(Read Daniel 6:1-3)
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 weathered the storms of change and always came out on-top by the grace of God. Today we go back to focus on what happened when Daniel began to serve his third king.
The Bible says, “Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty governors to administer all the parts of his realm. Over them were three vice-regents, one of whom was Daniel. The governors reported to the vice-regents, who made sure that everything was in order for the king. But Daniel, brimming with spirit and intelligence, so completely outclassed the other vice-regents and governors that the king decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.” Other translations say Daniel had “an excellent spirit”.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can surely control how you react and respond.
a) Sometimes bad things happen to good people. None of us are exempt from challenges.
b) Daniel faced challenge after challenge and it was not his fault. He was not doing anything wrong.
c) Daniel did not have the power to control what came his way, but he surely had the power to control his actions.
d) Not once did Daniel throw his hands up in defeat or despair. Not once did Daniel give up, cave in or quit. Daniel was determined to overcome every challenge by the grace of God.
e) Daniel faced every challenge head on, in faith, with his full confidence in God.
f) Running away from a challenge will not make it go away. God’s grace is on you to face and overcome every challenge on the road to your destiny.
2. God’s grace is available for excellence.
a) Daniel woke up one morning to find out that he was a slave in Babylon. He did nothing wrong, but he still wound up a slave.
b) Daniel could have developed a slave mentality. He could have allowed himself to embrace a spirit of defeat. But instead, Daniel embraced God’s spirit of victory.
c) Daniel did not seek to merely survive as a slave, Daniel knew God’s grace was on his to thrive.
d) Daniel did everything with an excellent spirit, so much so, that he was promoted to the highest positions in the kingdom by three different kings.
e) When you embrace God’s grace for excellence, no one will be able to stop you from promotion, advancement, acceleration and continuous victory.
f) If you allow God’s Spirit to lead you, you will find that He will lead you to do everything with a spirit of excellence that matches His character.
g) I joined the Army at the tender age of 17. I am about to retire 25 years later having achieved the highest position in my field. How? By the grace of God; by embracing His spirit of excellence.
3. As an ambassador of heaven you represent excellence daily.
a) Jesus reconciled us to God and He now sends us out as Ambassadors to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Cor 5:18-20).
b) To the believers in Ephesus Paul said, “Do your work, and be happy to do it. Work as though it is the Lord you are serving, not man.” (Eph 6:7).
c) To the believers in Colossae Paul said, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col 3:23).
d) Whatever you do, you should do it with a spirit of excellence, believing you are doing it for God and not man.
e) People may never see God, but they see you everyday. If you say you are a Christian, you are their image of God and heaven.
f) When you work with a spirit of excellence you are representing God and His Kingdom correctly. Anything less is ‘conduct unbecoming’ of a citizen of heaven.
g) When you do things with an excellent spirit God will get the glory and you will get the benefits. I’m a witness.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You are an excellent God, You run an excellent Kingdom, and You saved me to serve in an excellent way. I declare that I do. I enter this day and every day determined to do everything I do with a spirit of excellence. You are excellent and Your Spirit is IN me. The Holy Spirit gives me the grace to operate in excellence daily. People may not see You, but they see me every day, and they know I represent You. So I will represent You well. You give me the words to say. You bless the work of my hands. You grace me to work diligently, faithfully and successfully. People may not go to church, but they go to work, and they will encounter You in my workplace through me. People will be able to see You and Your excellence in the way I live my life, perform my duties, and carry myself. I am Your Ambassador, I represent heaven daily, and I will represent it well. Not because I am so good, but only because You are so good. Only because of Your grace. So here I am Father, I give myself over to You to be used daily. As I enter this day my mantra is, “The world WILL see Jesus IN me!” I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
