How to Pray for Our Nation - Part 1 of 2
John Weaver | YouTube
| Lecture Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Speaker | John Weaver |
| Source | YouTube |
| Media ID | MJL32jH4Na0 |
| Subject | Civil Government |
| Course | Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates |
| Genre | Sermon |
| Date | 2025-07-23 |
| Dictation Name | |
| Book | Book 026: How to Pray for Our Nation — Chapter 1 |
| Source Timed Segments | 61 |
Synopsis: In this first part of a two-part sermon, Pastor John Weaver teaches from Daniel 9:1-3 how to pray for our nation. He emphasizes that prayer must be grounded in the Word of God and centered on Jesus Christ, not on human bargains or emotions. Daniel's example shows the necessity of a biblical foundation and fervent, humble prayer with fasting and repentance. Weaver challenges believers to know Scripture's promises and warnings for nations, to confess sins of the people and rulers, and to develop a broken heart over sin, warning that without desperation, we may not truly pray until God brings affliction.
Formatted Transcript
Introduction: The Need to Learn How to Pray
Weaver introduces the topic of praying for our nation using Daniel 9 as a model, noting that even Jesus' disciples asked to be taught to pray. He stresses that prayer must be learned and becomes a continual lifestyle.
All right, let's open our Bibles today, if you would please, to the book of Daniel chapter 9, and we're going to read the first three verses. So let me tell you that this is part one of a two-part sermon, so you're getting part one today and part two, Lord willing, next Sunday. So the title of this message is "How to Pray for Our Nation." How to pray for our nation. We are indeed in a lot of trouble, up to our eyeballs, so to speak. And so I want to just share with you from Daniel chapter 9 how Daniel prayed for his people. And so he said in verse 1,
"In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes."
And I'll read verse 4 as well.
"And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments." So how in the world do we pray for our nation? Well, let me begin by saying that the best way to learn to pray is to emulate and to follow biblical examples, especially those examples in praying for our nation. We have that in Daniel chapter 9. We also have that in the book of Ezra as well. Some will object and say, "Well, I don't need to be taught to pray because I know how to pray." Well, you know, the interesting thing is when you get to Luke 11 and verse 1, the Bible says concerning Jesus Christ,
"And as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples came unto him and said, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
So John the Baptist then taught his disciples to pray. And now the disciples of Jesus Christ are asking him to teach them to pray. And here's an interesting truth: we must not only be taught to pray, we must also be taught how to pray. Many do not pray at all. And man by nature does not pray. All one has to do is basically witness the lives of the unsaved.
They do not acknowledge God. They do not thank God. They do not praise God. They certainly do not worship Him. In fact, the truth of the matter is, they live in almost total neglect of God. He is not in their thoughts. He is not in their plans. He is not in their desires. And the only time they cry out to Him is when they are either in extreme pain, extreme difficulties, or they are dying.
I would encourage you to re-listen to a message that you heard long ago, several years back. I preached the message, "Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers." In that message, I gave the essentials of praying, but I also answered the question, "Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers." So, if you'll go back over that, you'll understand how we must be taught to pray. So let me point out the fact that I think that prayer is far more than cries and pleas and petitions. And yes, there are certain parts of prayer. There's adoration. There's praise. That's not what I'm talking about. But I'm just simply saying that prayer actually should become a lifestyle. Prayer is something that once you learn and have been taught to pray, you basically pray continually. Prayer is not just an uttered word. Sometimes prayer is just in our thoughts as well, because oftentimes we're constantly praying in our minds, even though we're not uttering words. So I've often said that prayer is like breathing.
And when I say that, I mean this: sometimes you're very conscious of the fact that you're breathing. Sometimes you're not conscious of the fact that you're breathing. You're just breathing. I don't know about you, but I'm kind of thankful that I don't have to lay awake all night and concentrate on my breathing. I just do that subconsciously. But a lot of times I'll be praying in my mind when my lips are not moving at all. And so prayer, when you're really taught to pray, becomes what I would call absolutely natural, necessary, and normal.
Confessing Sins in Prayer
Weaver asks probing questions about confessing personal sins, the sins of others, and the sins of rulers and the nation. He explains that while sins are forgiven, confession is natural because we grieve God, and we can know others' sins generally.
Now, I want to ask several leading questions to begin with. The first one is this: Do you confess your sins in prayer? And before you say yes or no, I just want to point out the fact that we all know that our sins already have been forgiven. And the truth of the matter is this: it's not just our past sins, but our present and future sins as well. When you stop and think about this, and I've asked this before: how many sins did you commit before Jesus Christ died? And the answer is you didn't commit any sins because you weren't even born. So Christ then not only died for past sin and present sin, but future sins as well. Well, you say, if our sins are forgiven, why in the world are we confessing them? And I will tell you why. Simply because it is normal and natural in the sense that we understand that we've grieved our heavenly Father. We've insulted Him. We've violated His word. We've transgressed His law. We've trespassed against His commands. And we do that by nature in the sense that He's taught us to pray.
