「但以理阿，不要懼怕，因為從你第一日專心求明白這事，又在你神面前刻苦自己，你的言語已蒙垂聽；我是因你的言語而來。但波斯國的魔君，攔阻我二十一日。」－但以理書10:12-13
但以理禁食禱告足足有21天。他的禱告如此難熬，不是因為人的問題，也不是因為他的禱告出錯，乃是因為撒但特別的攻擊。
神的使者告訴但以理，當他一開始禱告時，神就應允了，問題是波斯國的魔君中途攔阻，絆住了神的使者。
但以理在地上爭戰禱告時，神的使者在天上也經歷同樣的爭戰。
「因我們並不是與血肉之人摔跤，乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、...以及諸天界裡那邪惡的屬靈勢力摔跤。」－以弗所書6:12三個星期的遲延，使得但以理幾乎要放棄，撒但的計畫看來就要得逞。但神不會讓祂的兒女忍受過於他們所能承受的。
許多基督徒的禱告都被撒但延誤了；但是，別害怕信心禱告的累積，因為不久它們就要像洪水一樣，沖來神的應許，也帶來新的祝福。－華金生
"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 hindrance from Satan.
Daniel had fasted and prayed twenty-one days, and had a very hard time in prayer. As far as we read the narrative, 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 wrestled 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 wrestle 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 succumbed, 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 blessing. --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
