We can see how effective the prayers of a righteous person are through the Old Testament prophet Daniel. His prayers provide a model for us to follow. Read his powerful plea to God in Daniel 9:4-19. Now let’s take a look at the key components of his prayer. Start with praise. Daniel began his prayer by praising God. His focus was not on himself, but on God’s greatness. He prayed to “the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments” (Daniel 9:4). He acknowledged God as absolutely righteous, but also merciful and forgiving. Begin your own prayers with praise and thanksgiving to God. Praise Him for His glory, His power, and His love. Thank Him for your salvation, your many blessings and glorious promises, and His daily provision in your life. Spend time just adoring God. We must remember that prayer is not just a means of getting what we ask for—it is fellowship with God. When we pray, we are investing in an intimate, personal relationship with Him. Confess your sins. Daniel confessed that Israel had sinned. He didn’t try to dismiss, justify, or sidestep the fact that Israel had made a grave error. He didn’t make excuses to God but took responsibility. Daniel stated up front in his prayer, “[W]e have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (Daniel 9:5). When you go to God in prayer, don’t play the blame game when it comes to your sin. Acknowledge any element of sin or wrongdoing—intentional or unintentional—related to the situation or circumstance. When God reveals sin in our hearts, His ultimate desire is to reconcile us to the fullness of a right relationship with Him. Prayer: God, I want to praise You today for Your love and for the gift of salvation. Thank You for giving us Your Word to provide examples like Daniel for us to follow. Forgive my sins, my Redeemer. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read Daniel 9:1-19. The Old Testament prophet Daniel became an advisor to kings because of who he was in secret on his knees before God. Daniel was born in the land of Judah during a time when much of the nation had fallen away from God. He was a teenager when God permitted the forces of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to lay siege to Jerusalem. Along with much of the population of Jerusalem, Daniel and his friends were shackled and led away in chains to Babylon, where they became servants in the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar. Exiled to a foreign land, Daniel stood his moral and spiritual ground, as evidenced in his willingness to die in the lions’ den rather than stop praying. Whenever you see a person standing firm for God, you’ll find that they first bent the knee to God in prayer. When God’s people refuse to compromise their faith, when God’s people persistently, consistently, and obstinately go to their knees in prayer, big things happen. Future history changes. Everything that was notable about Daniel flowed from his daily time with God. People who spend time with God every day can’t help but be changed. We see this in Daniel’s remarkable prayer in Daniel 9, when the Jewish people had been in exile in Babylon for nearly seventy years. Daniel pleads with God through confession, intercession, and petition. When you pray, remember Daniel’s prayer. Remember that the same God who answered Daniel’s prayers has promised to answer your prayers. Remember that the same God who foretold the outline of future history to Jeremiah and Daniel is in control of your future as well. You can trust Him with your future because He is the one who announced the return of His people to Israel after seventy years of exile, then moved the king of Persia to send them home—precisely on schedule. And He is the one who announced the coming of the Messiah, then sent Him into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday—precisely on schedule. History never catches God by surprise. When we pray, we become partners in the fulfillment of His eternal plan. So pray like Daniel, rely on God’s promises, and prepare to be amazed. Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the honor of serving Your Kingdom through prayer and obedience. Help me to be faithful. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Deep in the Arabian Desert is a small fortress. It stands silently on the vast expanse of the ageless desert. Thomas Edward Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, often used it. Though unpretentious, it was most efficient. Its main commendation was its security. When under attack, often by superior forces, Lawrence would retreat there for safety. While staying there, the resources of the fortress became his—the food and water stored there were life-supporting. The strength of the fortress became the strength of its occupants. Old-time desert dwellers talked about how confident and secure Lawrence always felt when he was within the walls of the fortress. Prayer is the believer’s greatest fortress. It is a place we can run to any time of the day or night. The strength and protection we receive in God’s presence are unmatched by this world. The name of Jesus and His atoning blood are even more assuring than walls made of stone, iron, or concrete. Just as Jesus promised: Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:18-20) Jesus has provided a supreme place of safety for you. Whenever confusion, fear, or feelings of doubt assail your mind, turn to Him. Pray for His protection to surround you and ask Him to provide the strength you need to stand firm against any and all deception. Prayer: Lord, thank You for providing me with the safety of Your strength, power, and salvation. Because You’ve set up Your Kingdom in my heart, I call on Your power to defeat feelings of fear, doubt, and confusion. