Daniel 10:7-9 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
What is the scariest experience you have ever had in your life? Life and death moment. Don’t know if I’ll survive moment. If I make it out of here alive, I will … moment.
Some people get through life without these kinds of moments, and some people’s lives are filled with them. So are these moments a blessing or a curse? Should we avoid them at all cost? Should we learn to embrace them and learn through them?
So what would it be like if the Creator of the Universe showed up and pulled back the curtain and gave us a glimpse of our future as told from His perspective? Would we survive? Would it be shrugged of as a fluke experience, an aberration of the brain? Would we be lumped in with the ‘tin foil hat’ people and dismissed?
Well, Daniel had several of these kinds of experiences. We read in out text the outcome, both for those who were with him and for Daniel himself. Just seeing the spokesperson for the LORD knocked him for a loop.
His friends didn’t even see the things Daniel saw, and they were terrified. We would say they ‘wet themselves.’ Something about Daniel seeing this vision so changed the atmosphere in the immediate area that they ran away and hid. Now that is scary!
Look at what happened to Daniel. The first thing that happens is that his companions suddenly run away from him and he is alone. They don’t see anything, but they run and hide. That’s weird! The movie starts and they not only don’t see the movie, but the leave the theater. Daniel is alone.
There are few things in life scarier than going through something like this alone. We can make it through almost anything if we aren’t alone. There is strength when we go through things together. Being alone is one of the worst things that we can experience. Think Solitary Confinement. People go crazy when they don’t have human contact.
So Daniel is alone and he has to carry the whole weight of what he sees and experiences alone. And it hits him HARD. Look at the words he uses to describe his physical reaction to seeing these visions.
He has no strength left. He is completely physically drained. The plug has been pulled and his emergency battery has been disconnected. You can see it in his face. Deathly pale in color. Death warmed over. Blood gone.
And then he feels helpless on top of the physical strain. So overwhelmed with seeing and hearing the vision that he feels helpless. What he sees is so great, so powerful that his own insignificance and lack of power take a front seat.
I had an experience like this early in my second military career. We were hosting an event on post to help people experience the power of God in a redeeming way. We met in a large tent structure, large metal frame with thick waterproof canvas skin.
Just minutes before we were to start the event a sudden severe storm swept quickly through the area. We were inside the tent and the wind pushed and pulled the metal frame. All the suspended lights moved wildly. The sound was like a freight train.
A tornado had passed right over us. When we had survived intact, we went outside. All the damage from the downed trees, destroyed roofs, clutter was all over the ground. You could trace the path of the wind by these found remnants. Guest what we found?
The wind had come straight toward the tent, and then divided and moved around the tent, and then joined again on the other side of the tent. It was as though the LORD had sent an angel to put his hand right over the tent to protect us. There was no earthly reason for the tent to have not been destroyed, but it wasn’t.
Daniel’s life was changed in these moments of vision. And all he had seen so far was a man who wasn’t from this earth. He was one of the Heavenly company of beings.
Daniel sees this being and he is so drained he falls into a deep sleep, his face to the ground. I imagine him being so scared that he tries to hide himself in his hands while trying to go unseen on the ground. And that is where he is found and the vision continues.
Then this man comes and touches him to wake him up and has to speak to him and give him strength just to endure. He gets reinforced with this strength and words of encouragement. This is how he is able to endure the visions.
Daniel is no stranger to visions and dreams. He has had them before. But the content of this set of vision and revelation is very different. This set is about a great war, perhaps the greatest war.
After experiencing the vision he is still so disturbed that he goes on a special diet and fasting routine which he keeps up for three weeks. He just can’t seem to get over what he has seen, that’s how disturbing it was.
There are some movies I just can’t watch. They overwhelm me. They might remind me of experiences I have had or of things I have heard about that overwhelmed others. So I avoid watching these things. Life has enough first-hand terror without voluntarily adding to it, or at least that is my coping mechanism.
So next time you know get overwhelmed, don’t do it alone. Call in friends and supporters, those who will walk with you through whatever it is and stay with you out the other side. Don’t do it alone. Don’t let pride get in the way, ask for help.
Second, take care of yourself physically. Daniel changed his diet temporarily to help him deal with it. His daily routine changed in a way that seems to have lowered his outgoing energy. He took care of his personal needs. So you need to take care of yourself.
The third thing is that Daniel accepted strength given to him. He could have said, “No thanks, I don’t want your help!” But instead he accepted the help, even help from the very man who had frightened him so much.
Help doesn’t always come in the shape and size we expect. When it comes, accept it.
The Arnold Journey 