Sermon Central
-
Winning In Difficult Situations Series
Contributed by Greg Johnson on Oct 5, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: On our journey from earth to glory, we will face many difficult situations. God will help us get through all difficulties as we depend fully on Him.
Winning in Difficult Situations
Daniel Speaks to Us Today Series
By Greg Johnson
http:/www.LovingGodFellowship.org
In Daniel chapter two, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that is very troubling to him. He believes that his gods are trying to tell him something about his powerful empire. It is important to him that he knows what this dream means so he demands that his wise men and magicians not only interpret the dream, but also tell him what he has dreamed. He knew that if he told them what he had dreamed, there would be a possibility that they would come up with their own interpretation. Having them tell him what he dreamed and also interpret the dream would insure him that they had heard from the gods.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s experts could not do what he demanded so he ordered them to be put to death. This order also included Daniel and his three friends. Men were sent to look for Daniel and his three friends to put them to death.
Daniel and his three friends found their self in another difficult situation. In Daniel chapter one, they overcame a difficult situation by just living counter to culture. God gave them supernatural help and he also gave them favor with others. This time, they had men sent by the king to kill them. It was a very difficult situation.
On our journey from earth to glory, we will face many difficult situations. God will help us get through all difficulties as we depend fully on Him.
DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DIFFICULTIES OVERPOWER YOU
(Daniel 2:13-16 NIV) "So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. {14} When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. {15} He asked the king’s officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. {16} At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him."
Daniel refused to allow his difficulties to overpower him. He took charge of his situations and move forward in both wisdom and boldness. The Word of God says that he approached the one looking to kill him and “spoke to him with wisdom and tact.” After he understood the situation, he went to the king “and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream”. What wisdom and boldness God had given Daniel.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have supernatural wisdom and boldness available to you to confront your difficulties. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in you. God’s Word says (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV) "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." God has given you power to confront your difficulties! Be bold in the midst of adverse circumstances!
God will give you the wisdom you need to handle every situation as you depend on Him. Wisdom is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit according to God’s Word in 1 Corinthians 12. As you place your trust and dependence in God, He will give you the supernatural wisdom that you need to handle your difficult situations.
PRAY!
Daniel goes to inform his three friends of his findings. (Daniel 2:17-18 NIV) "Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. {18} He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon."
Daniel shares the details of this difficult situation with his three friends and he urges them to pray. The key to winning in difficult situations is prayer. God has all of the answers and He has given us the powerful tool of prayer; communication with God Himself. What a privilege prayer is for us. I urge you to pray. Incorporate others to pray with you concerning situations in your life. Depend on God alone for answers.
These four men of God needed God’s wisdom. James said (James 1:5 NIV) "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Jesus said (Matthew 7:7 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Please know that God has the solution to your difficulty. Seek Him. Ask. Knock. Knocking signifies persistently. Don’t give up. Pray until you receive an answer. When the answer comes, a supernatural peace will come with it.
