Well, What Do We Have Here?

Warriors Arise: March 17, 2021

Daniel 6:10-11 (NKJV) Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. 11Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

These men, the governors and satraps that schemed to "innocently" have Daniel killed, had no doubt Daniel would be praying to his God. They had seen over the years how Daniel always turned to God in prayer. They knew his routine. When they were in deliberation, he would call a break from is duties just to go and pray. They might ask to have a meeting with him but knew he would never meet when he was to be in prayer time with his God.

There would not be a way to meet with Daniel and see his window open. They knew they would be waiting until he was done. They had passed by his window before. They knew the time of day he would be praying. This is how devoted Daniel was to his God. There was no reason to think differently because nothing in the past stopped him from meeting with God so why would this degree cause him to deviate from his devotion to God?

It is as if these men were waiting for Daniel to hear the decree so they could follow him. They were so sure he would continue praying to his God like he had done every day before. They might have even had someone staked in view of his window so they didn't miss the the violation. Maybe they thought he would find a new place to pray. Surely, he wouldn't defy the king's decree so blatantly.

But they didn't know Daniel, not fully. They didn't know Daniel ,because they didn't know his God. They really didn't connect all the times God had saved His people, provided for their need, overturned battles, and called them out of the fire. They didn't know the history of God and His people.

These men might think Daniel was faithful to a fault to his God. What they didn't realize is that for all the devotion Daniel showed to God, it is God who remained faithful to him.

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

“God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

Has He said, and will He not do?

Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV)

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Psalms 31:23-24 (NKJV)

Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!

For the Lord preserves the faithful,

And fully repays the proud person.

24 Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the Lord.

Psalms 101:6 (NKJV)

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,

That they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a perfect way,

He shall serve me.

Do you think Daniel wanted to be chosen by God to stand before kings who could pronounce his death sentence on the spot for what He had him share? Do you think Daniel wanted to be selected first to be seen praying to God instead of King Darius? Do you think Daniel was unsure if others would join in continual prayer to God?

Maybe Daniel wanted to be first so he led the way of rightly representing God to King Darius. Out of all the people, the Hebrews who were in the kingdom, Daniel had already been selected by King Darius to govern the whole realm. King Darius may not have known the other Hebrews but he would know Daniel.

Daniel didn't cower, he took his place as he always did since the early days of being brought as a captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. He positioned himself one more time in prayer before God. He did not hide because he knew these men would stop at nothing. He would not let others die because of the jealousy these men had toward him. He knew they would be watching. He knew they were after him. He would not misrepresent his confidence in God. By allowing himself to be accused first the challenge could be completed with God as the victor.

The governors and satraps waiting to hear from their messenger, maybe they were so bold as to knock on Daniel's door and have him bound and taken to the king. Can't you hear them saying to one another, "Well, what do we have here?"

Daniel knew. He knew the evil intent of these men. But he also knew he needed to be before his God in order to be ready for what lay ahead. He did exactly what he needed to do even though what he needed to do would be his death sentence.

These are extremely difficult situations. Follow God and die or set away from God and live. The problem with choosing the later is that living without God is no way to live. Think about Cain. What was his sentence for offering the what God didn't ask for then killing his brother out of jealousy and finally denying he knew anything about his brother?

Genesis 4:11-14 and 16 (NKJV) So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” 13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” 16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.

Cain would no longer have the yield of crops from the ground.

Cain would be a fugitive and a vagabond.

Cain no longer walked with the Lord.

When I read about Cain I am baffled. He doesn't realize what he lost. The most valuable thing out of all he lost that day was being in the presence of God. Daniel would not make that mistake, that sin. Daniel would honor God and the relationship they had. What is worse than death? A life with God.

Father, life is a gift You give each one of us. How we choose to honor the life we have been given is either a blessing to Your name or a curse we live with. Your word says that it rains on the just and the unjust. All of us are going to have trials, traumas and temptations the enemy uses to get us to turn away from You. But God, You are faithful in all Your ways. Your faithfulness to come and strengthen us in the time of our weakness is unending. Your faithfulness to love us beyond comprehension is uncompromising. Your faithfulness faithfulness to be our provider reveals Your desire to take care of us. Your faithfulness to protect us when the enemy throws blow after blow is unstoppable. You are faithful and I will trust in You. I will call to You when accusations come. I will see the salvation of my God. I will see the provision of my God. I will see the fruitfulness of my God in my life. I will know the presence of God and eat at the banqueting table You set before me in the midst of my enemies. I will not be afraid of what man can do to me. I will continue to replicate Your faithfulness in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.