Gods Way (Daniel 1 8-16)

In the midst of this season of life that I am in right now The lord has been dealing with me on looking at the many promises he has given to us. We as people and children of God have a book full of promises. These promises are for his children and we must learn how to access these promises. The Promises are for me and they are for you, but in order to access them we must do something . We must be obedient to the the rule book and remain faithful to what he has outlined for us to do through his Word.

We as christians can be find ourselves unfaithful to a faithful God. Even when we are not faithful to God, God is he still faithful to us. I get excited and happy because there has been times in my life church where I have not always been faithful to God but he has still been faithful to me. Is that anybody's testimony other than mine that God still has been faithful despite you not always praying and not always reading your bible and not always doing the things that line up with the Word but God has still been faithful. I know its still early but is there anybody here who can thank God for his faithfulness. When you were out doing your things God was still faithful and kept his hedge of protection around you and kept his hand on you. People be wondering how did you make it out of certain situations that your were not suppose to make it out of , all you have to say is God’s faithfulness and his hand of protection.

Church family there is a promise that God will be faithful even when we are not and I just need 6 people who can thank God for not taking his Hand off you and for being faithful. Is that in anybody’s prayer today GOD PLEASE DON’T TAKE YOUR HAND OFF OF ME!!!!!

I haven’t Dotted every i and crossed every t but what whatever you do God Please don’t take your hand off of me.

When we look at the Promises of God, he is precise and clear with his Promises. Its Just us we find ourselves making things way more complicated than it needs to be. If your are note taking take this down. Your mindset will determine when you will receive your promise. Ok let me give you bible the children of Israel were suppose to be in the promise land in 11 days but it took them 40 years. This is because the mindset of the people were bound. Their mindset was still saying captivity when they were no longer captive. We must Learn how to shift our mindset, because if not we will found ourselves in a season longer than we need to. Look at your neighbor and just tell them free your mind free your mind.

The children of Israel could’ve had their promise but their mindset had them thinking they were still bound. The bible tells us that as a man thinketh so is he. So if you think like a captive you’ll continue to be captive, so free your mind. I come here on an assignment this morning to let you know its time to be free in your mind. You have been in a season of bondage and captivity long enough, and God is just waiting for you to start believing and walking into your freedom. Just look at somebody Close to you and tell them to be free. No more bondage but freedom, No more depression but freedom , No more low self esteem but freedom. Be FREE!

When we look at the verses read to us this morning we see today’s lesson we have a very familiar Biblical character by the name of Daniel. Daniel and 3 of his friends were taking into captivity by the babylonias after Judah taken over. I little background about Judah if you go over and read in Jeremiah you will see why the Lord had Judah to be taken over because the City had become wicked. In other words Judah had got content with doing things their way. They had adapted the Burger King Mentality, They wanted to have it their way.

My brothers and sisters we can’t have it our way but it has to be Gods way. The bible teaches us in Proverbs 14:12

Proverbs 14:12 NLT

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

You may think you are doing right but it’s leading you down a path to destruction. You can’t get caught up in what everybody else is doing but you must focus on doing what is Right in the eyes of God. Well what is right in the Eyes of God? Ok I’m Glad you asked. Whats right is his word. We can take his word and follow it and i guarantee it will lead you to a path that will be better than doing it your way. You May have some bumps and trials and tribulations doing it God’s way but if you pick up your book of promises it tells me that I can cast all my cares on him for he careth for me. I know I can make it through and do what is right because He told me in the book of promises that He would never leave me nor forsake me. Church we must do things God way and not our Way. Our way is only going to lead to a mess but if we Do things Gods way it will lead to something great. Keep the faith and stay strong because you have a cheat code to the thing called life and that cheat code is the book of promises which is his Word. AND guess What i got good news for you today church family If we stay on the right path and do things Gods ways the book tells us we already win in the end so whatever you do Don’t give in, Don’t Give up, Don’t throw in the towel but BE STeadfast, Unmovable and always abounding in the work in the Lord for your labor is not in vain. Be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and not be Moved, Understand that and keep in your memory NOW Unto him who is able to keep you From Falling, Whatever you do Just don’t give in, Look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor don’t give in. God is still right there with you keep the Faith and don’t Give in. I

But we see here that Daniel and 3 of his friends are now under the Babylonian Captivity. While being in the Babylon Empire it was a few things that had to happen. Daniel and his friends had to learn the Customs and the way they did things in Babylon. Not only that The Babylonians gave these 4 men Babylonian names. So Daniels Names was changed from Daniel to Beltseshazzar. Daniel Means God is my Judge but Beltseshazzar Means Bel protect his life. Bel was a Idol god that the they babylonians worshipped. Then you have Hananiah which means the Lord shows grace. Hananiah name was Changed to Shadrach which means Under the command of aku which was the moon god. You know you ones who like to say things based off your sign, talking about I’m a capricorn and a virgo. ooops let me not touch that. But that’s what Shadrach means. Then you have Mishael which means who is Like our God. His named was changed to Meshach which means who is like Aku. Lastly we have Azariah which name means The Lord Helps. His name Was changed to Abednego which means servant of the god of Nebo which is the god of learning and writing.

My brothers and sisters this brings me to my first point is “ Don’t let your identity determine or pull you away from doing the things of God.

