(Read Daniel 2:20-23)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. In yesterday’s message we saw how Daniel and his friends were facing death for someone else’s failure. Since the only way to avoid death was to provide king Nebuchadnezzar the information about his dream and the interpretation of it — something that was actually humanly impossible — Daniel and his friends did the only thing they could do… PRAY!
God heard and answered their prayers. God gave Daniel a vision about the dream and he gave him the interpretation of it. Needless to say, Daniel was very happy! This was Daniel’s song of praise and thanksgiving:
“Praise God’s name forever and ever! Power and wisdom belong to him. He changes the times and seasons. He gives power to kings, and he takes their power away. He gives wisdom to people, so they become wise. He lets people learn things and become wise. He knows hidden secrets that are hard to understand. Light lives with him, so he knows what is in the dark and secret places. God of my ancestors, I thank you and praise you. You gave me wisdom and power. You told us what we asked for. You told us about the king’s dream.”
So what does this mean to you today? Let’s take a look at what Daniel said and seek to glean a few golden nuggets about God, His power, and His grace.
1. God’s name is to be praised forever and ever.
a) Here are two keys facts I have learned throughout the years: there is a God and I am not Him!
b) Part of acknowledging the grace of God is an acknowledgment of your dependency on Him. You believe in a God you cannot see and you believe He will show up in your life in ways you can see.
c) When you realize how much God has blessed you in ways you don’t deserve, you can’t help but give Him praise!
2. Only God can shift times and seasons.
a) Daniel said, “He changes the times and seasons.”
b) We live our lives out in periods of time and each period has a cycle of seasons.
c) We serve a God who can shift the times and seasons of our lives in such a way that He expedites our breakthrough and puts ‘a rush order’ on our blessing.
d) Daniel needed and answer quick, and God gave him the answer the same night he prayed.
3. True power and wisdom belong to God.
a) Daniel said, “He knows hidden secrets that are hard to understand. Light lives with him, so he knows what is in the dark and secret places.”
b) God has all power. He sits on the circle of the earth and all things are under His feet.
c) God has all wisdom and knowledge. He knows your thoughts before you think them, your feelings before you feel them, and your actions before you take them. There is nothing God does not know.
4. God imparts divine power and wisdom on humans by His grace.
a) Daniel said, “You gave me wisdom and power. You told us what we asked for. You told us about the king’s dream.” God had the answer, Daniel did not. God gave the answer to Daniel by His grace.
b) Moses said, “The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us” (Deut 29:29). God has secrets He has not revealed to us. But then again, there are certain divine secrets God does reveal to man; things that cannot be learned, things that must be discerned.
c) God opened Daniel’s spiritual eyes and he allowed him to see king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in an open vision. Daniel did not receive the vision by education, it came to him by revelation.
d) God can give you insight, in a moment of time, by revelation, that will far exceed anything you could have learned through education.
e) Daniel did nothing to earn or deserve God’s revelation. He simply believed for it. He asked in faith and his faith accessed God’s grace.
f) God is waiting on you to ask, to believe, to use your faith to access His grace for the supernatural. What are you waiting for?
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. I see what You did for Daniel and it gives me hope. Daniel needed a supernatural answer. What he asked you for was beyond human ability. He needed a breakthrough and time was of the essence. Daniel came to you in faith and his faith tapped into Your grace for the answer. Like Daniel, I use my faith to access Your grace for the Supernatural. There is nothing You do not know. There is nothing You cannot do. You have all power and wisdom. You can shift the times and seasons of my life. You can expedite my breakthrough. You can accelerate my blessing. You can rearrange my life in a moment of time. So I come to You daily, and throughout the day. I seek Your face. I yield to Your leading. I listen for Your voice. My heart is open to receive Your divine impartation. And as You give it to me, as You give me downloads from heaven, I am able to operate in ways that far exceed my education, human ability, background and connections. Your favor can do more in my life in a moment, than my labor could do in a lifetime. So here I am Father, use me for Your glory. I decrease that You may increase in and through me. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
