Do you know why I have come to you?

Do you ever wonder why some things happen...whether it's to you, someone else or whatever the case might be?

Sometimes those things shock you and you never thought those things would happen to you. It's like you getting knocked on your butt.

In Daniel chapter 10, he got knocked on his butt by one of the visions that he had. This vision that he had was a terrifying vision of a Man. When Daniel had this vision he was standing on the bank of the Tigris river. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and he saw a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

Daniel was with some of his buddies when this was happening and he was the only one who saw this. The guys he was with got scared because they felt a presence and then they went and hid.

Daniel was left alone and saw this great vision and all of a sudden all strength had left his body. His radiant appearance that he had was fearfully changed. Then he heard the sound of his words and when he heard these words he fell on his face.

Sometimes there are things in our lives that happen where we feel totally helpless. We are put into situations where we feel like there is nothing that we can do. What happened to Daniel is what happens to us. He was seeing the great vision and nobody else could see it. We experience what we experience. When God is trying to tell you something in your life and do work in your life, the people around you most likely won't have that same feeling because they are not you. They can understand what you're going through but they can't feel it exactly.

It's like when I get back from going to China. The experience was absolutely amazing. There are things I experienced over there that I cannot bring back here because nobody else can experience those things in the same way. I can share all the stories I want to, the affect might just not be as powerful as the way I was affected.

Back to the story, Daniel is on the ground completely powerless. All of a sudden he feels a hand touch him, and a voice say to him: "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words the I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." When this had been spoken to him, he stood up.

When we get knocked on our butts, that is when God speaks to us, and that is when we need to hear his voice. That is also when God uses others to speak to us. God uses people in our lives to tell us things that we need to hear. I could not be more thankful for those people and that God has placed them into my life.

The voice then had something else to say to Daniel: "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words." 

Daniel was been heard sine the first day he set is heart and humbled himself before God. The entire time he had been heard. Ever since we have accepted Jesus into our hearts, our prayers are heard, our thoughts are heard, everything is heard. Don't forget that. You also have to have patience with that. We have all been in that place before where we pray for something and the prayer is not answered, it takes time and your prayer might be answered in another way. Never forget that you are always heard by God. I challenge you to have that perspective: God hears everything!

When the words from above were spoken, Daniel again turned his face toward the ground and was mute. When this happened, he spoke again about not having any strength.

Again, Daniel was touched by a hand and was strengthened. The voice said: "O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage." Daniel was encouraged by this and said: "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me." 

When we get knocked down, God is always there. We have no reason to fear. We need to be peaceful. We need to be strong and have courage.

Daniel had quite the experience in this chapter of Daniel. He had a vision, got knocked on his butt, and then lost all the strength that he had. He was touched by God, told that he was greatly loved and regained his strength.

Throughout all, he was heard. We are heard forever and always. Use the things that knock you down to start something new and to listen to what God is telling you.

Do you know why I have come to you? Do you know why God has come to you today? Or in the past couple? I challenge you to search for that reason and to find it.