Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth Daniel 6:25-27
Jealousy, Pride and Self-Exaltation are at the center of the human heart. It is that which separates us from the sweet communion with God. It is what cuts wounds so deep that we cannot know the truest of joy in our relationship with God or others. It not only is the poison within our own heart. It is at the center of the turmoil placed upon us by the world that surrounds us.
So, it was for Daniel as well who would find himself thrown deep into the pit of lions because of the jealousy, pride and the self-exalting hearts of those who surrounded him. Despite his being placed into captivity at a young age with his manhood stripped from him, Daniel had risen to a position of respect both within the courts of King Nebuchadnezzar and later under King Darius of the Medes after they had invaded and overtook Babylon. That in itself is remarkable! When another country takes seize of a former government, one would suspect that they would not wish to keep in high regard officials from the original government. Yet, Daniel was highly respected even by this new Monarch. Perhaps it was Daniels humility, grace, and wisdom that they noted, all learned by his constant devotion to studying Gods word and through his dedication to prayer. Daniel never ceased to pray three times every day.
The other leaders were jealous that Daniel was seen in such high regard. They secretly searched to find fault for which he could be accused.
Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governors, for he had great ability, and the king began to think of placing him over the entire empire as his administrative officer. This made the other presidents and governors very jealous, and they began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs so that they could complain to the king about him. But they couldn’t find anything to criticize! He was faithful and honest and made no mistakes. Daniel 6:3-4 TLB
Their jealousy grew. Then they realized that they could appeal to the pride of King Darius. He would declare that for one month, all men could only make petition to himself or be thrown into the den of lions. After he had signed and sealed this decree, the other men were quick to bring Daniel before the King for having prayed and petitioned God for his guidance. Again, appealing to pride and self-exaltation they reminded the King that it would undermine his authority were he not to do as decreed. So, it was that Daniel was thrown into the den of some very hungry lions. Yet, not a one touched him because God had sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.
THE SIGNIFICANCE FOR YOU AND I
1. When jealous or prideful people attack us, do not fear. God is on our side. He will protect us and provide a way out of the darkness as we wait and trust in Him.
Evil men spy on the godly, waiting for an excuse to accuse them and then demanding their death. But the Lord will not let these evil men succeed, nor let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge. Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing, and you will see the wicked destroyed. Psalm 37:32-34 TLB
2. Slay the jealousy and pride of our own hearts through prayer and seeking the wisdom of God through His word to us.
Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will. Your innocence will be clear to everyone. He will vindicate you with the blazing light of justice shining down as from the noonday sun. Psalm 37:4-6 TLB
3. When it appears that sin has won and that all we hear around us is the roaring sounds of Satan’s lies, rest assured that God has won the victory for all who are His children, all who have accepted the free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. So, begin to sing a song of praise to God for the victory and watch how quickly your heart will find its rest in Him. See how quickly your fear is replaced by joy, hope and love as only God can provide.
Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s… You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of thev Lord, who is with you …Do not fear or be dismayed…for the Lord is with you…” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17
The amazing thing was in this scripture, the children of God were being attacked. After they heard these words, they sent out singers to sing God’s praises in front of the army and without ever having to fight, they won because God went before them.
[bctt tweet=”Let us become a people who win through prayer, seeking God and singing His praise.” username=”effiedarlene”]
[tweetthis]God can and will win the battle as we seek Him with all our heart. Victory is His.[/tweetthis]
Living Bible (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version(NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.