DARE TO BE A DANIEL (Some content from various sources; incorporates 575, 603, 962, )

Daniel in the lion’s den.

It’s a familiar story.

How did he end up there?

We’re going to take a look at what took Daniel to the lion’s den – and sustained him there…

I’d like to revisit that with you today… To introduce you to the Daniel of the Bible, and take a look at what made him tick...

Right from HIS YOUTH Daniel endured some hard things.

As a lad, he was taken captive from his homeland.

Taken, to Babylon, along with his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

They were just teenagers.

Taken to Babylon… with its strange culture… a land full of idols… lots of pressure, AND temptation…

Even the king, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw their potential, the stuff they were made of, their talent…

He personally handpicked them, to serve him, and he offered them the very best education of the day.

He wanted them to learn the lingo and the lifestyle of the Babylonians…

To switch them over to Babylon’s way of thinking, and living…

The king appointed Ashpenaz, to take these intelligent young men through a three-year training program…

Daniel and his friends stood out… There was something about them. How they handled themselves. We would do well to learn from them, today.

King Neb saw them, as…

Daniel 1:4. Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science,

and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

They had character, wisdom, and ability.

King Neb changed the boy’s names to those of pagan gods…

He assigned daily food and wine from his own table…

We notice one thing that stood out about Daniel right here…

DANIEL’S SEPARATION

The Bible shows us how, as God’s dear people, we are to be a separate people, made useful for Him.

Separated – to God’s will and way for our lives.

Daniel 1:8BUT DANIEL purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel purposed in his heart… He decided… He made up his mind… He determined to obey the Word of

God.

He made up his mind, that: …he would not defile himself...

He couldn’t drink wine… or eat certain foods against God’s law.

Here they were, 300 miles away from their homeland, and from godly influences… Exposed, to all that the world had to offer…

BUT, as a teenager, Daniel said: I’m not going to defile myself I’m not going to do what’s wrong before

God I don’t care what it costs…

He was determined to obey God… no matter what.

He wanted to keep clean.

The world is defiled… Dirty language Dirty minds Dirty habits

Daniel treasured God’s Word in his heart so that he would not sin... He wanted a clean heart.

That’s the COURAGE we need… in a CULTURE that’s HELL BENT against God.

He said: I’m going to do what is right. He purposed in his heart…

He made up his mind… He stood firm...

Daniel and friends had the spirit of excellence… They did not waver They did not follow the crowd They did go along with the popular

culture.

Biblical separation makes a stand. It does not bow down to worldly pressure. I am not going to go along so I can get along. I am NOT going to join in with the worldly crowd. I’m going to separate from what is error and compromise.

I’m not going to soil myself with what the pagan world is doing.

I am willing to be different.

God honoured Daniel, and Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah… and their faith, as they obeyed the Lord.

These young men chose rather to please God and honour Him than bow down to an idol…

They were strong and courageous.

They acted with commitment and integrity. And God honoured their faith, as they stood firm, as a separated people.

Daniel had an EXCELLENT SPIRIT that showed in his WISDOM and SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT (Daniel 5:12).

Daniel was a man of COURAGE and CONVICTION.

We’ll pick up the story again…

Here is Daniel. He is in his later years…

He’s aged about 90... He's still God's choice, and He’s still the king’s choice to be prime

minister.

Now he is serving under King Darius.

King Darius set Daniel in high office.

NOTICE, here what stands out about Daniel:

DANIEL’S SPIRIT

The king saw something about Daniel.

He saw that Daniel had AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT...

Daniel 6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS IN HIM; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

As someone has noted, “Daniel served in high positions of the pagan government for more than 60 years of his life. This was an incredible accomplishment for a Jew!

“In the ancient times, a new king would kill all the advisors of the previous king so that there would not be any possible upheavals or revolts. In spite of that, Daniel was chosen to serve four successive kings.

“The Bible even recorded that at least three of these four kings promoted Daniel to one of the highest positions of authority and trust. Why?

“Simply because Daniel had excellence and lasting quality.

“As Daniel grew older, he did not become useless and ineffective. He maintained his cutting edge by renewing his mind in the Spirit, and not conforming himself to the worldly standards.

“His thoughts and ideas were not obsolete and outdated. He remained faithful to God

and man. There was no error or fault found in him.

“When his bosses wanted something done, they could count on Daniel to deliver the goods. Daniel did all things with excellence. Not a trace of sloppiness could be found in any of his works. He had lasting quality!”

So, Daniel had AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT in him. And, so can we...

Let us be, as the people Daniel wrote of, in Daniel 11:32, …the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

If we do, we will stand out from the crowd. Like it was when Nebuchadnezzar found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

They stood out from all the others…

There was an EXCELLENCE there…

They had a different spirit.

When you are a person of excellence…

God will use you.

Consider this word, EXCELLENCE.

EXCELLENCE speaks of… Going beyond EXPECTATIONS Going beyond THE NORM Going beyond THE STANDARD.

