SESSION 2
PRAY
FERVENTLY
The Point
Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
The Bible Meets Life
It’s common for all of us—even nonChristians—to pray and ask God for help when
a problem arises. That’s OK, because God
invites us to pray and talk with Him. But we
should ask ourselves: am I seeking God or am
I just seeking an answer from Him? Daniel and
his friends needed God’s help. They prayed,
God answered, and Daniel kept the focus on
God—not just on the answer He gave. God
had a plan for Daniel, and He has a plan for us.
He is trustworthy, and we can count on Him
to lead us.
The Passage
Daniel 2:13-21,26-28a
88 SESSION 2
WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE SAY?
Daniel 2:13-21,26-28a
So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed;
and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel
replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s
guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared
to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?”
Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in
and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the
interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and made
the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18
and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this
mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with
the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to
Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20
Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and
ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and
seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the
wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
13
The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are
you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its
interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men,
enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery
that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals
mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be
in the latter days.
26
The Setting
Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar
had a disturbing dream. He called
for the diviners, mediums, and
sorcerers in the land to interpret
the dream for him. Perhaps the
anguish of the dream caused
him to forget its contents, or
perhaps he feared his wise men
would merely concoct some
explanation—but in any case,
he required the men to tell him
the dream as well as its meaning.
When they could not comply,
the king was about to execute
the whole lot of them. Daniel
volunteered to bring God’s
interpretation to the king.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 89
ENGAGE
(15 MINUTES)
GET INTO THE STUDY
ENGAGE: Begin the session with one or more of the Engage Options on
the next page. (This is optional. If you’d rather skip the Engage Options, just
begin with the first discussion question.)
SAY: It’s common for all of us—even non-Christians—to pray and ask God
for help when a problem arises. That’s OK, because God invites us to pray
and talk with Him. But we should ask ourselves: am I seeking God or am
I just seeking an answer from Him? Daniel and his friends needed God’s
help. They prayed, God answered, and Daniel kept the focus on God—not
just on the answer He gave. God had a plan for Daniel, and He has a plan for
us. He is trustworthy, and we can count on Him to lead us.
DISCUSS: Ask students the question, “When the going gets tough, how
quickly do you call for help?”
10
Leader Pack: Use
the Martin Luther
Quote poster to help
introduce this session.
GUIDE: Call attention to The Point. Explain that this is the key to keep in mind
throughout the session.
THE POINT
ITEM
Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
READ: Read and summarize The Bible Meets Life for your group (p.80).
Some people, as they juggle all they have to do each day, create a list
of all their tasks. They prioritize each task, ranking it by its urgency and
importance. I wonder where we would rank prayer on such a list. I have
observed that we give very little time to prayer. We talk about it; we just
don’t do it. We certainly pray when an emergency or crisis comes up, but
we often do everything we can to fix a problem first. We tend to turn to
prayer as a last resort. Prayer should be our response when problems
arise. Daniel knew that. Effective, fervent prayer connects us with the One
who can provide for every need and can solve every problem. Our prayers
connect us with God’s plan.
The gray bar indicates
this material is from
students’ Personal Study
Guide. The bolded page
number is where you can
find the corresponding
PRAY: Transition into the session by praying that students learn the importance
text in the Personal
of prayer and make it a priority in their lives.
Study Guide.
90 SESSION 2
Engage Options
YY Lead with Action
Come up with some “worst case scenarios” for students to solve. For example,
“What would you do if, while hiking in the mountains, you fell and broke
your leg, and all you had with you was a roll of yarn?” Lead students to offer
solutions to the problems. Say, “In worst case scenarios, the solutions to
our problems may not always be completely obvious. However, in our
daily lives we have a solution when we face trials or hardship: prayer.
God is always available to us through prayer, and He invites us into
continual communication with Him.”
OPTION: Share a time
when you faced a difficult
situation. Discuss the
importance of prayer in
those moments, and be
open to answering any
questions from students.
YY Lead with Atmosphere
At the front of the room (on a wall or board), post note cards with different
struggles that students might face written on them (relationships, decisions
about the future, peer pressure, school, etc.). On a larger sheet of paper, write
GOD, and on another sheet of paper, write YOU. Using string or yarn, connect
these cards and papers with the string, creating a giant web. Say, “Often we
want to avoid carrying our struggles or pains to God. But He invites us
to pray continually, creating a deeper connection with Him.”
