STANDING STRONG AS A CHRISTIAN

GETTING RID OF COMPROMISE

August 5th and 6th, 2000

Ephesians 6

10 ¶ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

 11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Pr 25:26 ¶ Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

prayer

-I don’t feel like preaching you a sermon as much as I do just sitting down and saying, “CAN WE TALK?” 

-I believe that 2000 is the pivotal year between the last millennium and the next.

-The emphasis I sense for this year is holiness. That word scares people.

-It is a time of cleansing and honesty before God were we open our hearts and lives to Him and become transparent.

-David said God desired “TRUTH IN THE INMOST BEING”.

-We know that….we know God wants us to be holy…..sometimes we don’t know what that means and HOW TO DO IT.

-When I became a Christian I wanted to follow God…I had been living a certain way and really didn’t understand how to cut some things loose in my life.

-Lets use the book of Daniel as a backgound for beating compromise.

COMPROMISE – WEBSTER’S – BLENDING THE QUALITIES OF TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

A CONCESSION TO SOMETHING DEROGATORY

Background:

-Daniel and his friends are a great example of standing strong in an environment that is totally opposed to you.

-They were taken from Judah and Jerusalem as teen-agers. We can only guess how old…probably sixteen or seventeen.

-Everything that related to their past as Hebrews was taken from them.

Their names were changed to reflect Babylonian Gods rather than the God of Israel.

They were placed in a school environment to learn the ways of the Babylonians….some legitimate…some totally contrary to the Word of God.

They were cut off from their heritage and their past.

-The only thing is…..Babylon couldn’t get their heart!

Daniel 1

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility--

 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. {Or Chaldeans}

 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.

 6 Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

1.   THE FIRST THING WE SEE IS THAT GOD IS ON DANIEL’S SIDE AND HE KNOWS IT.

-The name DANIEL means “GOD IS MY JUDGE”.

-In other words….he answered to God despite the situation he was in.

Daniel 2

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"

 27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about,

 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these:

Daniel 9

22 He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.

 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.

-Daniel had a relationship with God. He knew he wasn’t alone.

-We need to get an awareness of the presence of Jesus like never before.

APPLICATION

-What does that mean for you?

*WHEN WE ARE ATTACKED OR TEMPTED…WE OFTEN IDENTIFY MORE WITH OUR SIN THAN WITH GOD.

-If you are walking down the street and a dog bites you…..do you pick up a stick and begin beating yourself? Many Christians attack themselves rather than realizing that God is standing with you against the sin…the dog.

-The teaching of the New Testament is that you are no longer the dog but you occasionally get bit.

-Beat the dog…not yourself.

-It is amazing what happens when you see God as a loving God who is for you and with you.

-Holiness is the result of hitting the dog…..condemnation is the result of beating yourself.

GOD IS WITH YOU/YOU ARE HIGHLY ESTEEMED!

2.  THE SECOND THING WE SEE IS THAT DANIEL MADE A COMMITMENT

Daniel 1

8 ¶ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way.

 9 Now God had caused the official to show favour and sympathy to Daniel,

-You have to make a decision before the decision or trial comes.

-Daniel already knew what he was going to do when they told him to stop praying.

FOR INSTANCE:

-I have made some decisions about my life that help me. Does God make me do them….no….I require them of myself.

-I don’t watch Network TV. I have 10 channels that I have handpicked as well as Christian channels. I watch movies…..several this week. I have filters on my computer etc.

-Why? Because I have resolved not to defile myself.

-It is very hard to change horses in the middle of a stream.

-Daniel and his friends made some strong decisions.

Daniel 3

5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshipped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

 8 ¶ At this time some astrologers {Or Chaldeans} came forward and denounced the Jews.

 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live for ever!

 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,

 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego-- who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."

 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,

 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.

 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Daniel 6

7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den.

 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."

 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.

 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

 11 ¶ Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.

 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree stands--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."

 13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."

-Those men knew Daniel would still pray. He had character.

-The first 6 chapters of Daniel have a conflict.

-In every situation Daniel and his friends hold fast and not only does God deliver them…..He witnesses to the nation and the world through it.

3.  THE THIRD THING IS THAT DANIEL WAS A WITNESS

-Interestingly, the word for WITNESS is MARTYR:

ONE WHO BEARS TESTIMONY TO THE TRUTH OF WHAT HE HAS SEEN OR KNOWN

ONE WHO ENDURES SEVERE SUFFERING FOR THEIR CHRISTIAN WITNESS

ONE WHO CHOOSES TO SUFFER DEATH RATHER THAN DENY JESUS CHRIST

-There are more Christian martyrs today than in the first century.

Regent University did a study and found 164,000 Christians were murdered in 1999 around the world. That number is expected to be 165,000 in 2000.

-Being a witness is not just what kind of death you die but what kind of life you live.

-Are you past the stronghold of what other people think of you?

-Do you have guts?

-I have a great album cover of Keith Green where all of the people are bowing to the idol and one person is standing. Those around him are peeking up at him.

-The album was called NO COMPROMISE.

-Your life is a witness…..THE WORLD IS WATCHING!

Hebrews 12

1 ¶ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 4 ¶ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.