Many times we see especially in the old testament that a name and the meaning of a name was tied in with the character of a person or the legacy of the person. The babylonians changed these mens name trying to change their legacy. They thought if they could change their name and identity they would convert over and serve the gods that they served but these men didn’t budge at all.

Many times in life people try to identify you as something else to get you to change or do something you are not suppose to do. This is because they figure if they can change your identity you will convert over soon enough to what they identify you as. But i Just came to tell somebody today Let them identify you by whatever they want to identify you as because If God be for you who Can be against you. Not only that but call me what you will because No weapon that’s formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against me shall be condemned.

So don’t let what they identify you as change you from what you believe and from doing things God’s way.

Once Daniel was identified like a Babylonian we see him having a conversation with the chief of staff. Over in verse 5 we see that the people who work of the king are being fed wine and porkchops and steak on the daily after they would work. Daniel made a decision to talk to the chief of staff because he couldn’t eat this stuff it went against what he believed.

This brings me to my second point which is Don’t let your flesh determine or defile you from doing things Gods way.

My brothers and sisters I’m sure the king had a great spread of porkchops, steak, ribs, you name it i’m sure the King had it. But Im so glad Daniel didn’t let the food that probably looked and smell good take him off from doing things Gods Way.

My brothers and sisters we must learn how to put flesh in its place. We know what is that makes our flesh rise we can’t let our flesh take us from doing things Gods way. Thats why we must get up everyday and deny our flesh, We must get up with a kingdom mindset . We must get up Saying not my will but thine be done. So Put your flesh in check, For the flesh is weak but the spirit is willing. Put your flesh in check.

Not only that but Daniel didn’t let his flesh get out of whack but he remained faithful because he understood he was not there to be like them, but he was there to be a light. In other words Daniel Didn’t let his environment defile his purpose. Daniel understood that yeah I may be around y'all and i may have name like the babylonians but that still doesn’t mean y'all are going to get me out of my true purpose and who I really belong to.

Many of us we get around a certain environment and we pollute our purpose because we are trying to fit in. Child OF God you are a miss fit you are not called to fit in. So when you around certain people its ok to say No i can’t have that or No I wont be able to do things that way because you have been called to do an assignment and you can not let your environment pollute your purpose. For you are a holy nation a royal Priesthood, You have been called not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So don’t get caught up with the things of the World and the environments that you are in sometimes. Stay true to Gods way and he will see you through. You don’t have to give into the Flesh for the bible tells me in Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10 NLT

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

God Has you and he will Hold you up if you submit to his ways and I Promise you Everythingggggg Will be Alright. Just look at a neighbor and tell them it's going to be Alright.

Now we see Daniel has talked to chief Of staff and the chief of staff found favor with Daniel. He told daniel he was afraid to let him do this because his job was on line. He was worried because if daniel and his men would become pale, the chief of staff would have to answer to the King. So Daniel tells him this, how about you let me and my 3 friends eat our vegetables and drink water for 10 days and check our performance compared to those who are eating the steak and potatoes from the kings table. The chief of staff agrees. I just want to stop right there and point out that God will give you favor with people who are not like you if you do it his way.

Daniel and his men eat their vegetables and drink there water for the 10 days, and now its time to see what the report was. I’m sure daniel and his men already had a sense that they was going to do better and that is because of 2 things. The first thing was because Daniel and his men were eating vegetables and drinking water. When you look at vegetables they give you strength and nutriment. When you look at water it gives you hydration. Eating steak and drinking wine won’t do nothing but give you the Itis. So Daniel probably had a feeling before the 10 days was out that they would perform better and not only that but this one took my socks of He knew they would perform better because he was doing it God way and God will look after his own. He wont let you get out their and leave you by yourself but he will be right there with you to see you through.

So they get to the end of the 10 days and the chief of staff sees that daniel and his men are performing better than the other men so they make the decision to switch everybody over to the diet that daniel and his men were doing.

That brings me to my last point and that is When you do things gods way even though you are in a place that doesn’t do things his way, God will show you favor and shift things in your favor because you are there and and have been faithful to his way.

All im trying to say is when you are faithful to Gods way He will grant you favor. Because all things work together for those who love the Lord. Just look at your neighbor and tell them it’s working out for my Good. Favor ain’t Fair but it shole is fun.

Is it ok if I call the role?

Come here noah, The land is full of wickedness and I’m going to destroy the land but I want you to build an ark and take every animal and your family in there and you will be protected from the storm. Noah Found favor with God in a land full of wickedness because he did it Gods way.

Come here abraham take your son and offer him unto me as a sacrifice Abraham went to sacrifice his son and God provided for him on that mountain a ram in the bush. Because abraham did it Gods way he recieved a ram in the bush instead of having to sacrifice his son.

Come here Joseph

Joseph Went from the pit from the pit to the palace from the palace back to the jail and from the jail to the palace again because he did things Gods way. He could’ve stopped doing things Gods way but he remained faithful.

Come here moses go and free the children of Isereal from pharoah, Moses had a speech problem but he still went and told pharoah to Let Gods people Go, And they got to the red sea pharoahs army behind them and body a water in front of them but since moses did things Gods way God provided for moses and turned that red sea into a highway for them to get across

Come here David, David was able to kill golaith and be annointed as King because he did it Gods way.

Come here Peter, peter had a revelation of who God was because he did it Gods way

Come here Jesus, Jesus could’ve left us hanging but he did it Gods way he decided to die for me and you, he could’ve ran from the task but he decided to do the will of God.