If you look in your Bibles, hold Daniel chapter 9, but if you look in your Bibles to Psalm 32, and look if you would please at verses 5 and 6, Psalm 32, verses 5 and 6, at what the Scripture says. Psalm 32 verse 5, David said,
"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."
Then he says this:
"For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found." "Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him."
So he says, everyone that is godly is going to do this. So many times we confess our sins, knowing they have been forgiven, but we are so overwrought because we've grieved and broken the heart of our heavenly Father. So here's another question: Do you confess the sins of others? Now you're going to smile and say, "How can I confess the sins of others? Because I don't even know their sins." But that's not true. You do know their sins. You may not know specific sins or you may not know the sins that they are committing at this particular time, but you know their sins. And the reason you know their sins is because they're the same as yours, basically.
In other words, there's still the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And there's a multitude of other things that you know that you face. Remember this verse: 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13. The Scripture says,
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man."
So what is common to me is common to Steve. What is common to Steve happens to be common to Sharon. What's common to Sharon is common to Dinah. What's common to her is common to Alice. What's common to her happens to be common to everyone. That's what he said. And so we can know the sins of others, generally speaking.
Now, here's the next question: Do you confess the sins of our rulers? How about confessing the sins of our nation? Now, I'm sure that there are not only general sins, but there are specific sins of a nation as well. And these are usually well known to believers. Also, I could ask it like this: Do you pray for your rulers or powers of the nation? Some people will say, "Of course, I pray for them. I pray that God would remove and destroy the reprobates." Well, certainly there's a place for imprecatory praying. If you remember years ago, I brought forth four messages on praying the imprecatory prayers. I've had some people say, "Well, I do pray for them. I pray that the Lord will save them."
So let me give you a Scripture truth. The truth of the matter is this: if they are not already saved, if they're not already Christians, they have no business being rulers. That's what the Word of God says. If you look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17, Deuteronomy chapter 17, and let's begin reading there verse 15. Deuteronomy 17 verse 15. Look what the Word of God says. We'll read through verse 20. Deuteronomy 17 verse 15, God says,
"Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose."
Now look, that's one requirement. The next one is this one:
"from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother."
So there should be no foreigner ruling over God's people, not at all. Note, if you would, there'd be no atheist, there'd be no infidel, there'd be no Muslim, there'd be no one except Christians ruling and reigning.
Biblical Requirements for Rulers
Using Deuteronomy 17 and 2 Samuel 23, Weaver argues that rulers must be believers who fear God and rule justly. He cites John Jay to stress that Christians should select Christian rulers.
Now, here's the next question: Do you confess the sins of our rulers? How about confessing the sins of our nation? Now, I'm sure that there are not only general sins, but there are specific sins of a nation as well. And these are usually well known to believers. Also, I could ask it like this: Do you pray for your rulers or powers of the nation? Some people will say, "Of course, I pray for them. I pray that God would remove and destroy the reprobates." Well, certainly there's a place for imprecatory praying. If you remember years ago, I brought forth four messages on praying the imprecatory prayers. I've had some people say, "Well, I do pray for them. I pray that the Lord will save them."
So let me give you a Scripture truth. The truth of the matter is this: if they are not already saved, if they're not already Christians, they have no business being rulers. That's what the Word of God says. If you look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17, Deuteronomy chapter 17, and let's begin reading there verse 15. Deuteronomy 17 verse 15. Look what the Word of God says. We'll read through verse 20. Deuteronomy 17 verse 15, God says,
"Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose."
Now look, that's one requirement. The next one is this one:
"from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother."
So there should be no foreigner ruling over God's people, not at all. Note, if you would, there'd be no atheist, there'd be no infidel, there'd be no Muslim, there'd be no one except Christians ruling and reigning. Now let me point something out. And I'm not going to quote any of them today, but I've done that in time past. If you will check all of the original charters and constitutions of the colonies, you'll find that all of them demanded Christian rulers. Wow. Well, look at it, if you would, please. In verse 16, he said,
"But he shall not multiply horses to himself."
That is, his military might is not necessarily going to be in his horses or in his men. He said,
"He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself." "that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel."
So God says, look, you're not supposed to have an unbeliever over you. If you would turn right on over in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 23, 2 Samuel 23, and look if you would please
beginning there with verse 1. 2 Samuel 23 verse 1. We'll read through verse 3. The Bible says, 2 Samuel chapter 23, look if you would please now at verse 1. The Bible says,
"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man that was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."
