Endure…
Daniel 2 21 HE changes times and seasons; HE deposes kings and raises up others. HE gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
22 HE reveals deep and hidden things; HE knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with HIM..
23 I thank and praise YOU, God of my ancestors: YOU have given me wisdom and power, YOU have made known to me what we asked of YOU, YOU have made known to us the dream of the king.”
God is in control. We must trust and obey Him. None of it comes from you or me, it all comes from Him - the power within us.
I know I talk a lot about battles but life is one big fight! That’s just reality! God made us with this in mind. We weren’t accidents. We weren’t out here to merely exist or to give in. He made us to be more than conquerors and over-comers, through His Son, Jesus. We weren’t born to lose or quit. We battle every single day! We need to know not only how to fight but know how to win, and to be reminded to not give in.
Daniel was giving credit where credit was DUE. Only from God does wisdom, knowledge, and understanding come. It’s in each of us because He made each of us. We are His creation. We are His. But when we ask, He gives and He reveals. He draws out what’s within. No one is all wise or all-knowing but God alone. You are His masterpiece and His fingerprints are all over you, BUT YOU must seek Him out and seek for Him to dwell in and guide you. We ask for wisdom. We seek to be wise and ask to gain understanding. He won’t just do it or give it. We must seek and ask like Daniel did. You have the living God in you!
There are situations in life where we simply just don’t know what to do! Things that are just simply too large for us to handle, beyond our comprehension , and out of our control. But the good news is, it’s not out of God’s and nothing takes Him by surprise. This looked like it could be the end of Daniel but it was actually a set up for his advance. If we could see situations as so in our own lives and trust God with the outcome, instead of only trying to find a way out, how much would we grow and advance!?
We are told to pray without ceasing but we can be honest with God when we just don’t know what to do or how to pray. Prayer is the communication for a solution and a way to ask God to intervene. Daniel was needing to interpret the kings dream! He knew that there was no way that he could do this on his own. He needed divine revelation. Or else, he and his companions would die! No one else was able to interpret the dream…. BUT, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and this is why Daniel was blessing God and speaking of His power! He knew Whom credit was due to!
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2 Chronicles 20:12
TRUST in the LORD with all your heart and LEAN not on your own understanding; IN ALL your ways SUBMIT (or ACKNOWLEDGE) to Him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
That’s how we find and tap into God's infinite wisdom and good plan for our lives. We seek and we find, we search to know. It’s simple: “The more we seek, the more we find.”
Daniel was in a bind. Well, so it seemed. It seemed that the king and his men had the upper hand, BUT GOD. That’s all we need to know: BUT GOD. He promises deliverance. He said weapons would form but they would not prosper, because this is the heritage of His servants, and we are His!
Daniel REFUSED many times to give up or to give in. It was actually a daily decision and so we must wake up each day with this same mindset. And it can’t be based upon feelings, or we will give in. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. It’s not feeling like it, it’s rather committed to it.
Daniel didn’t try and bend the rules for his benefit, and it was proven that he would rather die than to do so. That’s why he he was thrown into the lion's den. He was basically as the saying goes “tested by fire” and passed the test and time again. He was faithful, sure, and confident in his decision and His God. He had integrity and did not do the duck and weave when no one was looking or accordingly to what came his way. He stood his ground. He stood firm. And make no mistake that, THIS IS WHY God used him and excelled him. Sometimes you gotta go down before you can go up, but it’s all part of the plan.
Remember Joseph? He was faithful in the plot for his brothers to destroy him, and in the betrayal. Yet he always came out and was put on top! It might have taken YEARS to obtain and YEARS of torture, and it may have SEEMED like one step was taken forward just to take ten-steps back, YET HE REMAINED. No doubt he remembered the dream that God had given him before this event took place, and it must have helped him to endure when he could have given in. Where will that get us? He remained faithful and was EVENTUALLY put over the whole land's food supply. Eventually is hard to accept sometimes.
God's word is true and so are the visions that He gives us. He is exceedingly and abundantly able to do what He says He will do. He is NOT a man that He should lie. Neither should we but we must remain faithful and endure the fiery trials that we face. Not only that, Joseph could have harmed his brothers in the end, for it was in his hands to do so, but instead he showed mercy in saving their lives. That’s what the vision was for in the first place. You never know what you might be going through in order to save someone’s life in the end.
