Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On
“How to Stand Out & Stand Up for God!”
(Daniel 6)
“How to Stand Out & Stand Up for God!”
(Daniel 6)
Pastor Jerry Rice September 20, 2020
Belshazzar did what he had promised. He robed Daniel in purple, draped the great gold chain around his neck, and promoted him to third-in-charge in the kingdom.
That same night the Babylonian king Belshazzar was murdered. Darius the Mede was sixty-two years old when he succeeded him as king (Daniel 5:29-31, MSG).
That same night the Babylonian king Belshazzar was murdered. Darius the Mede was sixty-two years old when he succeeded him as king (Daniel 5:29-31, MSG).
Darius divided the kingdom into 120 provinces, each under a governor. The governors were accountable to three presidents (Daniel was one of them) so the king could administer the kingdom efficiently.
Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governors, for he had great ability, and the king began to think of placing him over the entire empire as his administrative officer (Daniel 6:1-3, LB).
Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governors, for he had great ability, and the king began to think of placing him over the entire empire as his administrative officer (Daniel 6:1-3, LB).
What Made Daniel Stand Out?
1. His P__________________ C__________________!
2. His P__________________ C__________________!
3. His P__________________ C__________________!
This made the other presidents and governors very jealous, and they began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs so that they could complain to the king about him. But they couldn’t find anything to criticize! He was faithful and honest and made no mistakes. So they concluded, “Our only chance is his religion!”
They decided to go to the king and say, “King Darius, live forever! We presidents, governors, counselors, and deputies have unanimously decided that you should make a law, irrevocable under any circumstance, that for the next thirty days anyone who asks a favor of God or man—except from you, Your Majesty—shall be thrown to the lions. Your Majesty, we request your signature on this law; sign it so that it cannot be canceled or changed; it will be a ‘law of the Medes and Persians’ that cannot be revoked.”
So King Darius signed the law (Daniel 6:4-9, LB).
When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.
The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. They went straight to the king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. “Did you not,” they said, “sign a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next thirty days? And anyone caught doing it would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
“Absolutely,” said the king. “Written in stone, like all the laws of the Medes and Persians”(Daniel 6:10-12, MSG).
They decided to go to the king and say, “King Darius, live forever! We presidents, governors, counselors, and deputies have unanimously decided that you should make a law, irrevocable under any circumstance, that for the next thirty days anyone who asks a favor of God or man—except from you, Your Majesty—shall be thrown to the lions. Your Majesty, we request your signature on this law; sign it so that it cannot be canceled or changed; it will be a ‘law of the Medes and Persians’ that cannot be revoked.”
So King Darius signed the law (Daniel 6:4-9, LB).
When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.
The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. They went straight to the king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. “Did you not,” they said, “sign a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next thirty days? And anyone caught doing it would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
“Absolutely,” said the king. “Written in stone, like all the laws of the Medes and Persians”(Daniel 6:10-12, MSG).
What Made Daniel Stand Up for God?
1. He remembered that __________ was _______________ in past test!
2. He had a __________________ with ___________ three times a day!
3. He knew the ______________ were _______________ than the risk!
Ways You Benefits When Standing Up for God
I. Standing up for God is a ________________ over ______________!
II. Standing up for God builds ______________ & _______________!
III. Standing up for God give ______________ for _______________!
IV. Standing up for God ______________ others to _______________!
V. Standing up for God gives _____________ to God’s ____________!
Afterward King Darius wrote this message addressed to everyone in his empire:
“Greetings! I decree that everyone shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel in every part of my kingdom. For his God is the living, unchanging God whose kingdom shall never be destroyed and whose power shall never end. He delivers his people, preserving them from harm; he does great miracles in heaven and earth; it is he who delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:25-28, LB).
“Greetings! I decree that everyone shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel in every part of my kingdom. For his God is the living, unchanging God whose kingdom shall never be destroyed and whose power shall never end. He delivers his people, preserving them from harm; he does great miracles in heaven and earth; it is he who delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:25-28, LB).