Now I want you to note something. David claims direct inspiration from God four times in two verses for this one simple statement. Look in verse 2,
"The Spirit of the LORD spake by me,"
that's once.
"His word was in my tongue,"
that's twice.
"The God of Israel said,"
that's three times.
"The Rock of Israel spake to me,"
that's four times. Four times, he claims direct inspiration for this sentence:
"He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."
So how in the world can one be just, ruling in the fear of God, if he is not a believer? Unsaved rulers do not fear God, neither are they or can they be just according to Scripture. So may I remind you that the Hebrew word for justice or just and the Hebrew word for righteous are one and the same. Because whatever's just is right and whatever's right is just. Justice is righteousness and righteousness is justice. Now, please understand this: that God does require us to pray for our rulers, but there is a specific reason. So I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2, 1 Timothy chapter 2, and let me show you why God requires us to pray for our rulers. First Timothy chapter 2, and we'll begin reading there with verse 1. To show you we're also to pray for others, which I already asked that question. He says, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men." Then he says in verse 2, "For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour." Now, look at verse 2. We're to pray for kings and for all that are in authority. Why? Not that they might be saved, but that we, God's people, might live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. In other words, we pray for them that they will leave us alone and let us live our lives and obey God without persecution, without problems. They don't interfere in our lives and we're quite easily then able to serve the Lord in whatever manner He takes for us to follow. So we pray not for their benefit, but for our benefit. So we have to remember this simple truth: that God is able to take away their persons. He's able to take away their power. He's able to take away their positions at any time that He so chooses. He also may convert them. He may save them. But I'm just simply pointing out the fact we pray for them that they would leave us alone.
It is for our benefit. Now, here is one area in which I think that we can not only confess the sins of our nation, but we can also confess the sins of other believers participating in this. And that is that we have chosen and elected unsaved and ungodly men to office that do not know the Lord. And consequently, they cannot rule justly, neither can they rule righteously.
So here's a good quote. It comes from the very first Supreme Court Justice, Chief Justice John Jay, who was appointed by George Washington. And Justice John Jay said this: "Almost all nations have peace or war at the will and pleasure of rulers whom they do not elect and who are not always wise or virtuous. Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." Wow. Well, one of the problems we have today is this: the word "Christian" has been literally watered down. We no longer count a Christian someone who is obedient to Christ, someone who follows Christ. Our Lord said in Luke 6 and verse 46, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?" Today we've watered it down to if you just make a profession of faith or if you say you're a Christian, well, you're a Christian. And the truth of the matter is, most Christians have been hornswoggled for so long because everybody says they're a Christian when they're running for office.
The Foundation of Daniel's Prayer: The Word of God
Daniel's prayer was based on his study of Scripture, specifically Jeremiah and Moses. Weaver emphasizes that all prayer must be grounded in God's Word, not in dreams or emotions, and that promises are fulfilled in Christ.
not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." So what is he saying? Unless there's a biblical foundation, it is selfish and it is useless. So I want you to look today, first of all, at the foundation of Daniel's prayer. You'll find that at Daniel 9 in verse 2. He said this: "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." Now, so I could ask you this question: what books was Daniel reading? Well, what were the books? We know he's reading from the book of Jeremiah because he just said so in verse 2. We also know that he was reading from the books of Moses because he names him as well in verse 11. So Daniel was not reading books by false prophets. He was not reading books by false teachers. He was reading the Word of God.
He was reading primarily Jeremiah and Moses. Please understand this simple truth: Daniel was a prophet himself. Daniel was also, the Bible says, a man greatly beloved by God. And yet Daniel, who himself was a prophet and beloved by God, studied the Scriptures for himself. Now, Daniel was a prophet and studied the Scriptures for himself. How much more do we who are not prophets need to study the Scriptures? But in studying Scriptures, Daniel discovered that the captivity was going to last 70 years. He also discovered that the captivity might be coming to a close. He may not have known the exact day or the exact time or hour, but he knew that it was close. So I want to just show you where he got this. So if you would turn back in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 25 first, Jeremiah 25, and look at verses 11 and 12. Jeremiah 25 verses 11 and 12. Note if you would what is said: "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished,
that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations."
So we know 70 years. Now if you look in Jeremiah 29 and verse 10, look at this: Jeremiah 29 and verse 10, "For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place." So just reading Jeremiah, he knew that after 70 years the captivity is going to be over and God had promised to deliver them and return them to their land. So if you look back in Daniel chapter 9, he tells you why exactly they were in captivity, and I'll come back to this next week. But look at it in verse 10 through 13. Look at this, Daniel 9 verse 10. He says, "Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth." I want to point something out. He said, look at it in verse 13, "As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God." Why did they not pray? And why did they not pray that they would turn from their iniquities and understand the truth of God? So here is a truth that I want you to grasp right now. We must ground our prayers upon the Word of God and the Word of God alone. His Word happens to be our foundation. We must know His warnings as well as His promises. We must lean upon Him and trust in His Word and in His promises. We cannot and we must not lean upon or trust in our dreams, our experiences, our feelings, or our emotions. I get so frustrated at times with people who want to tell me about their dreams.
