Scripture to Read: Daniel 6:4–5
God used Daniel because Daniel was willingly guided, directed, energized, and empowered by God. As Christians, we have the same Holy Spirit, not just coming upon us, but indwelling us with all of Himself. God gives us His Spirit so we can serve Him with excellence in our craft, profession, or skillset. When we serve our Lord wholeheartedly, even lost people will recognize something different about us, the same way the people in Daniel’s day recognized that he “possessed an extraordinary spirit.” That is why God tells us in Ephesians 6:5–6 that we must “be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” God tells us almost the same thing in Colossians 3:22–23. When we choose to live for our Lord and honor Him through our lives, we must be ready for spiritual battles because the spiritual forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12) want to discredit us and remove us from being salt and light in this lost world. We read in Daniel 6:4–5 how the commissioners and satraps looked for a way to bring an accusation against Daniel. But Daniel was so faithful in his walk with our Lord that they couldn’t find an accusation against him. So, they looked for an accusation against him with regard to his walk with God. Live as God commands in Philippians 2:15, and don’t fear the battle.
Challenge & Application
• Why did Daniel stand out among the other leaders in Persia, and how does that relate to us?
• Why should we expect opposition when we are living for our Lord and honoring Him in all areas of our lives?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!