Behind the scenes of your prayers …

We human beings are very impatient people, including with God regarding our prayers.

Like driving up to a menu at the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant where we place our orders and by the time we get to the window and pay, we’re handed what we asked for, that is how we want God to respond to the requests (demands?) we make of Him.

It doesn’t work that way.

It also doesn’t work the way we too often blame God for being slow, which is accusing Him of sitting idly on His throne doing nothing while we plead our hearts out.

Jesus gave us an invaluable insight about God when He said, “But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.’”

While we blame God for not hearing our prayers, or not caring about our situations, God not only hears, but is very busy at work responding in a way that is best for us and will bring Him glory. What we don’t understand is that there may be intense spiritual warfare going on over our prayers! Daniel was once given an insight to the behind-the-scenes activity of his prayer, which can be educational for us. Let’s set the scene for this fascinating look behind the curtain of Daniel’s praying …

“In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision …” Daniel 10:1a.

“On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River, I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people,” Daniel 10:4-6.

Prefacing the vision Daniel will be given is a remarkable insight as to what had been happening regarding Daniel’s prayer — intense spiritual battle! Look closely …

“Then he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come,” Daniel 10:12-14.

God doesn’t sit on a throne and receive prayer requests through a celestial email system where He clicks open our prayers and either clicks on “Approved” or “Rejected” and moves quickly to the next prayer. Just like Daniel was told that he is very precious to God (Daniel 10:11), so are we. There’s no lag time in God hearing your prayer, nor is He slack in responding. He will always do what is best for us, and what glorifies Him … and that might include sending His angels in spiritual warfare as part of answering your prayers!

You don’t know all that happens behind the scenes of your prayers, but you can trust God with your prayers. Satan or his minions may actually attempt to disrupt response to your prayers, and God may have to put His angels into battle for you, but you can trust He’ll do whatever is necessary for you to have the answer to prayer He wants you to have.

So, before you become impatient with God again over prayer, remember that He’s always working, and that you don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes regarding your prayers. Trust God by waiting patiently for His answer.

Scotty