Dan 6:3
3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm NKJV

The Word of God is filled with many men and women who had to deal with the challenges of life and they succeeded.  Why did they succeed?  Because they trusted God, obeyed His Word, and sought His face consistently.  When you go after God you can be filled with His Spirit and do great things.  They are the things that leave a legacy in this world because you believe good and do the right thing.

Daniel was a mighty man of God.  He believed God and sought Him.  He made a point to seek God three times a day in prayer.  He would open his second floor room’s windows, which were facing Jerusalem, and pray in that direction.  He knew that God would always take care of him and according to Daniel chapter 6, thanked God continuously.

God rewarded His faithfulness.  As he was a successful and wise political leader of the nation, I am sure the secret of his wisdom was that God supplied it (James 1:5).  God gave him wisdom on how to make the right choices, choosing people, making decisions on where to invest the governments resources, how to resolve conflicts and many other things.  The secret of Daniel’s great wisdom and success was that he loved God and went after Him with all His heart.

The king recognized him about all the others as he saw the Spirit of God in him.  Daniel 6:3 says the king was thinking about putting Daniel in charge of the whole area to report back to him because Daniel was so faithful and wise.  However, other people began to become jealous.  They began to look for a way to incriminate Daniel.  So what did they do?  They went right after his strength, his relationship with Jehovah the Most High God.  They knew Daniel was dependent on God and made time at least three times a day.  They crafted a trick to get the king to approve a law that made prayer to anyone other than the king a crime.

Daniel knew the law was approved.  Did he whine and cry and stop seeking God?  Did he collapse under pressure?  Absolutely not!  He kept on doing what made him successful.  He keep seeking God.  After the law was activated, the schemers came to his house and caught him praying.  He was guilty!  Although, he knew that he had to obey the laws of the land, he knew that any law that tried to put itself above the Word of God was invalid and would not last..He knew that God would take of him.  And he was right.  Not only did God take care of him, God used what his enemies tried to do to get him.  The trap, in this case the lion’s den, that the people tried to get Daniel killed in was harmless against him.  The king who cared for Daniel had the guys that plotted against Daniel thrown in.  The lion’s had a great lunch.

The point to the testimony of Daniel is very clear.  As a minister and pastor, I can’t tell you how many people come and go from church on Sundays, special outreaches and other events.  It is amazing how people are not faithful still expect to have the same types of victory that Daniel and other great men and women won.  If you know the Word of God, I am not sure how anyone could think half-hearted attendance to church, an occasional read of the Bible, a prayer here or there, or a missing desire to know God can bring them into the Blessed life that Daniel enjoyed.  If you want to really know God you have to spend time with Him and His family.

Let’s be guilty like Daniel!  Let’s be guilty of talking with God all day long.  Guilty of carrying the Word of God wherever we go and meditating on His promises wherever we are.  Guilty of being at church before the doors open.  Guilty of loving those who are lost, hurt, dying, sick.  Guilty of contributing are all to our community through our church that brings the glory back to Jesus.  Guilty of being a bright, positive light in the world for Jesus the Messiah!

Let’s be guilty of seeking God with all of our hearts.  You will never be the same! 

Posted on 1 December, 2007