YY Lead with Media
Search the Internet for “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Lifeline Fail” videos.
After showing the clip, say, “When someone needed help on this game
show, they could ‘use a lifeline’ and call a friend. Sometimes this friend
was helpful; other times, they failed the contestant. But we can rest
assured that there is a lifeline that we can always go to in our lives who
will never fail us.”
OPTION: Conduct your
own “Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire” game. Have
one volunteer answer a
series of questions, and
if they get stuck, they
can “phone a friend”
by asking for help from
someone in the room.
If they answer all of the
questions correctly,
reward them with a
small prize, such as a
piece of candy.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 91
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
So the decree went out,
and the wise men were
about to be killed; and
they sought Daniel and his
companions, to kill them.
Then Daniel replied with
prudence and discretion
to Arioch, the captain of
the king’s guard, who
had gone out to kill the
wise men of Babylon. He
declared to Arioch, the
king’s captain, “Why is
the decree of the king
so urgent?” Then Arioch
made the matter known to
Daniel. And Daniel went
in and requested the king
to appoint him a time,
that he might show the
interpretation to the king.
—DANIEL 2:13-16
DANIEL 2:13-16
DISCUSS: Lead students to share their answers to the following question,
“Have you ever had a dream that woke you up and kept you up? Explain.”
GUIDE: Explain to students that King Nebuchadnezzar also had a dream that
kept him up. His troubling dream came from God, and this dream was given for
the following reasons...
Through the dream (p.82)...
YY God displayed His sovereignty even over pagan kings and nations.
God showed He is the true Source of power.
YY God brought glory to Himself in the sight of the world.
YY God assured His own people, the Jews, of His care during the
captivity by using one of them to interpret the dream.
SAY: When Nebuchadnezzar wanted to know the meaning of the
dream he asked his wise men. But since the dream came from God, its
interpretation also came from God.
DISCUSS: After explaining that Nebuchadnezzar first consulted with his wise
men when facing a crisis, lead students to answer the following question,
“What ways do you go about solving a crisis when one comes around?”
READ: Lead a student to read the following (p.82):
When all the wise men failed to interpret the dream (they failed because
they did not consult the one true God), the king had them killed. Finally, it
was time for Daniel to come on the scene. Daniel didn’t know the dream,
but he knew the Source of the dream. All he needed was time to pray.
When you’re looking for spiritual answers, you don’t go to politicians,
educators, or scientists; you go to God.
92 SESSION 2
Commentary
DANIEL 2:13-16
Early in his reign King Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him. His
disturbing dreams haunted him with a vague suspicion that he and his
kingdom were threatened by something beyond his control—something to
be feared. Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams were so troubling that he couldn’t sleep
(v. 1). Apparently he had the same dream night after night until he could not
sleep at all.
In all probability, Nebuchadnezzar had little confidence in his alleged wise
men and was testing their integrity more so than their intelligence. By insisting
that they tell him the content of the dream as well as its interpretation,
Nebuchadnezzar would know whether they truly had supernatural insight.
[Verses 13-14] Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree that the wise men were to
be executed. This order included the young men who came to Babylon from
Jerusalem—Daniel and his friends. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s
guard, approached, Daniel asked why the wise men had been condemned.
Rather than demanding an answer or crying out in fear, Daniel responded with
wisdom and diplomacy.
[Verse 15] Daniel asked why the king’s decree was so harsh. Daniel wanted
to ascertain the reason behind Nebuchadnezzar’s abrupt malice toward all his
advisors. Appreciating Daniel’s concern and tact, Arioch explained the situation.
[Verse 16] Arioch decided to allow Daniel direct access to King
Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel understood the risk and the hazard. Obviously, Daniel
knew that Nebuchadnezzar could not be duped by a scheme of delay. Daniel’s
request for the king to give him some time was not a stall tactic to postpone
an inevitable execution. Instead of a ploy, it was a petition for time to spend
in prayer. Prayer opens the eyes of our hearts so we can see our circumstances
through godly lenses. Daniel longed to see the king’s crisis clearly, but first he
needed to listen carefully to God in prayer. Daniel believed that time spent in
prayer would afford him the opportunity to give the king the interpretation.
