Lessons From The Book Of Daniel Part 1
Daniel 1:9
9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.
Daniel 1:17
17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.
Daniel 2:21
21 He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
Hebrews 13:20-21
20 Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will.
May he produce in you,[a through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of Daniel. It is packed full of rich nuggets that you can just chew on for days. There are so many life lessons in the book of Daniel that are applicable to all of us who want to live a life that truly honors God. And because there are so many lessons, this will be part one of a series that I will be writing on lessons from the book of Daniel.
Daniel truly teaches us how to walk by faith, trusting God each step of the way, no matter how perilous the journey is. But before we look at Daniel I want us to look at God.
God never ceases to amaze me! Remember, whenever God wants to use you mightily, He goes before you. He paves the way, and he carves the path. There are several examples of this in the Bible.
He went before Moses, first of all, by setting the stage for him to be rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter. Who would have known that this little baby Moses, would grow up and become the man who would lead God’s chosen people? Guess what?
God knew!
He went before Joseph. What others meant for harm, God used for good. He set Joseph up to become second in command to Pharaoh and put him in charge of all of Egypt. Even though his brothers tried to kill him by maliciously throwing him into a well.
God had a plan.
Who knew God would use a little shepherd boy, named David to slay a giant and later would appoint him king of Israel. He would also be a part of the lineage of the Messiah. Only God could orchestrate such a thing!
You see even before we know what significant things we will be called to do for God, He has already gone before us. Sometimes He has gone ahead of our years in advance. He is guiding and directing us when we don’t even know that we are being guided.
Daniel was actually in Babylonian captivity when he comes on the scene, but God had a plan. He had already given Daniel everything he needed to fulfill the plan. Let’s take a look at the ways that God equipped and empowered Daniel ahead of time to be prepared to fulfill his mission.
1. In Daniel 1:9 it says that God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. Can you say favor!
2. In Daniel 1:17 says that God gave Daniel an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom.
3. God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meaning of visions and dreams.
4. God had given Daniel an unusual amount of courage and faith.
Reading about these four ways in which God equipped and prepared Daniel ahead of time, should encourage you to recheck your treasure chest of gifts, talents, and other special abilities. Remember, whatever you’re special abilities are, it’s not by happenstance that they have been given to you. It is for a purpose much larger than anything that you could ever imagine. Whatever God calls you to, be encouraged, you have already been equipped for.
Take a moment to stop and praise God, for all that He wants to do through you. Don’t be afraid to submit to his will, simply trust and obey, and you will achieve things that are only possible by His divine intervention.
The power will be His and yes, the glory will be His also.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Isaiah 52:12
12 You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives.
For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
Deuteronomy 1:30
30 The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.
