The Power Of Praise Series

Scripture

If you live a typical life span, you will spend about twenty years of it asleep. And during those twenty years, it is estimated that you will have about 300,000 dreams.

As you know, we don’t remember most of our 300,000 dreams. Only if you wake up in the middle of your dream are you likely to remember it. And even then the details quickly drift away.

When Eileen and I were first married, I used to have a lot of nightmares. At that time we used to work with people who were struggling with demonic attacks. We wondered if I was now having demonic attacks while I was asleep. For a long time we tried to figure out what my dreams were and meant.

Years later I decided to quit caffeine. I then made a remarkable discovery: As soon as I quit caffeine, the demons went away!

In Daniel 2 we learn that king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream one night while he was sleeping. This dream was in a class all by itself. There was something very special about his dream. And that something special was that the dream was given to him by God.

I would like to read Daniel 2:1-23 this morning, although today’s text is found in Daniel 2:19-23:

"1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, ’I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.’

"4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, ’O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.’

"5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

"7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

"8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

"10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.”

"12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 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.

"14 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. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

"17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 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.

"19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and seasons;

he sets up kings and deposes them.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the discerning.

22 He reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what lies in darkness,

and light dwells with him.

23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: