Seeking for Breakthrough - Bible Verse Handbook

Session #3 - Seeking for Breakthrough: 21-Day Daniel Fast - Part 3

I. INTRODUCTION

B. Daniel was on a 21-day fast when he received the longest and most detailed end-time vision

C. Daniel went on a 21-day fast with intensity in prayer

2I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth…till three whole weeks were fulfilled… (Dan. 10:2-3)

D. Daniel's fast made a significant impact in the spirit realm

11He[an angel] said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved… 12from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13But the prince [demonic principality] of the kingdom of Persia [Iran] withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes [archangel], came to help me…14I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days…”19He said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not!”…
(Dan. 10:11-20)

III. WHAT IS A DANIEL FAST?

A. There are two primary scriptures related to the Daniel fast.

3I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth…[for] three whole weeks… (Dan. 10:3)

12…ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. (Dan. 1:12)

IV. THE PURPOSES OF THIS FAST

A. To personally encounter the Lord. As He does His work in us, He works more through us.

3I set my face toward the Lord God…by prayer… (Dan. 9:3)

12“You set your heart…to humble yourself before your God…”
(Dan. 10:12)

1. To confess and renounce our compromises and recommit our life to fully obey Jesus.

20 I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin… (Dan. 9:20)

19“Repent…that times of refreshing may come from God's presence…” (Acts 3:19)

2. To receive insight into God's love—Daniel gained understanding that he was beloved.

11He said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you”…

18Then again…19he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not!”
(Dan. 10:11, 19)

B. To pray for a breakthrough for Jerusalem. Daniel fasted and prayed much for Jerusalem.

1•  The battle for Jerusalem is a spiritual, political, and military battle for the control of Jerusalem. All nations will gather against Jerusalem

2  I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land. (Joel 3:2, 12)

3  And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. (Zech. 12:3)

2  For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;
The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished.
Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zech. 14:2)

A Faithful Remnant

8  “Therefore wait for Me,” says the  Lord , “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination  is  to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy. (Zeph. 3:8)

13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs  coming  out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  14  For they are spirits of demons, performing signs,  which  go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Rev. 16:13-14)

11  Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him  was  called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  12  His eyes  were  like a flame of fire, and on His head  were  many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  13  He  was  clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  14  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  15  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  16  And He has on  His  robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

17  Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,  18  that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all  people,   free and slave, both small and great.”

19  And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.  20  Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.  21  And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev. 19:11-20:3)

2For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem…
(Zech. 14:2)

2•  Jesus requires the Church to stand with Israel in their coming persecution

17  And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 12:17)

33  And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet  for many  days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering.  34  Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue.  35  And  some  of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify  them,  and make  them  white,  until  the time of the end; because  it is  still for the appointed time. (Dan. 11:33-35)

The battle for Jerusalem is a litmus test of the Church's obedience, and will be used to help mature and perfect the end-time Church

27  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Eph. 5:27)

3. We have been beckoned into the “Psalm 122:6 blessing” by virtue of our Israel Mandate.

6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” (Ps. 122:6)

C. To pray for a breakthrough for our families, churches, and nation.

1. Angels are released through prayer with fasting for personal and national issues.

12“Your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” (Dan. 10:12)

23“At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come…” (Dan. 9:23)

2. We are crying out for a greater release of power for healing, and to see God's power break in upon our families and upon national and international crises.

21“This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Mt. 17:21)

D. Seeking greater understanding of God's heart and end-time plan. The four visions in Daniel give insight into God's plan for Israel and for transitioning the earth to the age to come.

22“O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.” (Dan. 9:22)

12“You [Daniel] set your heart to understand…14I [an angel] have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days…” (Dan. 10:12-14)

1•  One emphasis in all four visions was for Daniel to understand God's end-time plan

 16  I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: (Dan. 7:16)

15  Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.  16  And I heard a man's voice between  the banks of  the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this  man  understand the vision.”  17  So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision  refers  to the time of the end.” (Dan. 8:15-19)

2  in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years  specified  by the word of the  Lord  through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

3  Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 

22  And he informed  me,  and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.  23  At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell  you,  for you  are  greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: (Dan. 9:2-3, 22-23)

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message  was  true,  but the appointed time  was  long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision.

10  Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and  on  the palms of my hands.  11  And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.

12  Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.  13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.  14  Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision  refers  to  many  days yet  to come. ”
(Dan. 10:1, 10-14)

33  And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet  for many  days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 

35  And  some  of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify  them,  and make  them  white,  until  the time of the end; because  it is  still for the appointed time. (Dan. 11:33, 35)

4  “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

9  And he said, “Go  your way,  Daniel, for the words  are  closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  10  Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
(Dan. 12:4, 9-10)

4. God promises to give His people grace to understand His heart and end-time plans.

33“And those of the people who understand shall instruct many…35And some of those of understanding shall fall [martyrdom], to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; … it is still for the appointed time.” (Dan. 11:33-35)

V. OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL

A. The first section is historical (Dan. 1–6):

Daniel 1: Dedication of youth, refuses to compromise, embraces a fasted lifestyle in Babylon

Daniel 2: Nebuchadnezzar's first dream - God establishes a prophet before the secular leaders.

Daniel 3: Tested by fire, refuses idol worship (Rev. 13), deliverance from the fiery furnace.

Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar's second dream - the sudden humbling of powerful world leaders.

Daniel 5: Belshazzar's feast - the sudden downfall of powerful nations (fall of Babylon).

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lion's den - supernatural deliverance of believers in persecution.

B. The second section is prophetic (Dan. 7–12)

Daniel 7: 1st vision is of four world empires in history and the Little Horn (Antichrist).

Daniel 8: 2nd vision is of a ram, goat, and little horn (Antiochus/Antichrist) persecuting Israel.

Daniel 9: 3rdvision is of Gabriel and the 70-weeks prophecy of Israel's trouble and salvation.

Daniel 10-12: 4th vision is of Israel's persecution (Antiochus/Antichrist) and final restoration.

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Much of this teaching will be used by the English speaking Pastors in the Africa Training Bible School.(ATBS)

Each of these ATBS Series includes an audio and handout or study notes to be downloaded as well as a PowerPoint to make the viewing more visual for the Pastors and the youth in thier church