It means… To EXCEED the average To be FIRST-RATE, A-1 To be TOP QUALITY.

EXCELLENCE means BEING YOUR BEST.

God calls us to this… NOT to SETTLE for SECOND RATE

He calls us to EXCELLENCE – to HONOUR and PLEASE Him, in all that we do.

Back to Daniel. Here’s the lead up to how faithful Daniel ended up in the lion’s den…

The presidents and princes were jealous.They wanted to bring him down…

Daniel 6, Verse 4, …but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Daniel was FAITHFUL. King Darius saw faithfulness. He saw how that Daniel served God continuously, Verse 16.

There was A CONSTANCY about him, about his life…

(5) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

They searched and searched, and they found Daniel blameless.

Faithful.

Even Daniel’s enemies knew he was faithful. They couldn’t find an error or fault…

Daniel’s separation and Daniel’s spirit stood him in good stead.

He was not corrupt, or careless.He was dependable.

What he did for God… Whatever he did.

Everything he did. He did it with excellence.

He had an excellent spirit… He was a man of honour and integrity, honest and noble…

They found no fault... no corruption, no error...

They couldn't find anything he did that he shouldn't have done, nor anything that he didn't do that he should have done…

They couldn't find ANYTHING…

The only thing they thought they could use against him was his total commitment to God.

We’ve seen Daniel’s SEPARATION. He purposed in his heart not to defile himself. We’ve seen Daniel’s SPIRIT. An excellent spirit was in him.

Now we see:

DANIEL’S STEDFASTNESS

They couldn't find anything against Daniel. If there was anything, they would have found it, and they couldn't.

Their only hope was to use Daniel’s devotion to God to their own advantage. They knew that Daniel held fast to the Word of God.

Daniel’s life was lived stedfast.

He was stedfast in the scriptures.

He was stedfast in prayer… In close communion with God…

The jealous officials talked Darius into making a law banning prayer, other than to Darius…

They swayed him to make a binding decree, a law, aimed to get Daniel into trouble… that no one should make a request of anyone for thirty days, only of the king.

Verse 10, Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God…

He did what he always did. He was stedfast in prayer.

Daniel was a praying man. He publicly prayed three times a day.

Daniel wasn’t about to lessen his devotion to God to suit himself.

Even to save his own neck.

His accusers used Daniel’s stedfast faith against him.

So Daniel’s enemies caught him in the act… They found him guilty of breaking the law… by praying.

He was condemned, in accordance with the decree, to be cast into a den of lions… to become lunch for the lions…

And these are real lions, hungry lions.

Lots of them…

King Darius was torn. He had to carry through with his edict. But he loved Daniel. Daniel’s stedfast faith had impacted even this pagan king…

Verse 16, “Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

(17) And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

(18) Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music

brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

(19) Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

(20) And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

In Verse 20 the king calls Daniel a servant of the living God.

The king knew that Daniel had a higher loyalty.

When it came down to who to obey, God or man… Daniel squarely put his loyalty to God first.

That’s an excellent spirit at work, right there.

Our allegiance is to a higher power…

THE highest power.

When you have an excellent spirit it will be evident in your LOYALTY.

Will people recognise that you also are a servant of the living God?

(21) Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. (22) My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut

the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me:

forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

He believed God and God honoured his stedfast faith.

(23) Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

When they lifted him out, there was “no manner of hurt”, because he believed in his God.

Now it would be Daniel’s accusers’ turn to visit the lions.

(24) And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives;

and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

The lions were so hungry and ferocious they shredded them before they ever hit the ground.

Next, the king makes another decree. Daniel’s excellent spirit made an impact on a whole nation:

(25) Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

(26) I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for

he is the living God, and stedfast forever,

and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. (27) He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in

earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (28) So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

DANIEL was unbending, even as he faced the threat of the lion’s den.

Daniel’s separation came from his heart’s purpose.

Daniel’s spirit was excellent.

Daniel’s faith was stedfast.

CHARACTER matters.INTEGRITY matters.

Daniel had AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT… He was obedient to God Faithful Without fault.

People will notice that you have an excellent spirit.

You will excel.

Your actions will speak louder than your words.

If you were to go looking to take someone on for a job, what would you look for?

Especially important, it’s character, attitude…

The spirit of a man…

Would you recruit someone with a bad attitude; someone lazy, a liar, a drunk?

What if you needed a doctor, or wanted a mechanic? Wouldn’t you look for someone you knew was fair and honest?

Daniel was recognised for his excellence. For his faith. For his faithfulness.

The king set him in high office.

Verse 3, Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him.

He was wise, faithful, blameless…

People are going to recognise there’s a spirit within you…

Daniel had this excellent spirit. He had integrity and unwavering faith. He was determined in his heart to do right, no matter what.

A person with an excellent spirit is someone who can be trusted. He will do right.

Like the saying goes:”It's better to have a handshake from a man of integrity than a signed contract from a man lacking integrity.”

Daniel had an unbending desire to obey the Word of God, without reservation.