I don't care what your dream is. Your dream, I don't care how good it is, I don't care how bad it is, it's a dream. That which is the foundation that we must base everything upon is the Word of God. It's that simple. And you're going to discover as you read through Scripture that all men and women of faith relied totally upon the promises of God as well as being moved by the warnings and threatenings of God. I'll give you one good, clear, prominent example right now. That's Hebrews 11 in verse 7. Listen:
"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house."
Notice if you would,
"Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear."
He understood the warning. He believed the warning. He followed God. Now I'm trying to lay a foundation for you. Okay, listen to me very carefully. There are multitudinous promises in the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament.
But all of the promises in the Bible, old or new, happen to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. So let me give you a Scripture to begin with, and then we're going to look at some. Matthew 1 and verse 1:
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
Jesus Christ is the true son of David, not Solomon. Jesus Christ is the true son of Abraham, not Isaac. Now it is true that Solomon and Isaac are referred to in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
But there is that which is known as prophetic telescoping. And so when you look in the Old Testament and you're reading about Isaac, you need to look forward past Isaac and see the true Isaac, the Lord Jesus Christ. And you need to look past Solomon and see the true Solomon, the greater than Solomon that was here, that is the Lord Jesus Christ as well. So Jesus Christ is the true son of David. He's also the true son of Abraham.
Now, I want you to follow me very quickly. I want you to look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 15 and verse 8. Romans 15 and verse 8. So look at this. Follow me very quickly. Romans 15 and verse 8, look what the Scripture says concerning Jesus Christ.
"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers."
So Jesus Christ is the one who confirms all the promises. Now turn right over, if you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and look if you would please at verse 20. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20, the Bible says, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." So all the promises of God in him, Jesus Christ, are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us. Now if you would turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter 7 just to show you, when he talks in verse 1 he's actually referring back to all of these promises and especially
the promises in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, but look what he says in verse 1: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." In other words, any promise that we claim has to be applied. The promise unapplied is worthless. Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians, chapter 3 and verse 16. Look at this. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians chapter 3, look in verse 16. Now I told you as I began reading or quoting Matthew 1:1, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Look what the Bible says in verse 16 of Galatians 3:
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
So the true seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ. The true seed of David is Jesus Christ. All the promises that God gave to Abraham, we now have in Jesus Christ. The promises that God gave to David we now have in Jesus Christ. Let me show you. Look in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 29. Galatians 3 verse 29: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Who is the true seed of Abraham? Jesus Christ. And who is Abraham's seed? Those who are in Jesus Christ. And we're heirs according to the promise. The promise that God gave to Abraham was in Jesus Christ, and we are what? Abraham's seed, only if we are in Jesus Christ. So everything is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. So there can be, listen to me, no bargaining with God.
No Bargaining with God
Weaver rebukes the idea of bargaining with God, declaring it blasphemy because God owns everything and needs nothing. All blessings are in Christ, and we must rely on His promises alone.
I find it absolutely astounding that there are many professing Christians who still think that they can bargain with God. I've heard people pray, "Now, Lord, Lord, I need this. Lord, I want this. Lord, if you will do this for me, I promise you I will do this for you." You can't bargain with God. "If you bless me in this area, Lord, I will do this for you. I'll be obedient. I'll do this. I'll do that." May I tell you what that is? That is absolute blasphemy. And the reason it's absolute blasphemy is because God cannot be bargained with. Because He is sovereign and He is the absolute owner of everything and everyone, including you. So, let me say it another way: God does not need you. He does not need your service. He does not need your trade. He does not need your bargain. He does not need anything. He's God. He doesn't need you; you need Him. If you look back in your Bibles, please, to Psalm 50. Psalm 50, go back to Psalm 50.
I want you to see what God says to these people, to Israel. Look at it, Psalm 50. Let's begin reading there with verse 7. God says,
"Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God."
So God's testifying against them.
"I am God, even thy God."
God says,
"I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me."
But they weren't. And He said,
"I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds."
Why?
"For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine."
Look what he said:
"If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof."
