Richard Roberts – Second of two parts
Daniel’s enemies convinced the king to sign a decree saying that no one could pray for the next thirty days. (See Daniel 6:7-23.) Someone pointed out to King Darius that Daniel was on his knees praying. Tears ran down the King’s face and he cried, “Oh, what have I done? I’m going to have to destroy this precious young man who is so good.” The king knew he couldn’t change his word, and he ordered that Daniel be thrown into a den of lions.
You’re going to have troubles even when you’re in the midst of God’s will. For example, Elijah told Ahab, “It’s not going to rain until I say so” (See 1 Kings 17:1.) The next thing we knew, he was running for cover from Jezebel, who wanted to kill him. (See 1 Kings 19:1-4.)
The disciples, bailing water out of that little boat on the Sea of Galilee, wished they had never tried crossing. But Jesus had said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Even when the Lord Jesus said those words to them, they encountered the storm and nearly drowned. (See Mark 4:35-41.)
As Daniel sat in that lions’ den, there was a fifth thing that developed an excellent spirit in him. He had faith in the Lord. He believed that God could do anything. When he believed God, an angel traveling faster than the speed of light streaked from heaven, the Bible says, and padlocked the lions’ jaws. And King Darius looked and saw Daniel unharmed, and cried, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (See Daniel 6:20-22.)
Satan has not been destroyed…yet. He was defeated at the Cross but he has not been utterly destroyed. Don’t think that because you’re in trouble you are on the wrong track. You’ll never run into the devil if you’re walking in the same direction he is.
Don’t let anyone convince you that you cannot develop into God’s full potential, for you are a divine creation of an excellent God. You have a spark of excellence that is just waiting to explode inside you.
The Bible says you were created a little bit lower than the angels. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You’re a joint heir with Christ. Isaiah 40:31 says that you and I will mount up with wings as eagles. We will run and not be weary. We will walk and not faint. Use your faith, and let God develop that excellent spirit that is in YOU!
