This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. This week we are closing out our study of Daniel’s amazing life. By anyone’s measure Daniel was extremely successful. Sometimes, when looking at the success of someone like Daniel, people have questions about how to replicate it. They want to know whether or not Daniel’s success came because of God’s favor or his hard work? Was it God’s grace or Daniel’s excellence? Was it God, was it Daniel, or was it both? We are going to discuss this today. For the believer, earthly success requires understanding the dynamic between God’s grace and your faith.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Daniel contributed to his own success.
a) Daniel did not get bitter when he wound up a slave in Babylon.
b) Daniel had the courage to refuse unclean foods and to ask permission to go on a Godly fast.
c) Daniel prayed three times a day and he maintained an attitude of prayer throughout the day.
d) Daniel sought the Lord for the supernatural. He asked the Lord to give him the interpretation of a dream and of the writing on the wall, both being supernatural acts. Some believers don’t have the courage to ask God for the supernatural.
e) Daniel never gave up. Even though he had to endure four different kings with different styles and attitudes; being promoted, demoted, and then promoted again under each regime; the threat of death on more than one occasion; and a night in the lion’s den, Daniel maintains a positive outlook and he never gave up!
f) Daniel did everything with a spirit of excellence, even when no one else was watching.
2. God contributed to Daniel’s success.
a) God gave Daniel favor with the Babylonians so he and his friends could be selected for a special training program.
b) God gave Daniel and his friends grace to endure a 21-day fast and outperform everyone else in the process.
c) God did what no man could do when He told Daniel what King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed and He then supernaturally gave him the interpretation of the dream.
d) God did what no man could do when He gave Daniel the interpretation of the ‘writing on the all’ for King Belshazzar.
e) God sent an angel to the lion’s den to provide Daniel supernatural protection.
f) God gave Daniel grace to be the man he was born to be, in accordance with the plans He made for Daniel before the world began.
3. Earthly success requires God’s operation and man’s cooperation.
a) Daniel’s success was not all-him, nor was it all-God. God freely operated in Daniel’s life to the extent that Daniel cooperated with Him. God had plans, Daniel had submission and the result was success.
b) God made plans for you before the world began, but you will never see those plans come to pass if you are not willing to submit, surrender and cooperate with God.
c) God’s full operation in your life requires your cooperation, because God will not force you to be blessed.
d) The fact that God made plans for you does not mean that you are exonerated from hard work, diligence, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. God has given you the grace to do your part and unless you do, you won’t see His best manifested in your life.
e) If you are willing to accept God’s plans, submit to His will and embrace His grace to do the work required to experience victory, you will be a Godly success in the earth. You will experience divine success and it will be because of God’s grace and your faith.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. The more I study Your grace, the more I feel the pressure lift off of me. There was a time in my life when I attempted to live by faith by my own strength. I knew I had to live by faith, but I was putting too much emphasis on me. Studying Your grace has revolutionized the way I look at faith. I can now live by faith because I know I already have the grace to do everything You lead me to do. Now, by faith I simply submit to Your plans and I expect Your grace to empower me to do what I could never do on my own. I now believe You will fully operate in my life, because I have learned to die to self and I am willing to cooperate with You. What You want to do in the earth through me requires Your grace and my faith, Your goodness and my submission, Your power and my surrender. So here I am Father, all that I am and all that I am not is Yours. By Your grace I will work hard, I will never give up and I will do all I do with a spirit of excellence. I will do my part (by Your grace) and You will do Your part because You love me. It’s not all me and it’s not all You, but together, we will leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
