How The Holy Spirit Can Lead You As He Led Daniel
The hand of God was with Daniel during the most life threatening times of life. Certainly, our the Holy Spirit of God will energize, elevate and enlighten us to find ways through our challenges.
Song: He leads me, O Blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught. Whate’er I do, where’er I be. Still tid God’s hand that leads me. He lead me. He leads me. By His own hand He leads me. His faithful follower I would be. For by His hand He leads me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom, sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom. By waters still, o’er troubled sea. Still tis His hand that leads me. (Gilmore)
Illustration: When troubles begin to add up, they can push us to the breaking point.
So it was with Job. He said, "If now I hold my tongue, I perish" (13:19). Job felt he was a righteous man. Why did he lose all his oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels? Why were his servants and 10 children killed? Why was he afflicted with excruciating pain?
Job began to contend with God. He accused Him of destroying man’s hope (Job 14:18-22). When God finally answered him, He didn’t give the reason for Job’s suffering. Instead, the Lord challenged him to provide explanations for the mysteries of nature. Job quickly got the point and reached the humble conclusion that he must let God be God (38-42). In all our troubles, may God help us to do the same. --DJD
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul. --Spafford
God may not always give us answers, but He always gives us grace. (Our Daily Bread)
1. The Holy Spirit led Daniel by giving him and his three companions knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. The Bible says, "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning." (Dan. 1:17) Ask the Lord to help you and your Godly elders to gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom by learning truth through all types of formal, non-formal and informal means.
2. The Holy Spirit taught Daniel how to interpret visions and dreams of all types. The Bible says, "And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." (Dan. 1:17b) Ask the Lord to give you wisdom, insight and interpretative abilities to wisely judge the signs of your times and trends for the future.
3. The Holy Spirit gave Daniel exceptional wisdom and understanding that distinguished him far above all of his contemporaries. The Bible says, "In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." (Dan. 1:20) Ask the Lord to give you such exceptional wisdom and understanding that your ministries and relationships will be greatly distinguished as evidence of God’s supernatural blessings.
4. The Holy Spirit led Daniel to give God greater glory as a result of his ability to perform interpretative services for King. The Bible says, "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. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the days to come." (Dan. 2:27,28) Ask the Lord to help you point people to the higher power, wisdom and purposes of God in all of your ministries.
5. The Holy Spirit gave Daniel the ability to build trusting relationships with all kinds of people. The Bible says, "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy." (Dan. 2:45b) Ask the Lord to help you build trusting relationships that are based on truth rather than on fear, coercion or duty.
6. The Holy Spirit promoted Daniel to positions of great influence for God’s greater purposes. The Bible says, "Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men." (Dan. 2:28) Ask the Lord to promote you in order to give you greater abilities to expand Christ and His kingdom.
7. The Holy Spirit used Daniel to lead King Nebuchadnezzar back from insanity to a point where he praised God and honored Him as the Most High. Daniel quoted the king when he wrote, "At the end of that time, I Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever." (Dan. 4:34) Ask the Lord to use you to influence powerful people for God’s glory, purposes and dominion.
8. The Holy Spirit used Daniel to respectfully show everyone that God humbles whoever He wants humbled. The Bible says, "Daniel answered the King, "O King, the most High God gave your father, Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor... But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal... until he acknowledge that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes." (Dan. 5:18-21) Ask the Lord to give you the grace to respectfully teach others that God has the sovereign right to humble whoever He wants, whenever He wants, and for reasons only He understands.
9. The Holy Spirit protected Daniel in the den of lions because He honored God by refusing to put any other idols before Most High. The Bible says, "Daniel answered, ‘O King, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.’" (Dan. 6:21,22) Ask the Lord to keep you blameless enabling you to avoid any temptation to put idols of power, position or prestige ahead of God.
10. The Holy Spirit used Daniel’s prayers and confessions as a legacy of the kind of attitudes that are blessed by God. I Daniel, turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed and confessed, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong... The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets... Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear. O God and hear; We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy...For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name!" (Dan. 9:3-19)
Ask the Lord to let you follow the penitent, reverent and humble attitude of Daniel in all of your leadership responsibilities.
