How can I be Honoured?
Ministering: Min. Ifeanyi Ojugo
Topic: How can I be Honoured?
Text: Dan.2:48
v.48 – “Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.”
• Promoted & ruler – Power!
• Gave him many great gifts – Wealth!
• Chief administrator over – Influence!
We will consider the lives of 3 bible characters that had similar characteristics namely:-
Esther – A beautiful orphaned Jew. Who found herself in exile. She was adopted by Mordecai .
Qualities to become a queen in Persia.
Esther 2:2 “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.”
She was favoured by the king’s servant.
Esther 2:10 – She was an obedient person.
Esther 2:17 – “ The King loved Esther more than all the other women and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins (Virgin – Hebrew –> Betulah – A young damsel, which connotes Separation ); so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti .
Daniel & Friends – He was exiled as a teenager to Babylon and he lived there for over 60 Years. He was from the royal lineage.
Dan 1:3-4
3 “Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.”
Joseph (Gen 37:2)
Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob and his story is found in Genesis 37–50). The animosity towards Joseph peaks when his brothers plot to kill him in the wilderness. Reuben, the eldest, objects to outright murder, so instead, the brothers sell Joseph as a slave and deceives their father into thinking his favorite son had been slain by wild beasts (Genesis 37:18-35).
Gen 39:2 – The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man.
In summary:
What was common among the 3 bible characters we just looked at?
COMMON FACTORS AMONG THE 3:
1. They were young, Commentaries had it that Esther was about 14 years old when she presented herself for the queen’s position, Daniel was about 15 and we all know Joseph was 17.
2. They enjoyed God’s favour .
Favour – That’s God’s acceptance of a person. It is God uniquely gifting you & bringing you to be in the right place at the right time.
When God sees a person who’s life aligns with His standards, He causes His favour to come upon him. May God cause you life to align with His standards.
3. The excelled in a foreign land, not in the comfort of their homes.
Why where they honored? What did they do and not do that got them the Honor we so desire this year
Factors that got them Honoured:
1. They Knew God – Dan 11:32b – “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
“Knowing” in this case is not just head knowledge but a HEART knowledge (that is head knowledge that has translated into action) that showed in their lifestyles. Mathew 7:15-16 “by their fruits you will know them”
– Practical application of God’s word is a vehicle that will take you to PWI.
But those who stay courageously loyal to their God will take a
strong stand.
Practical Application of their knowledge of God
–> Dan 2:17- 20 – The king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that no one could interpret . They demanded to know the dream to be able to interpret .
Verse 11. It is a difficult thing, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.(The magicians did not realise and many of us don’t. Ps. 82:6 “I said you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High)
Why is my mum/dad/aunt/uncle always on my case? It has to be because you are a god, meaning “SPECIAL” and the SEED of greatness is in you.
1 Pet 2:9 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
Guys we are Special. So special God’s son died for you and me.
Prayer: May God give you the ability to solve difficult problems in the market place. Amen.
But note it comes with the knowledge of God (Stay with God. Partner with Him).
They turned to God when faced with situation that was beyond them, they knew that ALL answers resides with the God of All Possibilities (Dan 2:20-23).
Youths – Do you know the God of your father ?
Dan 3:17 – Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-Nego refused to worship the Golden image set up by the king and the consequence for that was for them to be thrown into the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:17 “17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.
In Esther 3 – Mordecai refused to pay homage to Haman and became angry and wanted to destroy the Jews in the Kingdom 0f Ahasuerus .
Esther 4 :16 – She was ready to give up her Right to live in order to save God’s people
Gen 39 :9– The story of Joseph & Potiphar’s wife
2. Compromise was not an option ‘ And should not be an option for us
What is Compromise in this context – to weaken a belief, standard, by adapting to it.
Esther – Her chaste life (A VIRGIN) – Physical separation gave her a leeway to even be considered in the contest for a Queen of a nation. (Holiness)
“If I perish, I perish” She was ready to die saving God’s people rather than to continue enjoying the goodies of the palace. Ready to lay down her life for a cause.
Dan 3:12 – They choose to burn rather than to bow
Dan 6:11 – He does not mind to be thrown into the lion dens than give up his prayer time because of the Kings degree. He also refused to defile himself with the Kings portion.
Gen 39- Joseph choose to go to prison than sleep with Potiphar’s wife
3. They had a buddy(ies) friend, pal, compatriot. (One of the 3 essential points in partaking in God’s goodness in 2016 is (The Importance of Brotherhood.)
– Daniel had his friends Dan.2:17-18 – Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
– Esther had Mordecai
– Joseph & the Chief Butler – Gen 41:9
Invest in friendship – Not those that will take you away from God rather on those that will draw you closer to Him.