God said everything is mine. How in the world do you think that you can bargain with God? You can't. He doesn't need you. You need Him. And the truth is, everything that we need is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is not in us. It is not in our works. It's not in our promises. It's not in our bargains. It's in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that passage in Ephesians 1 and verse 3 where he said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Everything is in Jesus Christ. So the foundation of our prayers must be number one, the person of the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and then according to the written Word of God, the Bible. So everything in our prayers we base upon Him and His Word. So God then has warnings and promises. Listen carefully: God has warnings and promises for nations as well as for individuals, families, and churches. We need to learn how to apply those promises and those warnings. Some years back, I preached a series of five messages from the book of Isaiah on how God destroys nations. And I gave you five things. Of course, one of them was economics.
The Fervor of Daniel's Prayer
Daniel set his face to seek God with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, demonstrating earnest devotion. Weaver explains types of fasting and calls for deep humiliation and fervent prayer in times of national rebellion.
Now, I want you to look back in Daniel chapter 9 at verse 3, because here's the second point I want to make today. And that is the fervor of Daniel's prayer, not just the foundation, but the fervor of Daniel's prayer. Look what he said in verse 3: "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." Now, when Daniel said, "I set my face," what he meant was this: I purposefully and deliberately sought the Lord. I looked to Him specifically for an answer. He was the only one who could give me the correct answer. So the essential idea is that he engaged in a set and formal prayer of earnest devotion. And he demonstrated his earnestness by fasting and by putting on sackcloth and ashes.
Now, fasting revealed his deep concern that he had for his nation, for his people. Fasting oftentimes will make us more alert. And when we're willing to forego food in order to be more alert and direct and concentrate upon our petitions and supplications, it oftentimes helps. And you say, "What if I get a hunger pain?" It should remind you to pray. It should remind you to cry out. And let me just mention this. I'm not going to preach on this, but I'm going to mention it. There are actually three types of fasting in the Bible. Okay, there's absolute fasting. That's when you do without food and water. You can do without food and water up to three days. You go past three days without water, you're dying. That's all there is to it. And no one should go past three days unless God really specifically tells you to. Moses went without food and water while he's on the mount, and moreover Elijah went 40 days and nights without food and water. That's what the Bible says, but God specifically directed him to do that. But you start doing without water more than three days, you're going to perish. That's all there is to it. But that's called an absolute fast. The normal fast is when you do without food, but you drink water, and you can do without food up to 40 days.
I know some people could probably go 80 or 100, but—and some of us need to, I can assure you. But note, if you would, you can drink water and do without food for—it doesn't bother you at all. Okay, and by the way, if you've ever fasted, you know, after about the third day, you pretty much lose your appetite anyhow. And when you start back after 40 days, you have to start back on liquids and start back on salads. Build up. You can't just go and gorge yourself. If you do, you'll get sick as a dog. But that's a normal fast. And there's a partial fast, and Daniel did this. He said, "I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth." In other words, he said my meat was pulse and water. He ate peas and drank water. It was called a partial fast. But he's fasting, and then he said he put on sackcloth and ashes as well. And the sackcloth and ashes were a visible demonstration of his soul's deep humiliation and repentance.
Now, there are two truths I want to point out in light of this verse. The first one is this: we must understand that deep revolting, deep rebellion, and deep afflictions call for deep and solemn humiliation. I'll show you what I'm talking about. Turn right over, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and then Amos. We're going to look in Joel. Joel chapter 1. Of course, this is what God says when we realize how desperate we really are.
God's Decrees Do Not Excuse Prayer
Even though Daniel knew the captivity would end after 70 years, he still prayed fervently. Weaver stresses that knowing God's promises should drive us to prayer, not complacency.
The Scripture says it's better to put confidence in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. It's better to put confidence in the LORD than to put confidence in man. We do not understand and see the desperate situation that we're in. We don't understand how far our disobedience and our rebellion reaches. When we begin to see hundreds of Christians beheaded, as it is now going on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it might change our minds. When we see Christians lined up against the wall and mowed down with machine guns, it might tend to make us want to cry and pray just a little bit more. I'm just simply saying we haven't been crying to the Lord like that. We have not had the fervor that Daniel has. Here's the
second truth: God's decrees and promises do not excuse us from our duty in prayer, but in reality they include and require it. Now Daniel knew that the captivity was going to end in 70 years. He knew that. He may not have known the exact date or the exact hour, but he knew it was fairly close. But guess what? He set himself to prayer and fasting with sackcloth and ashes. In other words, just because we know the promise of God does not excuse us from our duties, neither does it stop us from praying. We must pray. And the truth is this: Daniel knew that that deliverance was not going to come a day earlier or an hour earlier or a minute earlier. And so he set himself to prayer for the appointed time that God would deliver them. So as evidenced in Scripture, his prayer was fervent. His soul was humbled and his heart was set on the deliverance of his people. It was no cold, dry, dusty prayer. It was not a dead and empty prayer.