Daniel was a man of lasting quality.

APPLICATION

It’s a familiar story, Daniel in the lion’s den.

What can we learn from Daniel?

What about making a PERSONAL APPLICATION now?

Will you purpose in your heart, not to defile yourself?

Will you strive to have an excellent spirit? Will your heart be true and stedfast, to your commitment to Christ?

Do you have an excellent spirit? In your heart life? In your thought life? In your home life?

Why are we to aspire to be excellent?

We will all one day stand before THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST to receive back for what we have done in this life.

WHY AIM FOR EXCELLENCE?

We AIM for EXCELLENCE because of…

WHO we SERVE and WHO we REPRESENT.

There is no HIGHER REALM… No HIGHER AUTHORITY No HIGHER RESPONSIBILITY No HIGHER REWARD.

We CARE about THE EXCELLENCE of what we do…

BECAUSE… God WANTS our SPIRITUAL GROWTH…,

and We are GIVING OUR LIFE TO GOD, so

that HE WILL GET ALL THE PRAISE! He deserves our BEST, not some half-hearted effort.

WE WANT… To be THE BEST WE CAN BE for the Lord To be FUNCTIONING IN EXCELLENCE TO DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

It starts with the heart.

Daniel purposed in his heart to make the right choice...

Daniel chose to follow God To obey His Word…

Daniel resolved not to defile himself. He maintained his purity.

We see the EXCELLENCE of Daniel in his… FAITHFULNESS – he stood firm and true PRAYERFULNESS GODLY FRIENDS

To be EXCELLENT is… To EXCEL… To GO ABOVE and BEYOND…

Do we excel for God? Or give God our second best?

Do we have the attitude… That’s “good enough” That’ll do…

Or do we aim… prayerfully… For the best? For what is right? For what is most excellent?

Paul compared Christian living to the determination of an athlete.

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We press forward, stedfastly, with determination!

Like a runner, who pushes himself to the limit. Straining every nerve and muscle to reach that finish line.

Paul was a man with A SINGLE PURPOSE and was full of passion, a man of action.

He was DETERMINED to reach THE GOAL.

And win the prize.

V. 13. "This one thing I do..."

His goal in life was to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

He had a commitment to excellence!

God has called us to this.To high and holy living.

He deserves our very best.

In the Old Testament nothing but the best was to be brought to God… they were not allowed to bring something substandard… not the lame sheep or the spoiled grain… They were to honour the Lord with their best…

What about us?Will we strive for excellence?

Let us seek… To do our best and Choose what is best.

As we please the Lord in our day by day living we will fulfill His highest purpose for our lives.

Will we be like the woman in Mark 14:3-9? She had an excellent spirit as well…

She broke the jar and poured the perfume on the Lord’s head…

This woman wanted to show Jesus how much she loved him, so she brought a jar of very expensive perfume, worth a year’s wages...

The most expensive thing she owned…

She could have used cheaper perfume, but she wanted to give the Lord her best.

She could have just taken a little bit and dabbed it on Jesus’ feet, but she wanted to give him her everything.

So she came in with this valuable alabaster jar, BROKE IT, and poured all of the contents on the head of Jesus.

“Good enough” wasn’t good enough for her to show her love for Jesus. He deserved all that she had, and that’s what He got.

He got EXCELLENCE from this woman.

That’s how we need to view our commitment to God.

Will He get our best?

We have seen how DANIEL lived a consistent life from start to finish…

FROM HIS YOUTH TO HIS OLD AGE… He lived and breathed excellence… A life of faithfulness… A life of integrity… A life of prayer… of walking with God.

Ask yourself…Am I a person of excellence?

Does my life and the choices I make show my faith?

Am I resolved to obey God… Will I purpose in my heart to follow God’s Word?

Will I choose to not be defiled by this world?

Am I willing to be a Daniel in a culture that is opposed to the things of God? To be separate? To purpose in my heart not to defile myself. To have a clean heart – a clear conscience before God and men?

Am I a person of excellence? Am I a person of integrity?

Do I stand strong and stedfast… no matter what? Do I turn to God in difficult circumstances? Do I regularly communicate with God in prayer and reading His Word?

Will I choose today… and every day to be a person of excellence? TO DARE TO BE A DANIEL?

Daniel risked his very life.

It took him to the lion’s den.

It will cost you.

To take up your cross and follow…

To be a person of conviction.

God will honour you for it.As he did with Daniel…

And one day our Lord will evaluate the work that we've done for Him.

What kind of a church will we be?

These are days that call for people to be firm and resolute…

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,

always abounding (BE EXCELLING - doing over and above) in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Always be outstanding…Be excellent.

We can learn from Daniel in the lion’s den.

He shows us how we can brave the lions in our lives.

We can learn from…His SEPARATION. He purposed in his heart he would nor defile himself.

His SPIRIT. An excellent spirit was I him.

His STEDFASTNESS. He prayed, and kept on praying.

Dare to be a Daniel.