Unprecedented Faith - "Daniel: An Overcoming Faith”

Unprecedented Faith

“Daniel – An Overcoming Faith”

Watch on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj9CJZIGtSg

In God’s Hall of Faith (Hebrews chapter 11), we’re introduced to individuals who had unprecedented faith and, through it, accomplished great things. Some are listed by name and what they accomplished. Others are simply listed by name. But then there are those whose work is listed, but not their name.

And one of those listed through his accompaniments is Daniel.

“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.” (Hebrews 11:33)

Philip Bliss, considered the second most famous Christian songwriter, who wrote hymns such as “It is Well With My Soul,” wrote another called “Dare to Be a Daniel.” The refrain goes like this:

“Dare to be a Daniel,

Dare to stand alone!

Dare to have a purpose firm!

Dare to make it known.”

(Philip Bliss)

Faith literally means “to give up, surrender, or commit.” Faith is complete confidence in God to lead and guide us in and through this life and into eternity. Therefore, faith is the key to life. God’s word tells us that we are not only saved by faith but also called to live by it.

Therefore, it’s vital that we understand biblical faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So faith is about having complete belief in something we cannot perceive with our natural senses.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Paul in Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That is, faith comes from hearing God’s word spoken directly into our hearts.

What can we conclude from these verses is that while we may not understand everything about God, we believe that He is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. But if such a search is not accompanied by faith, it isn’t the faith that pleases God, nor is it a faith that can move mountains.

Faith, therefore, isn’t merely agreeing with your mind in the existence of God. Many professing Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God, but it doesn’t change how they live. The Apostle James said that even demons have that kind of faith, and they tremble in fear (James 2:19).

Introduction

What we are introduced to in the Book of Daniel is a continuing warfare between two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, or, as the Book of Daniel puts it, it’s the struggle between Jerusalem and Babylon.

Jerusalem is the city of God, the headquarters, if you will, of God’s Kingdom on earth. Jerusalem stands directly against Babylon, the capital of the realm of darkness. Therefore, the struggle between these two cities represents the age-old struggle between good and evil, light and darkness.

And what we see at the end of the book of Revelation are the same two cities, diametrically opposed to each other. Yet Babylon the Great will be overthrown, and the new Jerusalem will descend from heaven and continue forever.

Now, in Daniel’s time, faith in the Lord was severely tested. Babylon had conquered Judah and Jerusalem. As a result, questions arose in the people’s hearts about the power of God. Were the gods of Babylon stronger than the God of Israel?

In Daniel's life, we see him overcome challenges to his faith in God and succeed where so many others struggled. Daniel succeeded not merely because he was talented and driven, but because he had faith in God.

I’d like to examine three specific faith challenges Daniel faced, focusing on what he did and the results.

God Provides

God provides us with His directions by faith. We could say this: God is our personal GPS.

Now, no one could ever accuse Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, of being anything but smart. He used a very clever tactic; he gave these Hebrew youths an important role in the royal palace. They received a model upbringing and a very high standard of education. They were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

While the Chaldeans were Semitic tribes living in the southern end of Babylon, the name, however, came to apply to Babylon’s priests who specialized in astronomy and mathematics, or the sciences that are said to have originated in Babylon.

And so, they were taught the Babylonian philosophy of life, their worldview, and their views of God, man, sin, redemption, values, and morals, all of which were in direct opposition to what these young men were being taught back home from God’s word. Basically, Nebuchadnezzar was trying to remake these Jewish young men in the Babylonian way.