Hows your prayer life Daniel 6:1-28

Introduction

I believe that our prayer life as Christians is one of the most neglected aspects of the Christian life. Its really easy to say “I’m praying for you” but how often do we say those words and totally forget about it?

This morning as we are one week away from VBS, I want to challenge us to seek the throne of God that He would bless our VBS and through it we would see souls saved and families reached through the Gospel.

In Daniel 6 we find Daniel as a high ranking official in Babylon, yet he still has a devotion to the God of Israel. God placed him right where he needed him and is going to use his prayer life to open up the eyes of the Babylonians.

Daniels Character vs 1-7

Here we find Darius and his appointing of 120 princes that would be over the whole kingdom.

Over these 120 princes were 3 presidents and the first of theses presidents was Daniel.

These Presidents and princes were put in place so that Darius wouldn’t have to deal with the minor things and could focus on the major things going on in the kingdom.

The Bible tells us that Daniel was preferred above the presidents and the princes

The reason why is he had an excellent Spirit in him

When people look at us do they see an excellent spirit in us? We should like Paul challenged the church at Colossi Colossians 3:23 “23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

King Darius thought highly enough of him to set him over the whole realm

In verses 4-5 we find the princes and the other presidents trying to find fault in Daniel.

Look at the conclusion they found

They could find none occasion nor fault

He was found faithful

They couldn’t find any error or fault in him

They pulled out the magnifying glass on Daniel and couldn’t find any fault. There only conclusion was they would have to come up with a plan that would cause him to break Gods law so he would choose to break mans law instead of God’s.

What a testimony Daniel had.

In verses 6-7 we see the princes and presidents scheme against Daniel.

They start by buttering up the king

Then they said that they had come up with a royal statue that for the next 30 days no one could ask a petition of anyone but King Darius.

The consequence of breaking the decree was they would be thrown into a den of lions.

Again what a testimony Daniel had that they had to use his prayer life against him.

The decree signed vs. 8-9

They tell the king to sign the decree

They knew how much the king cared for Daniel so they had him sign it according to laws of the Medes and Persians so it couldn’t be changed.

We see the king sign the decree.

Daniels reaction to the decree vs. 10

The average person takes 30 days to form a habit and to break a habit.

The decree that was signed would have likely caused Daniel to break his habit of praying that he had for many years.

Notice Daniels immediate reaction to the decree being signed in verse 10

When he heard the decree had been signed, he went into his house, opened the windows toward Jerusalem, kneeled down three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God

If we aren’t careful we will miss a little phrase at the end of verse 10 where the Bible says “As he did aforetime”

This wasn’t the first time that Daniel opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed.

This was an everyday occurence and the princes and presidents knew that and that is the reason for the decree.

Daniel caught praying vs. 11-15

The men were assembled waiting to catch Daniel praying and they caught him.

They ran to the king and asked him a question they already knew the answer too vs. 12

They tell the king that Daniel has broken the decree and they caught him praying three times a day.

They made Daniel sound really bad by telling the king, he doesn’t regard you or your decrees.

They likely thought the king would be upset with Daniel but verse 14 tells us the king was sore displeased with himself

The king tried everything in his power to save Daniel from going to the den of Lions, but the decree could not be changed.

Daniel in the lions den vs. 16-19

The king wasn’t a believer but look what he tells Daniel at the end of verse 16.

Think about an unbeliever having that much confidence in God, while we as Christians have a hard time believing God will deliver us.

Daniel is thrown in the lions den and there is a stone placed on top of the den.

The king seals the stone along with his lords and leaves Daniel for the night.

The king can’t sleep and no music could calm him down, he barely got any sleep and we see that he rose early the next morning and hurried to the den of lions.

Daniel is kept safe all night vs. 20-23

Darius asks Daniel if the God he continuously serves delivered him from the lions vs. 20

Daniel answers O king live forever vs 21

Daniel tells him how he survived

God closed the mouth of the lions

they didn’t hurt him at all

As they get him out of the den, they see that he is not hurt at all and the Bible tells us why “Because he believed in God”

Darius reaction to the princes and presidents vs. 24

He threw them in the den with their families and they were eaten by lions

Darius’ new decree vs. 25-28

read verses 25-27

Daniel prospered during Darius reign, but also through the reign of Cyrus the Persian

Conclusion

How is our prayer life?

Will you join me over the next 7 days and pray specifically for VBS?

Imagine what God can do if we all seek his face.