This World Needs to See Some Heat-Resistant Christians!
Dan. 6:23b: "...So Daniel was taken up out of the [lions’] den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God."
Oh, to have that kind of faith! I am reminded of 1 Tim. 6:12, where we are told to “Fight the good fight of faith…” Plainly put, to exercise our faith is to fight for survival; otherwise, we would have no hope. Jesus said in Mark 9:23, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Again, our text says that there was no manner of hurt found upon Daniel, “…because he believed in his God.”
Daniel knew all too well that God would deliver him, and so because he knew God would, God did! Notice it didn’t say, “because Daniel out-smarted the lions”, or “because the lions just weren’t hungry that day”, or any other crazy something! It was simply because he believed God. Faith is a powerful thing when it is placed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Since He is the author and the finisher of our faith (see Heb. 12:2), then to put our trust in any other person or thing would be powerless, but to put our faith in Him would yield unlimited power with God.
Faith is such a simple thing, but what makes it challenging is all of the opposing forces which fight so hard to keep us from believing. According to 2 Cor. 10, we are in a spiritual war, which implores us to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Why? Because it’s all in your head! If you can win the battle against doubt in your mind, then you’ve won the battle, period. Daniel’s faith was great because he didn’t know any better than to believe God.
Why does our Lord teach us that “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” (Mark 10:15)? It is because a child-like faith has not been tainted and soiled by this world’s system and philosophies. For a child, there is no other option, because there has been none given! In other words, we should believe God without taking into consideration any opposing information whatsoever. Pretend like those other voices don’t even exist. Ignore them! If you’ll drown out the devil’s voice long enough, you’ll hear God’s voice louder and clearer as the days go by. Fight to believe God, and rest by your sleeping lions!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Oh, to have that kind of faith! I am reminded of 1 Tim. 6:12, where we are told to “Fight the good fight of faith…” Plainly put, to exercise our faith is to fight for survival; otherwise, we would have no hope. Jesus said in Mark 9:23, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Again, our text says that there was no manner of hurt found upon Daniel, “…because he believed in his God.”
Daniel knew all too well that God would deliver him, and so because he knew God would, God did! Notice it didn’t say, “because Daniel out-smarted the lions”, or “because the lions just weren’t hungry that day”, or any other crazy something! It was simply because he believed God. Faith is a powerful thing when it is placed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Since He is the author and the finisher of our faith (see Heb. 12:2), then to put our trust in any other person or thing would be powerless, but to put our faith in Him would yield unlimited power with God.
Faith is such a simple thing, but what makes it challenging is all of the opposing forces which fight so hard to keep us from believing. According to 2 Cor. 10, we are in a spiritual war, which implores us to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Why? Because it’s all in your head! If you can win the battle against doubt in your mind, then you’ve won the battle, period. Daniel’s faith was great because he didn’t know any better than to believe God.
Why does our Lord teach us that “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” (Mark 10:15)? It is because a child-like faith has not been tainted and soiled by this world’s system and philosophies. For a child, there is no other option, because there has been none given! In other words, we should believe God without taking into consideration any opposing information whatsoever. Pretend like those other voices don’t even exist. Ignore them! If you’ll drown out the devil’s voice long enough, you’ll hear God’s voice louder and clearer as the days go by. Fight to believe God, and rest by your sleeping lions!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill