Delayed is Not Denied

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.” - Daniel 10:12-13

Daniel prayed but didn’t receive his answer for three weeks because it was delayed. God heard him the first time and sent an answer, but other powers, the ones in between the expanse of spoken word and their existence, those in the air— the dead space hovering between us and God—fought the delivery of the answer. Delay is not denial; it is a fight. Satan fought against the transfer of Daniel’s answer. He didn’t want him to have it and battled God’s messenger for it.

It is easy to mistake delay for denial.

God hears the first time we pray, and He often answers quickly, but Satan doesn’t want us to have the answers. He wants us to struggle, wonder, wander, forget, lose hope, and stop praying. He knows that if he fights against us and the answer, we will begin to interpret delay as denial. So, he dispatches forces to the heavens to delay our provision and works in our minds to convince us to give up.

This plan has worked on me many times. I have given up, assured that although God hears He isn’t answering because of something I’ve done wrong or because I’m not in His will.

Why would Satan fight my answers? I’m nobody. Doesn’t he know he’s wasting his time?  And in that very point lies the answer. He hasn’t wasted his time. He’s won. He’s swayed my thinking and helped me commit to the idea that God doesn’t care. He’s persuaded me to stop because it won’t matter anyway.

It does matter. God does care. I have to keep believing that somewhere there’s an angel in route with my message. He’s fighting to get it to me. I have to help him get it to me. I have to keep praying and believing. I have to push back against the forces that tell me to stop.

Are you waiting for an answer today? Don’t give up. God hears you and has sent the answer. Fight for it. Keep believing, keep working, keep praying. Satan wants you to stop. He wants you to give up. Don’t be ignorant of his schemes. He is the father of all lies. His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. Combat his tactics by speaking truth—God’s word— into your life. Find Scriptures applicable to your situation and pray them. This will increase your faith and counteract the works of the enemy. God watches over His word, He is bound by His word, He is His word. He will do what He has said.

Delay is not denial; it is a fight.

Linking with:
Michelle for Hear it Sunday, Use it Monday
Carissa for Miscellany Monday
Joan for The Beauty in His Grip
Jen for Soli Deo Gloria