It was a prayer from his heart, a heart of love and a desire to see the name of God glorified and his people delivered and the land restored. So, we have to have fervor. We have to come to the place that we don't say prayers, we pray. There's a big difference. So let me try to make some applications for today. The first one is this, the question: Do you know the Bible well enough to claim the enunciated promises of God? And do you know where to find those promises in the time of your need and desperation? Do you know how God has promised to destroy and or restore nations? If you do not know these promises, if you do not know these warnings, how can you pray effectively?
Applications and Call to Fervent Prayer
Weaver challenges listeners to know Scripture's promises and warnings for nations, to cultivate broken hearts over sin, and to pray with desperation, warning that God may bring affliction to drive us to prayer.
I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Job chapter 12. Right before the book of Psalms you have the book of Job. Job chapter 12. And I want us to begin reading with verse 16 and read through verse 25. Look at this, Job 12, beginning there with verse 16, talking about God. Look at this. We could actually start back in verse 12, but verse 16 is fine. "With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of
darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man." God has the power to remove. He has the power to restore. He has the power to destroy. He has the power to create. He has the power to straiten. He has the power to enlarge. What He does is up to Him.
And we must understand all of these promises as well as these warnings. The second application is this: we need also a broken and contrite heart over our sins. We need a broken and contrite heart over the sins of our people. We need a broken and contrite heart over the sins of our leaders. And we're never ever going to really pray until there is deep concern or desperation. And the very fact that we are refusing to pray as we should means that God in His sovereignty and His all-wise providence may place us in a situation where we have to pray. We will not escape without it. Jeremiah loved his people. Jeremiah, of course, is known as the weeping prophet. He said in Jeremiah 9 in verse 1, "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" Jeremiah watched the destruction of Jerusalem. He said in Lamentations 2 in verse 19, "Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street." He says, get concerned. Get contrite. Get humbled. Start learning to pray fervently that God would grant us repentance and restoration. Remember, He's the one that can straiten a nation. He can enlarge a nation. He can send revival or He can withhold revival. He can judge us or He can pardon us. So we've looked at the foundation of Daniel's prayer, the fervor of Daniel's prayer. What about the fullness of Daniel's prayer? What really did he say in that prayer? Well, if you really want to know, just be here next Sunday, Lord willing, and we'll look at the fullness of Daniel's prayer. Any questions or comments before we close in prayer?
Study Guide
Major Themes
Prayer Must Be Learned and Grounded in Scripture
Summary: Prayer is not natural to man; it must be taught and based on the Word of God, not on emotions or dreams. Daniel's prayer was founded on his study of Jeremiah and Moses.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'the best way to learn to pray is to emulate and to follow biblical examples' and 'We must ground our prayers upon the Word of God and the Word of God alone.'
Confession of Sin in Prayer
Summary: Believers should confess personal sins, the sins of others, and the sins of rulers and the nation, recognizing that all sin grieves God, even though forgiveness is already secured in Christ.
Evidence: Weaver asks, 'Do you confess your sins in prayer?' and later, 'Do you confess the sins of our rulers? How about confessing the sins of our nation?'
Rulers Must Be God-Fearing Believers
Summary: Scripture requires rulers to be just and fear God, which is impossible for unbelievers. Christians have a duty to select Christian rulers.
Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 17:15 and 2 Samuel 23:3, and quotes John Jay: 'Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty... to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.'
All Promises Are in Christ Alone
Summary: Every promise of God is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the true seed of Abraham and David. Believers inherit these promises only by being in Christ, not by bargaining or works.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen' (2 Corinthians 1:20) and 'everything is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.'
Fervent, Humble Prayer with Fasting
Summary: Deep national sin calls for fervent prayer marked by fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, demonstrating earnest devotion and humiliation before God.
Evidence: Weaver explains Daniel 9:3: 'I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes,' and cites Joel 1-2 as a call to solemn assembly and weeping.
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
Summary: God has the power to enlarge or destroy nations, to remove rulers, and to bring judgment or revival. Prayer must acknowledge His absolute control.
Evidence: Weaver reads Job 12:16-25, showing God 'increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them,' and says, 'What He does is up to Him.'
Key Arguments
Prayer is not natural; it must be taught
Summary: Man by nature does not pray or acknowledge God. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, showing that prayer is a learned discipline.
Evidence: Weaver states, 'man by nature does not pray' and references Luke 11:1 where the disciples said, 'Lord, teach us to pray.'
Confession of sin is necessary even though forgiven
Summary: Though all sins—past, present, future—are forgiven in Christ, believers still confess because sin grieves God and breaks fellowship.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'if our sins are forgiven, why in the world are we confessing them? ... because we understand that we've grieved our heavenly Father.'
