Daniel – An Overcoming Faith

Daniel – An Overcoming Faith

In God’s Hall of Faith, or Hebrews chapter 11, we’re introduced to individuals who through faith did great things. Some of them are listed by name and then by faith what they accomplished, like Abraham and Moses who we looked at. Others are just listed out by name, like we looked at with King David. But then there are those whose work are listed, but not their name.

And one of these we’ll be looking at today where it says they stopped the mouths of lions (Hebrews 11:33), which is no one less the prophet Daniel, and if I could, we’re going to be looking at our need to Dare to Be A Daniel.

In an old hymn by Philip Bliss, the refrain says,

“Dare to be a Daniel,

Dare to stand alone!

Dare to have a purpose firm!

Dare to make it known.”

Faith literally means “to give up, surrender, or commit.” Faith is having complete confidence in God to lead and guide us. Faith, therefore, is the key to life, both physical and spiritual. And God’s word tells us that we are not only saved by faith, but we are to live by faith as well.

Therefore, it’s vital that we understand biblical faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And so, faith is about having a total belief in the reality of something that we cannot see, hear, or feel with our natural senses.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Paul in Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That is, faith comes from hearing God’s word spoken directly into our hearts.

But then in James 2:17 it says, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

What can we then surmise from these verses? Basically, while we may not understand everything there is about God, we believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek after Him through His word. But if such a search is not accompanied by faith, then it really isn’t the faith that pleases God, nor is it a faith that can move mountains.

Someone said, “Faith in God is a response to God’s Word that moves God to act.”

Faith, therefore, isn’t agreeing with your mind saying, “Yes, that is true,” and “God exists.” Many professing Christians believe mentally that the Bible is the Word of God and that there is a god, but it doesn’t change the way they live. The Apostle James went on to says that even demons have that kind of faith. They know and believe that God exists, but they tremble in fear (James 2:19).

Introduction

What we’re introduced to in the Book of Daniel is a continuing warfare between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan or, as the Book of Daniel puts it, the struggle between Jerusalem and Babylon.

Jerusalem is the city of God, the headquarters, if you would, of God’s Kingdom on earth. And Jerusalem stands directly against Babylon, the capital city of the realm of darkness. The struggle between these two cities represents the age-old struggle between good and evil.

And, what we see at the end, in the book of Revelation, are the same two cities diametrically opposed to each other, but Babylon the Great will be overthrown, and the new Jerusalem will descend from heaven and continue forever.

Now, the time of Daniel was severely trying to the faith of the average Hebrew. Babylon had conquered Judah and Jerusalem. And so, questions arose in the people’s hearts regarding the power of God. Were the gods of Babylon stronger than the God of Israel?

And what we see in the life of Daniel is that he overcame the challenges to his faith and succeeded where so many others failed. Daniel succeeded not merely because he was talented and driven, but rather he succeeded because he was a man of faith in God.

What I’d like to do is to look at three specific faith challenges Daniel faced and see not only what he did, but the outcome.

God Will Guide

Now, no one could ever accuse Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, of not being smart. He used a very clever tactic; he gives these Hebrew youth an important role in the royal palace. They receive a model upbringing and a very high standard of schooling. They are taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans.