There is a story of a brave individual who was determined to love God. His name was Daniel. God allowed Judah to be taken over by the king of Babylon.

Dan 1:6-10  (6) Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

The first thing the enemy will try to do when he comes on the scene is to rename us.  He will try to give us names like depressed, worthless, failure, hopeless, helpless, and unintelligent.  If he can get us to believe the lies about ourselves, half of the battle is won. Then he will try to get us to bow down to something of this world instead of the One TRUE GOD.

The second thing was they were given the king’s meat and wine.  But Daniel didn’t want to eat the meat of the king. He made a deal with the servant of the king to give him beans.  He did better on the meal that they requested than the others did on the king’s meat and wine.

We need to eat the word of God and not the meat of this world.  We need to drink the new wine (The Holy Ghost) and not the wine of the world. Spirits that will drag us down the wrong path.

Skipping ahead to Chapter 6

The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is one that many remember from Sunday school. King Darius highly favored Daniel. Many others plotted against Daniel out of jealousy and ambition. They could find no fault in him except his devotion to God. Many hate us because our devotion to God makes them feel bad.  They know they ought to be devoted to him. The other presidents and princes manipulated the king to sign a decree that was geared to destroy Daniel.

Daniel 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel knew of the decree but didn’t let it stop him.  He went into his house and with the windows opened made prayers to God. Not just once but three times a day.

Verse 10–Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Our God hears our thoughts, he knows the cry of hearts when we have no words.  He can hear a whispered prayer.  Daniel could have whispered a prayer for 30 days.  But he chose to honor the true God. He left the windows open and prayed to God.

When the king was informed by the ones that plotted against Daniel, he was sad, but could not change the decree. Daniel was tossed into the den of lions. The lions did not harm Daniel.  God sent his angel to shut the lion’s mouths. They did not harm him in any way.  The next morning the king came and found him alive.  He was relieved and had him brought up out of the lion’s den.

Daniel 6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

Those who plotted against Daniel were destroyed by the very means they tried to use against him. Just as Haman in the book of Esther hung on his own gallows. Ones he had built for Mordecai. Our enemy will be destroyed in the end, we just have to be faithful to our God.

People in this life will lie on us, they may plot against us.  But our God will shut the liar’s mouth as he did the lion’s mouth.

PSALM 63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

1 CHR 16:21-22   (21) He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

Let this be a warning to anyone who sets out to harm a child of God.  God will only allow things to go so far before he steps in and remedies the situation.  If we are his anointed, we can be sure he is with us and will protect us from the evil lion. The word says that satan is as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet 5:8).

This is why I am always encouraging you, to Keep your God Focus. If we focus on him, everything will be fine. God is on our side and he will stop the lion’s roar against us and shut the liar’s mouth.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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