Unbelievers cannot rule justly
Summary: Scripture requires rulers to fear God and rule justly; therefore, only Christians are qualified to govern. Electing unbelievers is a sin to be confessed.
Evidence: Weaver argues from 2 Samuel 23:3, 'He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God,' and says, 'Unsaved rulers do not fear God, neither are they or can they be just.'
Prayer for rulers is for our benefit, not theirs
Summary: 1 Timothy 2:1-2 commands prayer for authorities so that believers may live quiet, peaceable lives, not primarily for the rulers' salvation.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'we pray for them that they will leave us alone and let us live our lives and obey God without persecution.'
Prayer must be based on God's Word, not dreams
Summary: Daniel studied Scripture to understand God's will. Effective prayer relies on biblical promises and warnings, not subjective experiences.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'We must ground our prayers upon the Word of God and the Word of God alone... We cannot and we must not lean upon or trust in our dreams.'
Bargaining with God is blasphemy
Summary: God owns everything and needs nothing from us. Attempting to bargain with Him denies His sovereignty and sufficiency.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'God cannot be bargained with. Because He is sovereign and He is the absolute owner of everything and everyone, including you.'
Fervent prayer requires deep humiliation
Summary: Daniel's fasting, sackcloth, and ashes showed his earnestness. National rebellion demands solemn assembly, weeping, and heartfelt repentance.
Evidence: Weaver cites Joel 2:12-13: 'turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.'
Knowing God's promises should drive us to pray
Summary: Daniel knew the 70-year captivity was ending, yet he prayed fervently. God's decrees include our duty to pray; they do not excuse passivity.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'just because we know the promise of God does not excuse us from our duties, neither does it stop us from praying.'
Scripture References
Daniel 9:1-3
Context: Introduction to Daniel's prayer and the historical setting of the 70-year captivity.
Daniel 9:4
Context: Daniel's confession of God's greatness and covenant-keeping mercy.
Luke 11:1
Context: The disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray, showing the need for instruction in prayer.
Psalm 32:5-6
Context: David's confession of sin and the godly practice of praying in a time when God may be found.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Context: Temptation is common to all, so we can generally know the sins of others.
Deuteronomy 17:15-20
Context: God's requirements for Israel's king: chosen by God, a brother, not multiplying horses, wives, or gold, and reading the law daily.
2 Samuel 23:1-3
Context: David's last words, inspired four times, that a ruler must be just and fear God.
1 Timothy 2:1-3
Context: Prayer for all in authority so that believers may live quiet and peaceable lives.
James 4:1-3
Context: Prayers are not answered when asked with wrong motives; without biblical foundation, prayers are selfish.
Daniel 9:2
Context: Daniel understood from books (Jeremiah) the number of years for the desolations of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 25:11-12
Context: Prophecy that the land would serve Babylon 70 years, after which Babylon would be punished.
Jeremiah 29:10
Context: After 70 years in Babylon, God would visit His people and cause them to return.
Daniel 9:10-13
Context: Confession of Israel's disobedience and the curse of the law of Moses, yet they did not pray.
Hebrews 11:7
Context: Noah, warned by God, moved with fear and built the ark; an example of responding to God's warnings.
Matthew 1:1
Context: Jesus Christ is the son of David and Abraham, the true heir of the promises.
Romans 15:8
Context: Christ became a servant to confirm the promises made to the fathers.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Context: All the promises of God in Christ are 'yea' and 'Amen.'
Galatians 3:16, 29
Context: The promises were made to Abraham's seed, which is Christ; believers in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs.
Psalm 50:7-12
Context: God owns everything and needs nothing from man; He cannot be bargained with.
Joel 1:13-14; 2:12-18
Context: Call to fasting, weeping, and solemn assembly in times of national crisis, with promise of God's pity.
Historical References
John Jay, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Context: Quoted as saying that Providence has given Americans the choice of rulers and it is the duty of a Christian nation to select Christians for rulers.
Original colonial charters and constitutions
Context: Weaver claims that all original colonial charters demanded Christian rulers, though he does not quote them directly.
Persecution of Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Context: Mentioned as a contemporary example of beheadings that might awaken American Christians to desperation in prayer.
Important Quotes
Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.
Significance: This quote from John Jay underscores the sermon's argument that Christians have a biblical duty to elect godly leaders.
We must ground our prayers upon the Word of God and the Word of God alone.
Significance: This statement captures the central thesis that effective prayer must be based on Scripture, not subjective experiences.
God cannot be bargained with. Because He is sovereign and He is the absolute owner of everything and everyone, including you.
Significance: This rebukes the common error of trying to negotiate with God, emphasizing His total sovereignty and self-sufficiency.
