Life Lessons for A Successful 2016 (Part 2)
Ministering: Pastor I.S James
Topic: Life Lessons for A Successful 2016 (Part 2)
Text: Dan. 1:1-21
References: Isaiah 37:31, Deut. 30:19
God will speak to us & declare His Word for a season to us, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to come to pass in our lives. It will only come to pass when we play our own part. The manifestation of God’s Word in our lives requires our active participation.
- The Challenge of Personal Identity:
This is the training that Babylon will force you into.
Babylon will try to change you, distort your image & make you compromise your stand. Do all you can so as not to fall for it.
Babylon’s desire is to redefine, obfuscate & ultimately obliterate our identity & our children, to numb our spiritual senses, to change our name etc will only get more intense! Your Identity, Language, Thinking, Mindset, Perspective are the enemy’s targets. If we are not careful, before you know it, you’re talking like them!
Nebuchadnezzar wanted to ensure compliance & Loyalty. He therefore ordered Training, Re-conditioning & Indoctrination for 3 years! Our challenge will be to remain true to who we are – Our Uniqueness
While answering the demand of 2016 to raise the standard of our Services as a People (as a Church), seek to be better! Go for more training, read more books, learn new things! God will ask for no less!
There are 3 methods Babylon will use to try to make you change your stand:
- Coercion – they will try to force & intimidate you to change your stand by threatening you.
- Temptation – they will use enticement & lures to make you change your stand (Deut. 30:19)
iii. Opposition is raised against you.
- (John 17:16) Jesus said, we are “… in the world, but not of the world.“
- Resist & seek to reverse ‘Babylon’s’ plans, but rather use your “wisdom of the Egyptians“ to build God’s kingdom (the Church).
Acts 7:22, Heb. 11:24-25
Acts 7:22 – “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.”
Heb.11:24-25 – By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin…
Daniel & his friends had theophoric names (names in reference and/or praise to God {El, Yahweh}). Their names were changed to those in honour of Babylonian gods (Bel/Madurk, Merodach & Nebo)!
- Daniel (God is Judge) – Belteshazzar (Bel protect his life).
- Hananiah (Yah is gracious) – Shedrach (possibly derived from Shudur Aku “Command of Aku (the moon god)”; some even say it’s ref. to Madurk – d inspiration of d sun god).
- Mishael (Who’s like God is?) – Meshach (Meaning not known but probably from Mi-sha-aku, meaning “Who’s like Aku)
- Azariah (Yah has helped/my helper) – Abed-Nego (servant of Nebo).
There will be serious pressures & temptations to distort your image, name in 2016, with the purpose of robbing us of God’s Honour!
- The Lure of the World(v.8)
We’ve succeeded to a degree, but in 2016, the challenge of Rejecting the ‘king’s portion’ will only become stronger.
- We make Choices and then our Choices ‘make’ us!
Deut. 30:19 – I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.
- Before you receive God’s True blessings & increase & Honour (2:48), there is the “false honour” of being asked to have/share a “portion” of the king’s meal. It’s a honourable thing to share of the king’s meals, to practically dine from the same table as the king of the strongest nation of the world. But, these meals had been sacrificed to idols and would have defiled Daniel and his friends – hence the “false honour”.
Understanding who you are helps with your Choices and Tastes – Pleasure, Luxury, etc.
1John 2:15-16 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”
“The passing pleasures of sin“– This is part of the Indoctrination process of Babylon (flesh, world) – for 3 years.
- Take Your Stand!(v. 8) – “But Daniel purposed in his heart…” Demonstrating the courage of his Convictions!
Not in Rebellion, but by offering an alternative “… Please test your servants for ten days… as you see fit so deal with your servants (vv 12-13).
While God will not hold you against things beyond your control, He expects you to stand up for His values at all times. Either God’s way or the world’s, that choice is what brings God to your side.
As a result of taking our stand, this is what the LORD gives us:
- Deut. 8:3 – God proved that Man shall not live by bread alone. Don’t be tempted by everything you see.
- (v. 9) God brought Daniel into favour & goodwill
- (vv. 17-19) – sharpened their natural talents, gifts; gave them extra wisdom & spiritual gifts e.g. interpretation of dreams, etc.
- (v. 20) – you will become ten times better in all matters of wisdom & understanding.
Let’s take another look at Isaiah’s prophetic declaration – that every ‘tree’ that must bear fruit (in 2016), must FIRST be properly rooted!
(Is. 37:31) “And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah “Shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.”
Daniel & his Friends didn’t just become great & powerful overnight!
Their success – Honour, Promotion, etc were a result of the choices they made, the convictions they lived out, and the stand they took against all that Babylon threw at them.
Daniel stood true to his convictions and did not disobey in rebellion, but with a submissive spirit. He provided an alternative when he was given a command.
Like them, if we put our ‘roots’ down, guided by the steps outlined above, (and that is the reason why this year it is focused to pay more attention on understanding the conditions that will lead to the fulfilment of the Word for the year), 2016 will be our year of HONOUR – (PWI) Power, Wealth & Influence!
