Yesterday, we looked at the life of Daniel and how he made prayer both a matter of habit and priority. Although he was taken away from Jerusalem, transported to the pagan world of Babylon, and put at the disposal of the king, he refused to waver in his conviction, and he continually sought the presence of the Lord. While it could have cost him his life, his fierce devotion afforded him ongoing supernatural favor. In fact, through the years, he was filled with the Holy Spirit so powerfully that he could interpret dreams and visions and figure out mysteries that no one else could fathom. Despite refusing to bow to idols, he gained influence with heathen rulers and became legendary in the Babylonian world. So prominent was he that when King Nebuchadnezzar’s son, King Belshazzar, was overtaken by the Persians, even the Persian King Darius gave him a position of power. Though he was Jewish by birth, he was appointed one of three rulers of the 120 satraps who governed the region, and he distinguished himself among them so greatly that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. However, full of jealousy over his indisputable favor, the rest of the administrators set a trap for Daniel. They convinced Darius to sign an edict that no one in his kingdom should worship any other god besides the king himself, lest they be thrown into the lions’ den. Since his competitors knew that he prayed regularly to Jehovah, the next time they saw him do it, they turned him in. Feeling conflicted by his own command, the king reluctantly fed Daniel to the lions and prayed that his God would spare his life. Thankfully, and true to His nature, the Lord preserved the prophet. In fact, he was so perfectly protected from the ravenous beasts that we might call his story “lions in the Daniel den.”

My friend, there is much to learn from Daniel’s faithfulness. While at any point on his journey he could have gotten a “big head” and forsaken the disciplines that curried God’s favor, he remained steadfast. He consistently honored the Source of his blessings, and for that, he kept getting more. Even better, because the Lord never changes, the same is true for you today. As you make a conscious effort to build the right stuff into your daily routine and put Jesus first in all that you do, He will fill you with a divine strength so great that no force of discouragement or darkness can stand in your way!