(Read Daniel 2:46-47)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday we saw how Daniel gave King Nebuchadnezzar a full depiction of his dream and then the interpretation of it. Daniel did this by the grace of God. Today we will look the king’s response.
The Bible says, “Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down in front of Daniel to honor him. The king praised him. He gave an order that an offering and incense be given to honor Daniel. Then the king said to Daniel, “I know for sure your God is the God over all gods and the Lord over all kings. He tells people about things they cannot know. I know this is true because you were able to tell these secret things to me.”
Daniel’s answer and the king’s response actually crystallize the underlying message of this series. This is one of the greatest examples of grace-based success in the Bible. Here you have a young man who found out he was scheduled to be killed for something that had nothing to do with him. In order to save his own life he would have to ask his God to provide an answer no human could ever provide on their own. Daniel’s intellect and education could not provide the answer, because it was beyond human ability. To make a bad situation worse, the person waiting for the answer had all the power. Daniel was a slave and Nebuchadnezzar was a king. Daniel asked Nebuchadnezzar for more time, but he knew his life was on the line and ‘on the clock’. Daniel prayed, his faith tapped into God’s grace for the supernatural, and he was able to do what no other man could – by God’s grace, for His glory. When Daniel provided the answer the king, who normally had people fall down at his feet, fell down to thank Daniel and worship his God!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Your faith can access God’s grace.
a) On the surface it looks like Daniel prayed and God responded to Daniel’s prayer. As if Daniel needed something, he asked God for it, and God served it up for him. But that’s actually not the way it happened.
b) God already had a plan for Daniel. From the foundations of the world God knew Daniel would be in the predicament he found himself. This was not news to God. God had already prepared the answer for Daniel and it was made available to him by grace.
c) Daniel simply used his faith to tap into God’s grace to access what God already wanted him to have.
d) It was God’s will for Daniel to provide the answer and get promoted. Daniel’s faith tapped into God’s grace for God’s will to be done on earth, as it had already been planned in heaven.
e) God has plans for you. When you pray in faith, in alignment with God’s plans, your faith will access His grace and the results will be supernatural.
2. Focus on faith and grace, not hard work and human effort.
a) You don’t have to work hard for what God has already provided for you. You don’t work for it, you believe for it!
b) Daniel believed God and God gave him the answer, an answer that was already set aside for him by grace.
c) Everything you need to succeed in life is already made available to you. It was prepared for you by God’s grace. Now use your faith to access it.
d) Hard work does not produce divine success, but God’s grace does enable you to work hard. It’s just that since you are working by God’s grace and not human effort, you can work longer without getting frustrated, tired or stressed out.
3. God is interested in your success.
a) I hear people say, “I don’t want to pray about this, because I don’t want to bother God with it. He has bigger and better things to do.” There is nothing bigger or better to God. You are the apple of His eye.
b) Angels are fascinated by God’s fascination with you. God brought you into the world for a reason and He is tirelessly dedicated to that purpose.
4. God will glorify you so you can glorify Him.
a) When Daniel provided the answer to Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king turned around and worshipped his God.
b) God will use you by His grace so you can get promoted and elevated. Why? So He can turn around and get the glory from your performance in the earth.
c) The world is looking for answers from God, but they are not listening to God. So God provides the answers through His children, because humans are more apt to listen to other humans.
d) God will give you answers to your boss’ problems so you can get promoted and then influence your organization for His glory.
e) When the accolades come (and they will come by God’s grace), accept the promotion, but DEFLECT the glory. All the glory belongs to God. As long as you don’t take God’s glory, you will continue to be used and get promoted.
f) Never take credit for something God did through you, that you could never do without Him!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. I now realize why You want me to succeed. There are people in this world who are looking for you, but they don’t know how to find you. They can’t see what You are doing and they can’t seem to hear Your voice. But they can see and hear me. So You grace me to provide divine answers to the world’s problems. You grace me to do what my peers cannot do. You grace me to succeed where others have failed. You do this so I can get promoted and have greater levels of influence in this world. You want to influence the people and systems of this world, and You will do it through me. I use my faith to access Your grace to do all You planned to do in my life. By doing so I live the life You destined me to live. I have the influence yOu want me to have. I experience the success You already set aside for me. I do this all by Your grace, living by faith, determined to bring You the glory. When the spotlight is on me, I ACCEPT the promotion, but I DEFLECT the glory. I am not ashamed of my God and I tell everyone everywhere that I am who I am by the grace of God! This way You get the glory and I get the earthly benefits! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
