Prayer, Fear, & Angels

The Biblical accounts of people talking with angels have always fascinated me. Nearly every time it happens in the Bible the angel tells the human being to not be afraid. There is something about their unexpected appearance that frightens people. Such was the case with Daniel in an interesting conversation he has with Gabriel in Daniel chapter 10. The angel says, “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 have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Dan. 10:12).

The angel Gabriel is talking to Daniel about a vision that he had seen earlier. Daniel had requested an interpretation, and was still waiting 21 days later for his answer. What I find fascinating is that Daniel had probably knelt and prayed for an answer. It was his habit to kneel and pray 3 times a day (Dan. 6:10). He probably got up from his knees and said, “O.K God, I’m ready for an answer.” But the answer didn’t come that day or that week for that matter. It didn’t come until Gabriel showed up at his doorstep 3 weeks later. Nonetheless, on Daniel’s prayers God had dispatched the greatest archangel in the Bible on his behalf.

Can you imagine? You and I kneel to pray, we get up from our knees, and in our world it doesn’t appear as if anything is happening. So we assume that it isn’t. But at our prayers God may have dispersed an entire battalion of angels on our behalf! Such was the power Daniel had! And the same might be said for us.

But Daniel had to do two things first. He set his heart to understand, and he humbled himself. Both are prerequisites to prayer. How passionately do we plead with God for an answer? And how often to we humble ourselves before Him, and patiently wait on an answer?

Next time you pray, be careful. You may not see anything happen in your world, but you may have unleashed angels that will spring into action at the command of the Lord!