THIS TAKES COURAGE

• DAY 128
• Faith File: DANIEL
• Scripture: Daniel 1

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭9‬, ‭11‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Today, we’re starting a new series from the Book of Daniel, and we’re going to be there for a couple days as we analyze Daniel’s courage and the situations that could have brought him fear. So, as we start, I want to encourage you to take out time to read the entire book, so that you can understand the full picture. And I believe that it will stir up your heart to have courage and faith in God.

Let’s start

Once upon a time all things were bright and beautiful, then boom! Nebuchadnezzar comes and takes over Judah, So now Babylon, under King Nebudchadnezzer’s rule, colonized Judah. The king requested for people possessing some specific qualities to be trained to serve him. Among the people selected were Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were also chosen. 

When they brought them to Babylon, the first thing the king did was to change their identity by changing their names. The names Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were Hebrew names that not only showed that they were Israelites, but that they were covenanted to God. So when the king changed their names, he was attempting to cut them from their God and tie them to his own god. This might seem unimportant, but names have more powerful spiritual implications than we know or even want to acknowledge. Our names have a great telling of the kind of person we are. 

It starts with a decision 

We read in our text that although they were in a foreign land as servants, and their identity stripped off them, Daniel purposed in his heart that he will not sin against God. Now, he couldn’t stop them from changing his name. But he had the power to stop them from changing his God. So he decided not to eat the food that they gave to him because they were sacrificed to their idols. It was a sin for an Israelite to eat meat dedicated to idols. He and his friends pleaded that the master tests them by giving them only vegetables and water for a week. And God gave them favor.

Every time you act according to the will of God, God will grant you favor. He will open up a door for you so that you can stay true to Him. God does not put you in an impossible situation without the favor and wisdom to overcome it. 

For Daniel, the test worked out. At the end of the day, they looked better and more presentable than all the others that were given the portion of the king’s meat. The eunuch saw no reason to take them off the diet. God helped them to keep faith and his word. 

Give It Up

It’s going to take a great deal of courage for you to stand with the will of God and it starts off with your decision. Even if it means you have to go make some negotiations, and some uncomfortable adjustments, then so be it. Stand by the word of God, irrespective of what happens. 

One of the major challenges we face when we decide to stand with God or to follow the way of the Lord and go in accordance with his plan is  the things we lose as a result of it. Because, the truth is, we desire those things. Those very things that we’re not supposed to do or have, we desire them. However, people of courage are not afraid to lose anything. They know that they are not missing out on anything. So they make the decision to lose things if it means they hold on to God.

Pray

God, grant unto me courage that I’ll be able to stand and do your will even when it is tough. Even in a foreign and unfavorable land, that I may do what pleases you. 

Shalom.