Daniel 6:1-7 KJV It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; (2) And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. (3) Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. (4) Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. (5) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. (6) Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. (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. Romans 7:8-10 KJV But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. (9) For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (11) For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
There are things in our lives that actually work against us and bring defeat to our Christian existence.
Princes saw Daniel over them and first.
Did you know that people operate the gifts of the Spirit and LIVE LIVES THAT ARE TERRIBLY DEFEATED AND SINFUL LIVES? Remember Jesus will say many cast out devils and prophesy and work miracles, BUT HE NEVER KNEW THEM and they were workers of iniquity! 1 Corinthians 1:7 KJV So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1 Corinthians 3:3 KJV For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 KJV (1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. God's Supernatural Gifts of the Spirit were abounding in the Corinthians, while they were carnal and rendering all the gifts listed from chapter 12 to be nothing in their lives according to Chapter 13, since they had not love, NO FRUIT. We should not even operate in the supernatural unless we have the fruit of the Spirit to make us SOMETHING.
These people live defeated lives and cannot even enter the KINGDOM! Just as the princes of Darius sought OCCASION in God's law to kill Daniel, sin takes occasion by the law of God to slay Paul. This sin slays more and more Christians today as well. Dan 6: (5) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Romans 7:8-10 KJV But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. Another law came into effect just as Daniel was following God's law.
Romans 7:21 KJV I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. Daniel’s obedience to God’s law WAS GOOD!
Thank God there is victory over the ENEMY OF DANIEL just like there is victory over THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH TODAY. Romans 8:2 KJV For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death is just like the LAW of the princes. Dan 6:7 ...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. The law of sin attacks you WHEN YOU SEEK TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. EVERY TIME you want to dig in more and do the will of God, IT STRIKES YOU! Was Daniel's law of God wrong to have him pray just because Darius had a law that would sentence him to death for doing it?
I am going to show you that there is a right way to do good and a wrong way that makes you fail. When you try to do good, you have to understand something very important or else your attempts are going to fail. Notice how Paul describes sin… Romans 7:13 KJV Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Paul said God would show how rotten and dirty that sin really is by revealing how it messes with the LAW OF GOD to destroy us! Similarly, God was going to show Darius how evil and really miserable these princes were. When it was over with, Darius knew how wicked these princes were and look what he did to them. Daniel 6:24 KJV 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. Now Paul reveals the victory over these kinds of struggles. Romans 7:25 KJV I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. … THIS IS THE KEY: THIS IS WHAT I MUST EXPLAIN TO YOU TONIGHT: WHAT DOES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST MEAN?
Look how the bible compares WHAT HAPPENED TO Jesus with us: Romans 6:10-11 KJV For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus died to sin once in verse 10.
Jesus now lives unto God in verse 10 after that death.
It is "through" His resurrection, since that resurrection is meant to stand for ours, so that we can see we resurrected.
We must realize that we have sin in our flesh like a den of lions.
We might feel locked up inside our bodies like being inside a lions’ den,
Daniel 6:17 KJV And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Matthew 27:60 KJV And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:65-66 KJV Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. (66) So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. The lions’ den was so similar to the tomb Jesus was buried in.
We need to learn to do things THROUGH THE POWER OF JESUS INSIDE US.
We already died, were buried and resurrected with Jesus from sin and death when He saved us!
Like Joshua tried to tell Israel that GOD IS WITH THEM to fight the giants and walled cities! We’re too much like the doubtful Israelites.
When we find ourselves captive in a situation like Paul, which is so similar to Daniel's predicament, we need to realize JESUS IS INSIDE US, and we already overcame a lions’ den of a tomb when we were saved.
Here is the MESSAGE:
Jesus is waiting for you to look at your problem like a lions’ den or the tomb of Jesus.
A greater law exists than the law of sin and death! Romans 8:2 KJV For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. “IN CHRIST JESUS” means you are united to Him to such an extent that HE RESURRECTS WITH YOU OUT OF YOUR SITUATIONS! Notice how Jesus lived. John 5:19 KJV Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. John 5:30 KJV I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John 8:28 KJV Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. John 14:10 KJV Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Jesus told us to LIVE BY HIM JUST AS HE LIVED BY THE FATHER IN HIM. John 6:57 KJV As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. And we can live the same way. John 15:4-5 KJV Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. You cannot overcome problems. You cannot have victory over your own fleshly weaknesses WITHOUT HIM! Paul learned to live like this: Galatians 2:20 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Romans 7:15 KJV For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Romans 7:18 KJV For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. But look at what he said later! Philippians 4:13 KJV I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Stop living by your weak human life.
Romans 7:18 ...to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Daniel won because he did not use will power, or human life force, BUT HE BELIEVED. Daniel 6:23 KJV Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. Do you believe in your Christ within you to such an extent that you actually learn to live by Him, and stop trusting in your human life? |