit delights God.  This is exactly what Daniel did; he prayed three times a day.

By this time as it were, Cyrus, King of Persia came and conquered Nebuchadnezzar. From there, the kingdom was handed over to Cyrus’ son Darius. Darius was a Mede and Persian. These were two nations.  As for Daniel, well-known and an extraordinary person, six godless kings wanted Daniel to be their top advisor. Imagine that! They respected Daniel who was known to be a man of prayer. Now catch this, it wasn’t because of his praying, but the results of his prayers that impressed them.

The same goes for us. People will be impressed by the results of our prayers rather than impressed by our praying. We can pray, yet if we’re praying the wrong way nothing will happen in our life. Remember that it is the results of prayer that changes nations. James says you pray and you don’t receive because you pray with wrong motives.   

As for Daniel, Darius was preparing to name Daniel as the number one, top dog in the kingdom. As it turns out, Daniel’s peers did not like this at all. They were intimidated, jealous and insecure because Daniel was being promoted so they plotted to trip Daniel up. They came up with an idea and went to King Darius. They proposed that no one be able to pray to any God except King Darius. The King agreed and signed the edict banning prayer (except to Darius) for a month.

Daniel hears of this edict but continues praying nevertheless. He then gets arrested for breaking the law, of which the penalty was getting thrown to the lions. Begrudgingly, Darius knew there was nothing he could do to save Daniel from this punishment. Soon after, Daniel was thrown into the lions den. Darius loved Daniel so much that he could not sleep. Although a godless king, Darius prays and asks God to help Daniel.

The next morning Darius pushes the lid to the den open. He shouts, “Daniel has your God whom you serve been able to deliver you?” Daniel (who was now in his eighties) answers, “my King my God whom I serve has shut the mouths of the lions. I’m fine. These are like little kitties down here. Could you throw down some food for them?” Amazed and overjoyed at this, Darius had Daniel taken out of the lions den. “Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (Dan. 6:23). From all the years that Daniel prayed there was a huge trust in God. And God loves those who trust in Him. He delivers them. “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel has said, ‘In quietness and trust is your strength’” (is. 30:15).

As for Darius, he was upset at those who plotted against Daniel. In fact, he had them thrown into the lions den. The Bible says, “…before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones” (Dan 6:24). Afterwards, Darius made another decree, “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end.” (Daniel 6:26). Its amazing how one man could influence a godless King, much less a nation.

If you think praying takes up too much time, it doesn’t. In fact, it saves time.  It’s when we don’t pray that we make foolish mistakes and then it takes more time to dig ourselves out of it. Moreover, just considering dumb decisions take up time.

For example, let’s say you’re married and your mind strays. You find yourself in an emotional affair with someone and romanticizing about this other person. Although you have not actually sinned, it’s stealing time in your mind and affections that should be for your spouse. It could take six months of your life just thinking about the other person without actually doing anything. But in any case, you’ve wasted a lot of time and your thinking is incorrect.

On the other hand, if you will be faithful in prayer, God will help you to see things more clearly. Then you’ll wake up and say, “What was I thinking!” just as the prodigal son who came to his senses. Our faithful God will bring restoration to your life. You’ll save your time, mind, affections and heart for the things of God.

Prayer not only increases confidence and trust, but …

2.    IT OPTIMIZES YOUR TIME.

I encourage you to take Sabbath moments. Stop by the beach or go to the park and sit in your car. Then ask God if He thinks you’re doing ok. Ask Him if there’s anything you need to think about or stop thinking about. Ask Him if you’re planning your future correctly.

Being that your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak, we have a tendency to dwell in temptation, rationalizing that it’s not a sin.  But romanticizing steals your time and affection, and if you stay there too long, you’ll usually progress to the next room…sin. “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak: (Matt. 26:41).

And finally, here is one of my favorite results of a praying life… 

3.    IT INCREASES YOUR SPIRIT.

Remember, you don’t know what tests you’ll face so you can buoy or increase your spirit to better weather storms.  You will not be immune to problems but when they hit, you can have the confidence that you’ll be okay. The best thing you can do in your life is invest and maintain your spirit. “Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioner…because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom” (Dan 6:3).

The world and its problems will try to squeeze you into its mold. The only way you’ll sustain the negative external pressure is to have a positive internal pressure to push against it. When there’s negative pressure on the inside with positive pressure on the outside, you’ll implode. “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” (Prov. 18:14).The world will pressure you into doing things you don’t want to do. The only way to resist it is through prayer. Hang out with God and feed your spirit. With God within you, you’ll be able to outlast your problems. Others will see you and notice your extraordinary spirit. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones” (Prov. 17:22).

Here are two things that prayer does:

·    RAISE THE TIDE OF YOUR SPIRIT.

Your spirit is sort of like the tide of the ocean. If you walk around with a low tide spirit all the time, you’ll constantly be contending with the rocks. But if you raise the tide of your spirit, you’ll be able to ride over the rocks and they won’t bother you one bit. In other words, it’s not the rocks that are the problem (they’re always there); it’s the level of the tide that makes the difference. So hang out with God in prayer and raise the level of your spirit tide.

And, with prayer, God clears things up. It gives you lucidity and clarity. He’ll also help us to discern…

·    KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CONCERN AND A RESPONSIBILITY.

I often notice that when I pray, the Lord will tell me if one of my concerns is not my responsibility. My response is, Lord if it is my concern, I bring it up to you in prayer. He responds, “Yes, it is a concern and I’m glad you brought it up but it is not your responsibility.” If you can catch this, it will help you so much (especially our sisters who tend to be more sensitive).

For instance, we worry about all kinds of stuff. If there’s not enough to worry about in your family, you’ll look at your neighbor’s family for something to worry about. If there’s nothing there, you’ll talk about the next town. If not, you’ll read the newspaper and find something to worry about. “Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him” (Prov. 26:17). (See Ps. 131:1).

What happens is you’ve taken a concern and made it your responsibility. You’ll end up being dragged down and oppressed. You won’t know up from down and think that you’re the Messiah because you’re bearing everyone else’s problems. But you’re not. So what do you do with a concern? You take that concern and pray. God teaches you to intercede. That’s it.

When in prayer, God will say if it’s a concern or a responsibility. Don’t mix them up. If you do, you may think your responsibilities are just concerns. This is when marriages and families fall apart.

In summary, before prayer changes anything, it changes us first so be a prayerful person and hang out with God often. What’s important are the results your prayer produces:  it produces confidence and trust in the Lord, it optimizes your time and it increases your spirit. Praying is about hanging out with God and conversing with Him about everything you do.  This pleases Him and people will notice your extraordinary spirit!

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

Q1) Do your prayers have results? Explain by sharing a praise report.

Q2) In what ways can you invest & maintain your spirit? List those that God has brought to your attention.

Q3) When was the last time you took a Sabbath moment? Make it a priority.  When and where can you go?

Q4) Between 1-5 (5 being very prudent): In this season, what is your level of prudence?

       Group: pray for diligence, clarity and discernment.   

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NLT)

 Sermon Notes Ministry: Debbie Chang, Leighton Loo,

                                                Doreen Rabaino & Jay Tsukayama