May 16

"Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days." (Dan. 10:12, 13)

We have wonderful teaching here on prayer, and we are shown the direct hindrance¹ from Satan.

Daniel had fasted and prayed twenty-one days, and had a very hard time in prayer. As far as we read the narrative², it was not because Daniel was not a good man, nor because his prayer was not right; but it was because of a special attack of Satan.

The Lord started a messenger to tell Daniel that his prayer was answered the moment Daniel began to pray; but an evil angel met the good angel and wrestled⁴ with him, hindering him. There was a conflict in the heavens; and Daniel seemed to go through an agony on earth the same as that which was going on in the heavens.

"We wrestle³ not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers…against wicked spirits in high places" (Eph. 6:12, margin).

Satan delayed the answer three full weeks. Daniel nearly succumbed⁵, and Satan would have been glad to kill him; but God will not suffer anything to come above that we "are able to bear."

Many a Christian's prayer is hindered by Satan; but you need not fear when your prayers and faith pile up; for after a while they will be like a flood, and will not only sweep the answer through, but will also bring some new accompanying blessing⁶. --Sermon.

Hell does its worst with the saints. The rarest souls have been tested with high pressures and temperatures, but Heaven will not desert them. --W. L. Watkinson.

　 五月十六日

“但以理啊，不要惧怕，因为从你第一日专心求明白将来的事，又在你神面前刻苦己心，你的言语已蒙应允，我是因你的言语而来。但波斯国的魔君，拦阻我二十一日”（但十：12/13）。

　　这几节圣经给我们看见祷告方面一件非常的事情，就是撒但直接的拦阻。

　　但以理禁食祷告了二十一天在祷告上花了极大的苦工；可是没有得到答应。从历史上我们看见这并非是因为但以理有罪的阻隔，也并非是因为他的祷告不正当；乃是因为撒但特别的攻击。

　　神的使者告诉但以理：当但以理一起始祷告，神就差遣使者去答应他；但是波斯国的魔君中途拦阻神的使者，和他摔跤。以至但以理在地上受苦。

　　“我们并不是与属血气的摔跤，乃是与那些执政的，掌权的…天空属灵气的恶魔摔跤”（弗六：12）。

　　撒但延迟了神的答应有三星期之久。但以理差不多要悲伤死了（但十：2），撒但的目的原想使他悲伤至死的；但是神不让他的儿女背负过于他们所能背负的轭。

　　许多基督徒的祷告都同样被撒但拦阻；但是你用不着怕你的祷告和信心会堆积得太多；因为不久它们要像洪水一般骤然冲来，不但带着答应，也带着新的祝福。

　　最属灵的信徒，常会受到最厉害的试探。但是神必不遗弃他们。——华金生

1 hindrance   

n.妨碍，障碍

参考例句：

• Now they can construct tunnel systems without hindrance.现在他们可以顺利地建造隧道系统了。
• The heavy baggage was a great hindrance to me.那件行李成了我的大累赘。

2 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

3 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

4 wrestled   

v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤

参考例句：

• As a boy he had boxed and wrestled. 他小的时候又是打拳又是摔跤。
• Armed guards wrestled with the intruder. 武装警卫和闯入者扭打起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 succumbed   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。
• After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

6 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。