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read Psalm 28. David’s family was torn apart by rape, murder, rebellion, and revolution. He’d failed as a father, in part because of his polygamous marriages and in part because he was too busy with matters of government and war. He was powerful; he was successful; he was the king—but he was eventually on the run, fleeing a son who sought to take his life. Exiled from his family and his people, hiding from his son Absalom, a grief-stricken King David penned a heartfelt prayer, a plea for mercy and justice. David’s world was falling apart—but God was his Rock. David’s family was collapsing—but God was his Rock. David’s government was crumbling—but God was his Rock. David’s throne had been stolen from him—but God was his Rock. David’s subjects had turned against him—but God was his Rock. The prayer of Psalm 28 expresses the heart’s cry of everyone who has languished in a desperate situation. It is a comforting passage to meditate on when you have been slandered, mistreated, and misunderstood by others. It’s a plea for God to be your protector, vindicator, and righteous judge. When your world is falling apart all around you, how do you respond? Do you run to God, or do you blame Him? When you find yourself facing the consequences of your own wrong choices, do you cry out to the Rock of Ages, or do you blame God for not protecting you from the results of your actions? David understood God. He prayed, “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help” (v. 2). A cry for mercy is the farthest thing imaginable from the demand, “You owe me.” David prayed with his arms raised, putting his mind, spirit, and body into his prayer. He was not just saying a prayer; he was struggling in prayer. Hard work, struggle, suffering, wrestling with God—these difficult experiences are often the prerequisites to victory. No matter how people may fail you or mistreat you, God is your fortress. His power never diminishes. His love for you never changes. His support for you never wavers. His mercy toward you never fades. He is your Rock. Prayer: Lord, I will trust in You when circumstances threaten to overwhelm me. I will rest in Your mercy toward me and hope in Your coming Kingdom. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. *This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.

Though Hannah was full of sorrow, her suffering did not make her bitter. Though she had been emotionally hurt and battered, her commitment to the Lord was unshakable. Though she was physically exhausted, spiritually she was powerful. She may have had every reason to give up, but she persisted in prayer. God responded to Hannah’s cry for a son, and she gave birth to Samuel. In keeping with the vow she had made to God, she gave the Lord her only child. Although Samuel grew up serving God at the temple, Hannah did not resent releasing her son to God. Instead, she gave a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving: “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2). This is Hannah’s song of praise—one that is reflected in Mary’s Magnificat, the song she sings in praise of God for the gift of bearing the promised Messiah. God continued to bless Hannah with children. After years of what looked like a hopeless situation, she received her prayer request not just once but several times: Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:20-21) God wants to bring blessings out of our brokenness. He is a loving provider whose power is limitless. People and things will fail us, but God’s security and strength abide forever. His compassion is inexhaustible. His peace is unexplainable. In your hour of desperation, where do you turn? Do you tell your troubles to anyone who will listen, or do you seek the throne of grace? Prayer: God, help me to come to You in my hour of desperation. Thank You for Your love. I pray that You would bring blessings out of my brokenness. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-20. In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, we come to a prayer of brokenness from a woman named Hannah. Out of her prayer will come a man who will influence the course of history in a mighty way—a man who will anoint the king from whose lineage the Savior of the world will be born. The name Hannah means “favored,” but Hannah didn’t feel favored at all. She felt broken due to her inability to conceive a child. We read in 1 Samuel 1:10, “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.” We should pay close attention to several aspects of Hannah’s prayer. First, we should note that this is the first prayer of a woman ever recorded in the Bible. I’m sure that there were many faithful women who prayed before Hannah, women whose prayers are not recorded in Scripture. And I’m sure we would be astonished at the incredible works God has done in answer to their prayers. In fact, I can tell you that I am a follower of Christ and a servant of Christ because God answered the prayers of my mother. And I can tell you that her prayers were anguished prayers, prayers of brokenness, because I, as a young man, was far from God and was breaking her heart. A second aspect of Hannah’s prayer to note is that it was silent. Her lips moved, but she made no sound. She wasn’t praying to be eloquent. She was praying out of her deep anguish and brokenness. Third, as Hannah prays, she makes no attempt to draw attention to herself. Hannah was not trying to impress anyone or manipulate emotions or gain sympathy. She knew there was only one who could meet her desperate need. There was only one who could do the impossible. And He is the one who hears all prayers—even prayers prayed in silence. God hears our prayers, expressed in groaning too deep for words. These are the prayers of brokenness, and He delights in answering these prayers. God is going to use Hannah’s brokenness to bless her—and to bless the entire world in all generations. Prayer: Thank You that You are close to the brokenhearted. I bring my brokenness to You today, knowing that in You alone am I made whole. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. *This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.