Prayer counts when the pressure mounts, and the limitation of our own analysis
must yield to God’s greater design. Daniel believed that God could enable him
to give an accurate and truthful reply to Nebuchadnezzar.
TIP: Always be
thinking of ways
to package the
lessons learned
in the session to
students’ unique
situations.
When given the
opportunity, use
them or yourself
as an example
when leading
the session.
Apparently, Daniel’s promise to interpret the dream for the king led to the
execution order being canceled and to more time. The wise men’s lives were in
Daniel’s hands, but his confidence rested in God.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 93
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
Then Daniel went to
his house and made
the matter known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions,
and told them to seek
mercy from the God of
heaven concerning this
mystery, so that Daniel
and his companions might
not be destroyed with the
rest of the wise men of
Babylon. Then the mystery
was revealed to Daniel in
a vision of the night. Then
Daniel blessed the God of
heaven. Daniel answered
and said: “Blessed be the
name of God forever and
ever, to whom belong
wisdom and might.
He changes times and
seasons; he removes kings
and sets up kings; he gives
wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to those who
have understanding.
—DANIEL 2:17-21
94 SESSION 2
DANIEL 2:17-21
DISCUSS: Discuss the following question with students, “When have you
encountered the power of prayer?”
SAY: Daniel didn’t pray alone; He urged his friends to pray with him.
And pray they did. Of course, their lives depended on God’s answer,
but they knew God was a God of love and mercy, and they trusted He
would respond.
READ: Guide a student to read the following (p.83):
We can follow the example set by Daniel and his friends.
YY Pray correctly. Correct prayer comes with a pure and humble heart.
Praying correctly means:
YY Having the right relationship. True prayer depends on having a
spiritual relationship with God that enables us to call Him “Father”; this
can come only through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:6).
YY Making the right requests (1 John 5:14-15).
YY Pray persistently. Jesus taught us to pray and not give up (Luke 11:9).
YY Pray expectantly. Daniel was confident God would give him the
interpretation. Daniel knew who was in charge and who would give him
the wisdom he needed.
Commentary
DANIEL 2:17-21
[Verse 17-18] After Daniel expressed his request to the king he returned home
to inform Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the situation. As the threat of
execution loomed, Daniel urged his friends to ask God for mercy concerning
this mystery. Their prayer was addressed to the God of heaven because
He alone could provide the answer they needed. In stark contrast to the
Babylonian deities of the sun, moon, and stars, Daniel petitioned the God who
created the heavens and formed the sun, moon, and stars by His power. Only
God’s wisdom could reveal the meaning of the mystery.
TIP: Lead students
to discuss the
following, “Why
is it important to
pray correctly,
persistently,
and expectantly?”
[Verse 19] God answered Daniel’s prayer. Daniel and his friends didn’t create
the answer to the king’s mystery; God revealed it. Consequently, Daniel
erupted in a thanksgiving prayer in verses 20-23. He took no credit for God’s
intervention, but offered glory to God by praising Him.
[Verses 20-21] Note the three aspects of Daniel’s thanksgiving prayer. First,
Daniel extolled the name of God. God’s name is synonymous with His person
and character. God’s name represents all of His divine attributes. This is a
crucial factor regarding answered prayer. Whenever someone claims God has
answered a prayer that contradicts His character, we can be assured that the
claim is erroneous. God does not contradict His faithfulness and holiness.
A second aspect of Daniel’s prayer magnified God’s wisdom. God’s knowledge
is His inerrant comprehension of every detailed bit of information that exists.
His wisdom is the inerrant application and use of His perfect knowledge.
Therefore, God inherently knows how to faithfully apply the right means to
achieve the perfect conclusion. Furthermore, God is pleased to give wisdom
to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. While at first
pause this statement may seem unfair, it does not mean that God is capricious
or unjust about His benevolence. The reason God rewards the wise with more
wisdom is because they received and obeyed His wisdom to start with. Jesus
made a similar point in His parable about the soils (Matt. 13:12). When God
grants the wisdom of His truth to illuminate our paths, He is delighted to give
us more as we walk in His steps.
