Unshakable
Unshakable • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsMany people today struggle with anxiety. The bible define anxiety as a double minded person. Through the book of Daniel we will see how to walk with God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Last Monday, I was listening to a podcast called “The Briefing” with Albert Molhler: A daily analysis of current events from a biblical world view. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-briefing-albertmohler-com/id390278738?i=1000574620598
I want to read his opening paragraph from last Monday.
“Well, it's only been 30 days since the last season ended, and what a 30 days it has been, just one month. This points to something we have to see over and over again these days, and that is the increase in what is known as cultural acceleration, or a cultural velocity. It's the change that comes so fast now in society, not just at the surface level, but at the deep moral level. This is something that truly is unprecedented in human history. Moral change has often taken centuries, sometimes multiple centuries, certainly decades to take place, but right now moral change seems to happen almost as if it's an explosion. It's this high velocity, high energy event that just changes everything, so much so that what was an old world, way back there in the past, can be something as recent as just a few years ago.”
I think one of the reasons for this cultural acceleration is the exposure we have to each other through the internet and social media which is some ways is a good thing. We are much more aware of the social ills and different thoughts that exist and can unite to make positive change.
It’s a negative when we, as a society, move away from the principles of the Bible and are governed by a more secular mindset. The American mindset has changed so dramatically in the last two years that I barely recognise the ideology of my own country. But somehow, We must be unshakable for the kingdom of God in this godless society.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Where do we find the wisdom, courage, and strength to abound when it seems the world is against you. This is exactly the way Daniel and his friends must have felt when they were pulled from their houses and brought to serve a king that didn’t believe in God or practice any of the ways of God.
How do we become “Unshakeable?”
Bible Lesson
The book of Daniel will provide us with the right frame work to discover what the Bible says about being unshakeable. Here is the backdrop of the book.
The nation of Israel has been fallen into rebellion against God and not kept the commandments of sabbath.
God has allowed the nation to fall into the hands of the Babylon let by their King Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar takes the best and the brightest youth to train in his court as a way of assimilation of a people into the Babylonian culture.
Daniel and three of his friends are taken and forced to serve in the royal court.
Little did Nebuchadnezzar know that he was the one being assimilated into the kingdom of God.
5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.
Daniel 1:8 (ESV)
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
The Resolution of the Heart determines your Course of Action.
The Resolution of the Heart determines your Course of Action.
A double minded person is unstable in all his ways.
A double minded person is unstable in all his ways.
double mindedness is the internal conflict of ideas that cause division within.
A double minded person is unstable because they thinking about many things all at the same time. Today we call this anxiety.
What does God think?
What do my friends think?
What do my parents think?
What do others think?
What does the church think?
What will the community think?
Social media has only exsasorbated the issue as we place our entire lives on display for others to chime in. Double mindedness becomes paralyzing because there are to many minds to consider and you know they don’t agree.
The mind of Christ brings a single focus.
The mind of Christ brings a single focus.
16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The Word of God
The Holy Spirit
You surrendered will
A mind set on God is Unshakable.
A mind set on God is Unshakable.
113 I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. 114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. 115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.
The Bible is our final authority for all life and practice.
The Bible is our final authority for all life and practice.
This answers the question from last week.
“What do you do when you're not mad at God, not bitter or lonely but overall lost in your belief? You know him to be true and his promises to be real but what do you do in the in between? When you are scared to lean in but desperately trying to hold on?”
Determine in your heart to please God alone.
Determine in your heart to please God alone.
The Resolution of your Heart determines God’s Response.
The Resolution of your Heart determines God’s Response.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Your resolve determine God’s intimacy.
Your resolve determine God’s intimacy.
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
God is working behind the scenes to bring about blessing and protection.
Even when the world doesn’t trust in God he can use them for your good.
10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”
12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
God can move the hearts of kings.
God can move the hearts of kings.
15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.
The Resolution of your Heart brings Supernatural Rewards.
The Resolution of your Heart brings Supernatural Rewards.
17 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.
Nothing can stop you when you are walking with God.
Nothing can stop you when you are walking with God.
When you walk in the ways of the Lord you stand before kings.
When you walk in the ways of the Lord you stand before kings.
19 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. 20 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.
Conclusion
Some of you are so double minded you can’t think straight.
The world is pulling you one way, but you know that’s not the way of the Lord.
The battle is always in the mind.
When are you going to resolve in your heart not to defile yourself with this world?
When will you draw close to God and watch him draw close to you?
Many of you are worried about making the changes to draw near to God, but that’s not where it starts: It starts with the Resolution of the Heart.
Next Steps:
Next Steps:
Surrender your heart and will to King Jesus. Set him as the Lord of your life.
Put all your faith in God and his Word. Let the Bible be your final authority for all life and practice.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
3. Draw near to God and watch him draw near to you.
Philippians 4:6–9 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.