It’s a shame as Christians that we actually need policies at work for us to either stop swearing, stop lying, stop stealing etc etc.
We fear our bosses more than we fear the Lord
King David said Lord I have kept your word within my heart so that I may not sin against you.
Every natural decision you make has spiritual connotation
The enemy will seek to destabilize you, denounce you, degrade you, demean you, demote you and destroy you
1. DESTABILIZE YOU
Daniel 1:1-6
New International Version (NIV)
Daniel 1
Daniel’s Training in Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.[b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
2. DENOUNCE YOU
Daniel 1:7
New International Version (NIV)
7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
THE ENERMY WILL SEEK TO CHANGE YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
c. Among those selected, four are named, and apparently
renamed to honor Babylonian gods
1) Daniel (God is my judge) - Belteshazzar (a servant of Bel)
2) Hananiah (the Lord is gracious) - Shadrach (inspired by the sun god)
3) Mishael (who is what God is?) - Meshach (who is what the moon god is?)
4) Azariah (the Lord helps) - Abed-Nego (servant of Nebo)
- the changing of their names was meant to recondition them
- to redefine them and their purpose thus giving them names that praised pagan gods
- they were desperate not only to brain wash them but to contaminate their beliefs and faith
THE TRICK IS STILL THE SAME TODAY
I often go on Facebook and I see people giving themselves very strange names
Names like:
- Coco
- Butter cup
- Lovesick
- Loose canon
- Midnight stalker
3. DEFILE YOU
Daniel 1:8
New International Version (NIV)
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Daniel 2:27-28
New International Version (NIV)
27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:
Daniel 3:1-7
New International Version (NIV)
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel 3:13-17
New International Version (NIV)
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand.
Acts 1:8
New International Version (NIV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Mark 16:15
New International Version (NIV)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
3. What kind of faith do we have? Is it like a....
a. Spare tire, used only in the case of an emergency?
b. Wheelbarrow, easily upset and must be pushed?
c. Bus, ridden only when it goes our way?
WHY DO WE NEED TO RENEW OUR MINDS
A. Attitudes of mind that need to be renewed
Rom. 1:28 - "a depraved mind, to do things which are not proper"
Rom. 8:5,7 - "mind set on the flesh" *
Rom. 12:16 - "haughty in mind" *
II Cor. 4:4 - "blinded the minds of unbelieving"
II Cor. 11:3 - "minds led astray from simplicity and purity to Christ" *
Eph. 2:3 - "the desires of the flesh and of the mind"
Eph. 4:17 - "the futility of their mind" *
Phil. 3:19 - "set their minds on earthly things" *
Col. 1:21 - "alienated and hostile in mind"
Col. 2:18 - "inflated without cause by a fleshly mind" *
Titus 1:15 - "their mind and their conscience are defiled" *
Attitudes of a renewed mind
Isa. 26:3 - "the steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace"
Jere. 17:10 - "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind"
Jere. 20:12 - "The Lord who seest the mind and the heart"
Matt. 22:37 - "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength" *
Rom. 14:5 - "let each man be fully convinced in his own mind" *
I Cor. 2:16 - "we have the mind of Christ"
Phil. 2:5 - "have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus" *
Phil. 4:8 - "whatever is true, right, pure...let your mind dwell on these..."
Col. 3:2 - "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" *
Heb. 8:10; 10:16 - "I will put my laws into their minds"
I Pet. 1:13 - "gird your minds for action" *
Rev. 2:23 - "I am He who searches the minds and hearts"