TIP: Point out
the sentence,
“God’s knowledge
is His inerrant
comprehension
of every detailed
bit of information
that exists.”
That basically
means that God
knows everything
about everything.
A third part of Daniel’s prayer focused on God’s power. Daniel declared that
God holds the power to change the times and seasons and alter the events of
our times. Consequently God is the One who removes and establishes kings.
From a human perspective, Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man in the
world. He tolerated no rivals and bowed to no other person. Daniel, however,
stood upon a truth that was far greater than Nebuchadnezzar’s ego—namely,
that God’s rule and God’s might allowed Nebuchadnezzar to live and preside
as a king.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 95
IMPART
(10 MINUTES)
STUDY THE BIBLE
The Point: Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
The king declared to
Daniel, whose name was
Belteshazzar, “Are you
able to make known to me
the dream that I have seen
and its interpretation?”
Daniel answered the king
and said, “No wise men,
enchanters, magicians, or
astrologers can show to
the king the mystery that
the king has asked, but
there is a God in heaven
who reveals mysteries,
and he has made known
to King Nebuchadnezzar
what will be in the latter
days. Your dream and the
visions of your head as you
lay in bed are these.
—DANIEL 2:26-28A
DANIEL 2:26-28A
GUIDE: Help students understand that only God could interpret
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
DISCUSS: Discuss the following question, “How did Nebuchadnezzar
respond? (Dan. 2:47)”
SAY: Daniel could have taken credit for knowing the dream and its
interpretation. But Daniel’s character was different. He knew that
everything—including his own abilities and wisdom—was rooted in
God. Daniel sought God in prayer, and he acknowledged that God had
revealed the answer he received. The glory belonged to God alone. When
you have been living for Christ, people in crisis often look to you. When
that happens, take a cue from Daniel.
READ: Enlist a volunteer to read the following (p.84):
YY Take the initiative with discretion and discernment (v. 14).
YY Show them the love of Christ.
YY Solicit support from God’s people (vv. 17-18).
YY Pray fervently for them and give them God’s answer—an answer
grounded in Scripture.
YY Give the glory and praise to God (v. 28).
DISCUSS: Lead students to discuss the following question, “How can we more
fully incorporate prayer into the life of our group?”
DO: Direct students to complete the Action Point, “Constant
Communication” (p.84).
Constant Communication
Regardless of your sport of choice, you’ve probably seen an athlete point
to the sky in gratitude after completing a touchdown, making a goal, or
hitting a home run. But prayer shouldn’t be something we do only when
we experience success; it should be a constant part of our lives.
How does prayer affect your daily life?
96 SESSION 2
Commentary
DANIEL 2:26-28A
The effect of Daniel’s prayerful plea to God not only changed Daniel and his
friends, it shaped Daniel’s empathy toward the other wise men of Babylon.
Immediately, Daniel went to Arioch and begged him not to begin the
executions (v. 24). Interestingly, Daniel’s appeal to withhold the death sentence
preceded the dramatic news about the interpretation of the dream. The Creator
of the stars used Daniel as His star witness for the liberation of the horoscopic
counselors. Daniel boldly asked Arioch to take him to Nebuchadnezzar.
[Verse 26] In the presence of the king, a subordinate was not allowed to speak
except at the king’s request. Daniel listened respectfully as Nebuchadnezzar
asked him if he could interpret the dream. The words are you able were subtly
tempting. They offered Daniel an opportunity to put himself in better standing
before Nebuchadnezzar by taking credit for the miraculous vision he had
received from God.
TIP: Clarify for students
that Daniel was not
able to interpret the
dream because of
his great wisdom;
his interpretation
came from God.
[Verse 27] With humble recognition of his own insignificance, Daniel answered
the king. He did not claim credit for his miraculous understanding of the
king’s dream and its interpretation. Rather, Daniel declared that no wise
man, medium, diviner-priest, or astrologer was able to make known to the
king the mystery. Daniel’s statement was bold and dangerous. The explosive
temperament of the king could have burst into a death order on the spot.
[Verse 28a] Daniel wanted the king to understand that the one true God was
the one who gave the dream to the king and its interpretation to Daniel. Daniel
stated boldly that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He explained
that God alone could clarify the confusion that baffled the king.
