(Read Daniel 5:29-6:2)
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 Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar. The king was placed on divine scales and he did not measure up. Daniel told the king his days were numbered. Let’s pick up the story from there.
The Bible says, “Then Belshazzar gave an order for Daniel to be dressed in purple robes. A gold chain was put around his neck, and he was appointed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” Even though Daniel said things the king did not like, Daniel did do what the king asked and it is good to see the king kept his word. Daniel was given his reward. However, the reward was short lived. The Bible goes on to say, “That very same night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was killed. A man named Darius the Mede became the new king. Darius was about 62 years old. Darius thought it would be a good idea to choose 120 satraps to rule throughout his kingdom. He chose three men to rule over the 120 satraps. Daniel was one of the three supervisors.”
So what does this mean to you today? Just two major points:
1. You will be successful when you live to please the Lord.
a) Daniel was not moved by King Belshazzar, his money, or his power. Daniel was so focused on pleasing God that he spoke a word of judgement and correction to the sitting-king. Daniel did the same with King Nebuchadnezzar.
b) When you live to please the Lord, you should never be afraid of man.
c) Daniel spoke a “hard word” to two kings and in both cases the kings respected him for it. Instead of punishing Daniel, Belshazzar gave Daniel purple robes, a gold chain and the third highest position in the kingdom.
d) Solomon said, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov 16:7).
e) If you live your life as a God-pleaser, God will see to it that you have favor with man. But if you live your life as a man-pleaser, you will miss out on the favor of God.
2. The grace and favor of God on your life will see you through the storms/changes of life.
a) Daniel went to sleep one night as a free man in the nation of Judah. He woke up the next morning to the news that Judah had been taken captive by Babylon. Daniel did nothing wrong and he was suddenly a slave. But the grace and favor of God on his life helped him get selected for a special program in Babylon.
b) Once in the special program, Daniel maintained his integrity, he abstained from unclean foods, and he went on a fast. The Lord blessed him during the fast and at the end of it he was promoted.
c) One day Daniel was told that he was scheduled to be killed because the king was upset. No one could interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, so heads were going to roll. But the grace and favor of God on Daniel’s life enabled him to interpret the dream and he got promoted again.
d) When Nebuchadnezzar died Daniel was demoted and removed from the new king’s sphere of influence. But the grace and favor of God on his life was still working. It did not take long for the new king to call for Daniel. Daniel said what God told him to say, even though it was a harsh word, and he was promoted again!
e) The second king died, a new king took over. Once again, it did not take long before Daniel was promoted again made one of the top-tier rulers in the entire kingdom.
f) If you simply do whatever the Lord tells you to do, you will be successful in life.
g) Life is change, success is optional. You can’t live without change, but if you live to please the Lord, He will make you a success throughout the change.
h) The grace and favor of God are divine constants that can see you through any change.
i) Come what may… the grace and favor of God will see you through it. But you can’t compromise your integrity or your relationship with God. Had Daniel compromised at any point, I would not be teaching about him today.
j) Don’t stress over change. If you simply focus on pleasing God, the rest will take care of itself.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. Your grace and favor are on me to succeed in life. You made plans for me before the world began and my success is connected to those plans. I will only find true success in the fulfillment of my divine purpose. Everything I need to be successful has already been made available for me by Your grace, and You simply expect me to use my faith to access it. I declare that I do. My faith accesses Your grace and I experience the life I was born to live. I simply focus on pleasing You and becoming the person I am destined to be. The rest will take care of itself. I am not moved or afraid of man. If You are on my side, what can man do to me? I am not moved or afraid of change. Things can change, but Your grace and favor remain the same. So come what may, my only focus is pleasing You. When my ways please You, You see to it that even my enemies are at peace with me. I am a God-pleaser, not a man-pleaser, and because I please You, You give me favor with man. No matter what happens on the outside, I have a peace on the inside that cannot be shaken, stirred or moved. Storms will come and go, but Your grace and favor are constants that will see me through anything that comes my way. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