All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Significance: Quoting 2 Corinthians 1:20, Weaver highlights that every divine promise is fulfilled and secured in Christ alone.
I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
Significance: This quote from Daniel 9:3 exemplifies the fervent, deliberate prayer that Weaver calls believers to emulate.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
Significance: Citing Psalm 66:18, Weaver warns that even cherishing sin in the heart hinders prayer, underscoring the need for repentance.
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
Significance: This inspired statement from 2 Samuel 23:3 is used to argue that only God-fearing believers are qualified to govern.
Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments.
Significance: From Joel 2:12-13, this call to heartfelt repentance illustrates the kind of fervor needed in national prayer.
Discussion Questions
Why does Weaver say that prayer must be taught, and how does Daniel 9 serve as a model for learning to pray?
Context: Weaver opens by stating that even the disciples asked to be taught to pray, and he uses Daniel's example as a biblical pattern.
What is the biblical basis for confessing the sins of others and of the nation, and how should this shape our prayer life?
Context: Weaver asks probing questions about confessing sins beyond our own, citing 1 Corinthians 10:13 and Daniel's example.
According to Deuteronomy 17 and 2 Samuel 23, what are God's requirements for rulers, and how should this influence our voting and prayers?
Context: Weaver argues that rulers must be believers who fear God, and he quotes John Jay on the duty to elect Christians.
Why does Weaver call bargaining with God 'absolute blasphemy,' and how does Psalm 50 support this view?
Context: Weaver rebukes the idea of making deals with God, emphasizing His ownership of everything and our total dependence.
What does Daniel's use of fasting, sackcloth, and ashes teach us about the appropriate posture for prayer in times of national crisis?
Context: Weaver explains the fervor of Daniel's prayer and connects it to Joel's call for solemn assembly and heartfelt repentance.
How does knowing God's promises (like the 70-year captivity) actually compel us to pray rather than make us passive?
Context: Weaver points out that Daniel prayed fervently even though he knew the timing of deliverance, showing that God's decrees include our duty to pray.
What does Job 12 teach about God's sovereignty over nations, and how should that affect our prayers for our country?
Context: Weaver reads Job 12:16-25 to show God's power to enlarge or destroy nations, urging believers to pray with this understanding.
Weaver says, 'we haven't been crying to the Lord like that.' What evidence does he give that American Christians lack fervency, and what might awaken it?
Context: He contrasts current prayer meetings with the desperation seen in Joel and warns that persecution may be needed to drive us to prayer.
Applications
Study Scripture to ground your prayers
Summary: Believers must know the Bible's promises and warnings for nations in order to pray effectively, following Daniel's example of studying Jeremiah and Moses.
Evidence: Weaver asks, 'Do you know the Bible well enough to claim the enunciated promises of God? ... If you do not know these promises, if you do not know these warnings, how can you pray effectively?'
Confess national and personal sins
Summary: Regularly confess not only your own sins but also the sins of your people and leaders, recognizing that all sin grieves God and hinders prayer.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'we can not only confess the sins of our nation, but we can also confess the sins of other believers participating in this.'
Pray for rulers to leave the church in peace
Summary: Pray for those in authority primarily so that believers may live quiet, godly lives without interference, as commanded in 1 Timothy 2.
Evidence: Weaver explains, 'we pray for them that they will leave us alone and let us live our lives and obey God without persecution.'
Reject bargaining with God
Summary: Stop trying to make deals with God; instead, humbly rely on His promises in Christ, acknowledging His total ownership and your complete dependence.
Evidence: Weaver calls bargaining 'absolute blasphemy' and says, 'He doesn't need you; you need Him.'
Cultivate a broken and contrite heart
Summary: Develop deep grief over sin—personal and national—through fasting and humiliation, as modeled by Daniel and commanded in Joel.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'we need also a broken and contrite heart over our sins... we're never ever going to really pray until there is deep concern or desperation.'
Pray fervently, not just say prayers
Summary: Move beyond cold, formal prayers to earnest, heartfelt intercession, especially in light of national rebellion and impending judgment.
Evidence: Weaver states, 'we have to come to the place that we don't say prayers, we pray. There's a big difference.'
Trust God's sovereignty over nations
Summary: Recognize that God alone can enlarge or destroy nations, and pray with confidence in His power to judge or restore according to His will.
Evidence: Weaver reads Job 12 and says, 'He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them... What He does is up to Him.'
Do not let knowledge of God's promises lead to passivity
Summary: Even when you know God's plan, persist in fervent prayer, as Daniel did, because God's decrees include our duty to pray.
Evidence: Weaver says, 'just because we know the promise of God does not excuse us from our duties, neither does it stop us from praying.'
deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:24:45Z
deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:53:20Z