Doing Right No Matter What

Joke

Two hunters from Seattle were driving through Stevens County to go bear hunting. They came across a fork in the road with a sign that read “BEAR LEFT” so they went home.

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Open

Being Afraid of the Dark

Are any of you afraid of the dark?

Some yes, manly men NO!

Its called Nyctophobia

45% of children have it and 29% to 50% of adults have it

It is an intense, irrational fear of the dark

I watched a movie and after that I was terrified of the dark.

I couldn’t sleep without a light no matter how big the light was, I needed that light. Otherwise the fear won.

Why?

Why was the darkness so scary. I was in the same room before my mom shut the light off.

I saw everything when the light was on, nothing changed, or did it?

2nd part of that definition

It is an intense, irrational fear of the dark or of what cannot be seen in the dark

The Darkness didn’t scare me, but the unknown did

People, even Christians let fear of the unknown take the place of their faith of a God who knows all.

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Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

When in all reality what we often say is…

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“When I am afraid the fear takes over and I forget to put my trust in you”

Last week Pastor Mark talked to us about Paul and his being imprisoned among other things. But one part that made me think was 2 things.

#1 He was falsey accused.

#2 He was warned he was going to be arrested by Agabus because Agabus was told by God to tell Paul.

It made me think. Lots of people have been persecuted falsly or targeted for doing what God told them to do, and would it be easier to deal with that persecution if we were warned.

Unfortunatley most of us won’t get warned.

When we get attacked it is the devil attacking us.

The devil is evil and crafty. He wants to catch us and make us fear, often that fear is of the unknown.

A lost job, a sick child

Daniel trusted God even though he was faced with a huge unknown

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The Plan

Open your Bible if you would to Daniel 6

Daniel 6:1–4 “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.”

At this point Daniel is under his 3rd ruler in exile.

Nebuchanezzar and Belshazzar had died.

The Persian empire had taken over Babylon

Darius is now in charge and appoints 120 satraps (regional rulers) to govern the territory

One of the men was Daniel

Daniel had such a good and solid reputaion that even this new ruler knew how important Daniel was.

Daniel proved to be better and wiser than all the rest!

Daniel 6:3 “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”

Why was Daniel better, because God was with Daniel.

This caused jealousy with the other regional rulers who wanted to control the land, and a plan was formed to kill Daniel.

Daniel 6:5–9 “Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.”

They used Darius pride against him.

They used the law against Daniel.

They used Daniel’s faith in God as a weapon to try and destroy Daniel!

Why is that important?

Make no mistake, the enemy will try His best to use your faith as a weapon to distract you from God.

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Matthew 4:5–6 “Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ””

Satan was quoting scripture!

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Psalm 91:11–12 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”

How does Jesus respond?

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Matthew 4:7“Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ 

There is a reason it is called a sword. It can be used by satan for evil! You have to know your Bible so you can use it to defend yourself when the enemy comes at you.

They know the kind of man Daniel is. They know that no matter what happens he will honor God. He has his whole life!

The food and water.

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Daniel 1:17–20 “As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.”

Telling the other kings their dreams.

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Daniel 2:23 “To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.””

His friends Shadracago!

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Daniel 3:16–18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.””

Daniel was taught a simple yet profound way to live and He honored that all his life….

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GOD OVER ALL

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Justice Is Not Served

Daniel 6:10–15 “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.””

They waited

They caught him

They cornered the king who was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sacrifice Daniel, or look weak in his new kingdom.

The law is the law

Technically they were right in their assessment. But it was done in a dirty way.

Where man’s justice often fails…

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God’s Justice Always Prevails

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Daniel 6:16–27 “Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.””

Daniel was thrown into the lions den.

Daniel was thrown into the dark, into the unknown.

Not like the pictures.

The lions were starved, they were man eaters. There was no hope. Only fear and death.

God was still in charge and Daniel knew it.

God saved Daniel, God closed the mouths of the lions. God showed he was more powerful than the evil that was trying to kill Daniel.

Daniel 6:23 “Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”

Darius threw the evil men and their families into the den of lions

Then Darius wrote a decree to all people in every language to the entire earth!!

“Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.””

Close (SLIDE)

Shadracago went to the furnace

Paul went to prison

David faced the giant

Daniel went to the Lions Den

These are 4 examples. 4 Examples of people who were willing to lay it all on the line in order to do what was right. It wasn’t because they were braver then anyone else. It wasn’t because they could see into the future. It wasn’t because they wanted to suffer. They did what they did and risked what they risked for one reason and one reason only. They trusted God. With their freedom. With their friends and loved ones. With their very lives. They trusted in the God who they never saw. They trusted in God.

Let me ask you, what’s dark about your life right now. What is it that the enemy is doing to trying to get to you.

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Daniel didn’t know if those lions were going to tear him apart, or if the God that he loved more than anything was going to save him and it didn’t matter. Because no matter what may come Daniel knew that God was in control. He was in control then, he is in control now. Whatever dark is causing you doubt, or fear, tell it to go away. Because the same God who shut the mouths of the lions is the same God that is with you today.