No Retreat Series

Unjust, unfair, untrue, caught off guard,etc…

When confronted by adversity you can wilt, wish, or withstand

1 Peter 5:8-9

NLT

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Remain Calm

- Calmness

- Tact

Daniel 2:12-14

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 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. 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.

Gather Information

- Ask questions, don’t assume anything

- Get to the real heart of the issue

Daniel 2:15-16

He asked the king’s officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

Passionately Pray For Direction

- Those with the same heart, goals, purposes

- Small Group

Daniel 2:17-18

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 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.

Recognize & Submit To God’s Authority

James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

- So often we want the victory without the battle. We want to gain the glory without having to go through the pain. The essential decision of your heart is are you willing to submit to the only one in the entire universe that knows what’s going on and can actually do something about it?

- Daniel’s strength, faith, and hope in God was strengthened through the process

- Daniel was overjoyed to have been used by God, he was thankful that God had chosen him to be put through this situation, because now God could use him to reveal his glory.

Daniel 2:19-23

During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king."

Daniel 2:26-28

The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?" Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.

Watch God Work

Daniel 2:46-49

Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the LORD over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.” Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.