What God Does With A Sold-Out Life Series

What God Does With a Sold-Out Life?

Griffith Baptist Church – 3/2/08

A.M. Service

Text: Daniel 1:16-21

Key verse: Daniel 1:19 - And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

The Introduction

May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of my self as a vessel for Him to fill full of His Spirit and His love." Andrew Murray

What does it mean to be sold-out? It means to be surrendered to Him in every area of our lives

He has it all!!

We have just come to this point in the life of Daniel when He has been tested and passed the test.

o Melzar (prince of the Eunuchs) who is in charge of Daniel and his 3 friends is satisfied with the results of Daniel’s challenge and makes it their regular diet – verse 16

o The description of what God gave them for their faithfulness – verse 17

o Now, after the 3 year college course in being Babylonian, they go for an interview to King Nebuchadnezzar – verses 18-19

o He discovered that they were ten times better than everyone else he had on staff – verse 20

o He would live to see the return of his people to the promised land – verse 21

What is it about Daniel that sets him above the rest?

What shaped his life to have the excellence it had?

It is possible that we could be the same way and have the same excellent spirit?

Do you want that kind of spirit?

Transitional Statement: In order to have the kind of reputation that Daniel had, we need to take a look at the characteristics that are involved in the surrendered life.

Body

1. Characteristics of the Surrendered Life

A. Sanctified (holy) - 8

i. 1 Corinthians 6:11 – 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

ii. Sanctified means to be set-apart for God’s use

iii. It means being clean and ready for whatever God has for us to do

iv. A young girl gave her experience in the following story: "After I was saved I found some things in my heart not right. There seemed to be cobwebs in the corners. I used to sweep them out by watchfulness and prayer; but they would come again. For some time I kept on sweeping out the cobwebs, only to find them soon appear. But one day the Lord came and killed the spider; and there have been no cobwebs in my heart since.

v. 1 Peter 1:15-16 - 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

vi. God has called us out to be visible examples of Him

vii. This means we have to be distinctive and exceptional in our behavior. This does not mean haughty but humble.

B. Submissive (humble) - 12

i. In Washington, D.C., Bill Clinton tried to remove an unflattering portrait that has been hung around his neck for three years, urging the Christian conservatives not to condemn “the motives and character” of people with whom they disagree because if they “could look into my soul they would see someone whose belief is God is as sincere and deep and genuine as theirs” and who probably is “much more humble in his Christian faith than many of them are.” U. S. News & World Report, March 6, 1995, p. 15

ii. True submission places us under the authority of another

a. Under God’s authority – James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God.

b. Under government authority ordained by God – Romans 13:1 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God

c. Under spiritual authority called of God – Hebrews 13:17 - Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

d. Under each other loved of God – Ephesians 5:21 - Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

iii. It is an inescapable part of life, this act of submission

iv. To do anything but is to be a criminal and in rebellion against God.

v. Submission or humility is the indispensable tool that opens the heart of God