The biblical account of Daniel in the lion’s den has been read, told, and retold for thousands of years. It’s a real-life historical account of a man, Daniel, who was taken captive by a foreign power, the Babylonians.
How did he do it? How did he keep standing for God, even when his life was turned upside down? How did he stand for God when his family was most likely killed, and he was forced to be a eunuch before entering the king’s service?
How did he keep standing for God even when it was illegal, and he would face the lion’s den?
Daniel wasn’t afraid of political opposition, and you shouldn’t be either.
Daniel’s contemporaries weren’t happy that he wouldn’t play their political game. He wouldn’t let them skim from the top, and he wasn’t inclusive enough.
To try and eliminate their political problem, they persuaded King Darius to enact an irrevocable law saying Daniel couldn’t worship God for thirty days. Instead, he had to worship the king. But Daniel was having none of it.
The Bible says, “When Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 6:10)
The political games didn’t change his love for God.
Daniel did everything for the glory of God, and you should too.
The Bible says, “Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.” (Daniel 6:3)
Even while serving an ungodly king, Daniel’s godliness set him apart and elevated him above the rest. Could the same be said about you?
God says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
The only way Daniel could deal with working as an enslaved person was to give his service to God and not man. He needed to work for a higher purpose in the face of his opposition. Can that be said of you? Are you doing what you do for God or man?
Daniel wasn’t afraid to take his faith public, and neither should you.
He wasn’t afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to be seen praying from his window. His faith was public even when he was told to keep it quiet.
Jesus promised that when you put your faith in him, you would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be a witness for him, “telling people about me everywhere.” (Acts 1:8). That’s taking your faith public.
Is your faith public?
Daniel created a precedence of prayer before the problem, and you should too.
Prayer shouldn’t only be during problems. It should also be during the plenty. Daniel knew this.
When his faith was tested, he was already prayed up. And he knew where to go for prayer during the problem because he had already been there. It wasn’t a shock to his system.
You need to create a precedence of prayer before the problem. It will help you stand for God in the face of opposition.
Daniel trusted God to shut the mouth of his lions, and you should too.
Because Daniel refused to bow to anyone but God, he was thrown into the lion’s den. But God shut the mouth of the lions.
What lion is trying to consume your life and your faith? God has the power to shut its mouth. Trust him to stand for you when you stand for him.
And you, just like Daniel, can say, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.” (Daniel 6:22)
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