Daniel’s goal was not merely to interpret the dream and save his life—including
the lives of the other counselors. Rather, he wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know
the one true God whom he served. Our primary concern always should focus
on helping people know the Lord we worship and serve rather than meeting
our personal needs.
TIP: Discuss with
students how they
can give credit to
God for the gifts
He’s given them,
as Daniel gave
credit to God for
the interpretation.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 97
IMPACT
(10 MINUTES)
APPLY IT
TIP: Lead students
to pray as a group
for the ministry,
each other, and the
impact they can have
on the community.
Spend group time
on this rather
than covering the
whole session if the
opportunity arises.
SAY: As we have looked at Daniel and his friends praying and seeking God
in their time of need, what has God been saying to you?
READ: Guide a volunteer to read aloud a few ways students can take what they
learned and Apply It (p.85).
YY Talk to God. Prayer is not just what we do in a crisis; it is spending
consistent time with God in personal conversation. Set aside 15 minutes a
day for uninterrupted conversation with God. Allow Him to speak to you
through His Word.
YY Keep track of your prayers. Make a list of your prayer requests and
record how God answers your prayers.
YY Pray with others. Start a group specifically for the purpose of prayer.
Gather for an hour or so once a week to pray for your families, your pastor,
your church, your school, missionaries, and special needs.
GUIDE: Lead students to consider which of the three suggested responses to
the Bible study most closely applies to them and their current circumstances.
ASK: Which of these responses do you personally need to focus on most
as you live this session out? Allow time for responses.
WRAP UP
PRAY: Close in prayer, asking God to help students go to Him first in their
times of need.
ASK: Ask students about last week’s Live It Out options. Discuss any responses
and encourage students as they choose to apply the Bible to their lives.
GUIDE: Encourage students to complete one or both of the Live It Out activities
for the week. Let them know you will discuss them the next time you meet..
For free online training on how to lead a group visit
MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife
98 SESSION 2
LEADER LIVE IT OUT
To find the One Conversation™ for all
ages, visit www.BibleStudiesForLife.com.
Before the session, challenge yourself to grow with your students through this Live It Out.
The Lord’s Prayer | Daniel 2:13-21,26-28a
Notes:
Look up Matthew 6:9-13. This passage is a model for how we can pray. It is not the
only thing we should pray, but it gives us good guidance in how to talk with God.
Write this prayer out as you pray it to God several times through. Then, write the
prayer out in your own words. Finally, go back through the prayer and next to each
line, list how you will specifically strive to make this prayer true in your life.
ONE CONVERSATION™
Scripture: Daniel 2:13-21,26-28a
Topic: Pray Fervently
Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: It’s common for all of us—even non-Christians—to pray and ask God for help when a problem arises.
That’s OK, because God invites us to pray and talk with Him. But we should ask ourselves: am I seeking God or am I just seeking an
answer from Him? Daniel and his friends needed God’s help. They prayed, God answered, and Daniel kept the focus on God—not just
on the answer He gave. God had a plan for Daniel, and He has a plan for us. He is trustworthy, and we can count on Him to lead us.
STUDENTS
THE POINT: Our prayers connect us with God’s plan.
• When have you encountered the power of prayer?
• How can we more fully incorporate prayer into your life?
Discuss the following quote: “I realized that the deepest spiritual
lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way... but by
His making us wait ...until we are able to honestly pray what He
taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.”1 —Elisabeth Elliot
1. Elisabeth Elliot, “Elisabeth Elliot > Quotes,” Goodreads [online], [accessed 16 March 2015]. Available from
the Internet: www.goodreads.com/quotes/360361-i-realized-that-the-deepest-spiritual-lessons-are-notlearned
LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to do one or both
Live It Out activities in the Personal Study Guide. Here are some
suggested ways to help your student:
If he or she plans to complete Prayer Partner:
• Be intentional about asking your student what he or she
needs prayer for.
• Offer to join in on your student’s prayer time. Designate a
time each week for you and your student to commune with
God and lift up others in prayer.
If he or she plans to complete The Lord’s Prayer:
• Model the importance of prayer to your student by making
prayer a priority in your life.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 99