Handling Adversity
Am October 11th 2009
Daniel 2: 12-28
Introduction
We began a six part series titled “Faith under Fire” last week we will be studying this topic from the book of Daniel, last week in part one we learned what four tests of our faith are: Isolation, Indoctrination, compromise, confusion. Today one of the biggest hindrances to our faith is adversity, and we may ask why? I believe because so many live delusional Christian lives, where they don’t believe that any adversity should enter there life as a Christian, and when it does it throws the faith for a loop.
The word adversity means “a condition of suffering, destitution or affliction” and it comes from the word adverse which means “acting against or contrary direction, opposed to ones interests”
That’s a pretty accurate definition of hard times and difficulties. They seem to be acting against you. They take you in a direction you would rather not go, and they most definitely seem to be opposed to your interests.
Maybe right now you are in the midst of some pretty tough times. I mean the waves are crashing, the sun isn’t shining, the dark clouds are descending and your future looks so uncertain. You’re in pain, you’re hurting and you’re tired and worn out. Nothing seems to be working right. Everything seems to going in a contrary direction.
Today that is were we find Daniel, and his friends, the King has a dream and none of his royal magicians can interpret the dream for him, so he puts the word out that all the wise men in Babylon, including Daniel, shadrach, meshack, and abendego, will be killed, talk about an adverse situation, things not going there way. Today from this passage of scripture I want us to see how Daniel handled adversity, so that when adversity comes into our lives, we will be able to handle it as well.
Read Scripture: Daniel 2:12-28
I. When Adversity comes, Don’t Panic
Vs. 16 “At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.”
So often one our first responses to adversity is to hit the panic button, we get on the phone and get frantic and just panic.
It reminds me of a story I read, a lady comes home from grocery shopping and finds her five children sitting in a circle on the living room floor, she thinks to herself, “wow they are really well behaved”, so she proceeds to set her groceries down in the kitchen, then goes back to the living room to see what was going on, when she arrives she notices that each child was playing with a skunk, so she yells, run children, run, so each one picks up there skunk, and runs in five different directions in the house, making sure to squeeze the skunk tightly to keep from dropping it.
Panic is never a good response to adversity because like the lady it spreads the panic to others.
Look at Daniel, had he panicked when he heard the news of the coming death, that panic would have spread to his friends, and more than likely we would not be reading this book today because he would have died with all the wise men in Babylon. Daniel goes to the King and ask for more time, he didn’t hit the panic button.
II. When Adversity comes, Pray
Vs. 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.”
Not only should we not hit the panic button, but we should hit our knees, especially when adversity comes.
Prayer is the most powerful tool we have as Christians, but too few believers actually use it in a meaningful way.
During times of adversity is a great time to pray, however it is not the only time you should pray. Pray before adversity, pray during adversity, pray after adversity.
Listen, there will be times when the only thing you can do is pray, so you need to begin to cultivate a good prayer life before the adversity comes.
III. When Adversity comes, Wait on God
Vs. 19 “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven”
If you have ever waited for something, you know it is one of the hardest things you can possibly endure.
We wait for healing, we wait for the right person relationally, we wait for the right job, we wait for an answer to prayer.
Waiting is tough, you throw in some adversity, and it becomes really hard to wait on God, because our instinct is to get out of the adversity the best way we can.
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Daniel and his friends didn’t panic, the took the time to pray, and they waited for God’s answer, notice that the answer didn’t come immediately, it came during the night. Notice also that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah prayed with Daniel, but it was only Daniel who got the answer.
The other three didn’t say, “Well we’ve been praying and we haven’t heard anything, let’s go ahead and hide or get out of here before morning”. No they waited on God.
You may be going through some major or not so major adversity, and in your flesh you’ve got to make some decisions because you haven’t gotten a clear answer from God, Wait on God, wait for His answer.
IV. When Adversity comes, Don’t quit
Vs. 24 “Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”
Some people when adversity comes into there lives, they just want to lay down and die, just quit, they listen to the enemy who lies to them and tells them, it will never get any better than this, you need to just quit.
Quit going to church, you are just wasting you time, quit the marriage it will never get better, jus move on and start over. Quit praying, that isn’t helping, God isn’t interested in you.
Some just want to quit. Daniel, didn’t quit, he didn’t throw in the towel, he didn’t give up, there was too much riding on his following through, he had people relying on him, people looking up to him.
Listen church, when adversity comes into your life, don’t quit, don’t throw in the towel, don’t give up, there is a lot riding on how you respond to adversity, your family is watching to see what you do, seeing if you are for real as a Christian, people are relying on you and looking up to you, so don’t quit, fight the urge to quit.
V. When Adversity comes, remember God is still in Control
Vs. 28 a “but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.”
One of my favorite passage of scripture in all the bible, it really contradicts verse 11 “What the King has asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the King except the gods, and they do not live among men.”
Daniel, says “but there is a God in heaven, who reveals mysteries.”
You maybe going through some adversity, remember “there is a God in heaven”.
He is still on his throne, He is still in control, He is still all powerful, He is still King of Kings, He is still Lord of Lords, He is still mighty, He is still Majestic, He is still unshakable, He is still unstoppable, He is still greater than any of our enemies, He is still God our provider, He is still God our Banner, He is still God our father, He is still the God of Miracles. Do you know Him.
Come what may, God is still in control, and we as believers we still win, the end of the story is still true.
If you are a Christian this world is all the Hell you will ever experience. If you are not a Christian this is all the Heaven you will ever experience.
Conclusion
How do you respond to adversity, how do you handle it, do you handle it calmly without hitting the panic button, do you pray, do you wait on God, are you persistent, and fight the urge to quit, and do you know that God is still in control.
Adversity is tough, and all of us whether we are believers or not, we will face it, some of us will face with calm assurance that we are safe and secure in Jesus, we can lean on his everlasting arms especially during times of adversity, some of you may not have that calm assurance, you can come this morning and just say Bro. Chad, I really don’t know if I am saved, If I really know Jesus personally, yes I know of Him, I even know people who really are confident in there Christian walk, but I just don’t have that.
