Daniel 4

Be careful what you think will bring you peace and happiness.

Financial success does not equal happiness or peace.

Watch out for pride. We will see it in the story of Neb.

Neb has a dream that doesn’t put him at rest.

We have something that the world does not have - the Lord.

Slide: Instead: Be Spirit Filled.

Be spirit filled!

Neb attested that Daniel had the spirit of God.

It takes the spirit of God in us, to live for God.

Are you walking in the spirit? Do people sense something different about you?

Galatians 5:19-25 is our example of spirit filled living.

Walking in the spirit gives us the reaction that we see in Daniel.

Notice the dream and Daniels reaction. Like Daniel we need to have compassion on unbelievers.

Slide: Have compassion on unbelievers.

Have compassion on unbelievers.

Don ‘t hate them.

Don’t rejoice when bad things happen to them.

Daniel loved Neb. VS 19

Jesus said:

Luke 6:27–28 ESV

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Luke 6:35–36 ESV

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Call the unbelieving to repent.

Verse 27

Daniel served for decades

God may put you in place for years before He reveals an opportunity. God’s timing is not our timing.

They may not repent… but you have done your part.

Verses 28-33

Now we see his pride. - v30

God can bring you low to teach you a lesson.

Don’t forget…God is in control!

He is in control of whoever is in control.

He can use the unrighteous for his purposes. Even someone like Neb.

Jeremiah 27:6–7 ESV

Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.

Don’t give up on the hard cases.

Neb was a hard case.

God is merciful to the unlikeliest of people.

Look at his testimony of God.

Verses 1-3; 34-37

Never give up… God can reach the hardest of hearts…keep praying.