What about Esther? Remember Esther? There was a plot to destroy her life but the main plot was for God to save many lives. That’s why she was put there in the first place. It was all part of God’s plan. His finger prints were all over it. Anytime there is a plot, there is a twist! We must focus on the end… Who knows what God will do, who can tell? Here’s the thing, He will avenge you, as long as you trust in Him and remain faithful. Esther didn’t jump out of place to save herself, she clearly waited on just the right time to make her move. She was there for such a time as this. What others don’t realize is that when the enemy digs a ditch for you, he is really just digging the ditch for himself. Don’t fall for it! Just as a Haman’s noose was turned around on him, or was designed for Esther’s cousin. They BOTH REFUSED to bow down to this wicked man or to give into his plan. In the end it turned out for their benefit and for his harm. And all the Jews we’re saved. That was the plot twist. So, let the plot thicken and let the weapons formed and watch them turn!
The reality is that God says that the word speaks of “the end”, or for “the day of the Lord” that’s coming. The Lord reserves a special day for everything. The Bible speaks of the vision being for an appointed time and it speaks of “the end.” Every story and every chapter has an end. No one likes what they’re going through now, but in the end, it’s worth it if we wait. So, the question is: Will we bend or will we stand firm till the end? The Word of God says “he who endures to the end shall be saved”. So, we must be like Joseph, and remember the dream, and remember God’s word, and stand on it and His promises until the end. And in the end, we will come out on top. It’ll be worth “it in the end.”
God says that He will be with us in the water and they won’t sweep over us. We will not drown. Hold on. The fire won’t burn us and the waters won’t overtake us. Though we go through, we’re coming out! He never promised us that we wouldn’t face it but that we wouldn’t face it alone and there was a way through and out. He doesn’t always make a way of escape but He always makes a way through. He uses the weak to confound the wise. He said He’d never leave or forsake us and that’s why we can say as David said “Yay though, I walk though…” Even though the days are dark, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
There were three men that were literally tested by fire by being thrown into a fiery furnace, BUT THEN there was a fourth man spotted loose in the fire and walking around in the midst of them. They we’re unharmed because they trusted God and REFUSED to waver. We can trust that no matter who throws what our way, that there’s another man in the fire with us, as long as you have the Spirit of God in you! We have to trust that God will shut the mouths of our enemies, and we must trust that when somebody plots against us, that they’re really just plotting against themselves. What will you do until the end?
If God be for you and He is, then greater is He in you! Trust that.
YOU MUST STAND FIRM IN TRUTH, AND WHAT YOU KNOW TO BE TRUE, NOT BY WHAT YOU FEEL OR SEE! Even when it’s hard.
There is another in the fire.
Every tongue you will refute!
Trust God to bring IT about.
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 24:12-13
NO MATTER what you’re going through, who is against you, or what attack you seem to be under -whether relational, physical, financial, or mentally, GOD IS STILL GOD FOR YOU. He is the same no matter how your circumstances may fluctuate and change or shift. HE DOES NOT change. He has your back, BUT YOU must trust that, or else you won’t endure! Trust is vital. So again, trust in the LORD with all your heart. It sounds so elementary but it takes heart to trust! DO NOT trust what others say or threaten, and do not fear the report. Fear God and trust in Him. He will turn it around and set you on top for your good and His glory!
He will use the weak to confound the wise/ watch, wait and see…. Fully trust Him. He will prepare a table before you in the very presence of your enemies, and make even them to be at peace with you if He wants to! He will use who and what He will. He hardened King Pharaoh’s heart in order to let His people go when He needed to. LOOK how it (the plot for control) turned on and out for him!!! No question.
Like Daniel, acknowledge that it’s ALL in God's hand. Fear God. Trust and obey Him. We follow what we fear. Hold onto your peace and your crown whatever you do. When you wanna go left, trust Him. HE changes times and seasons. HE removes one king and sets up another. HE gives us wisdom and shows us what to do. Come on, give Him more credit and trust that! He is GOD. He is Almighty! He created us/ He gives and takes away! Even the winds and waves obey! He speaks one word and it comes to pass and into existence. Just one word! Suddenly’s happen all the time but suddenly’s do take time so don’t waver or quit! Don’t discount what you’re going through or what the enemy would like to do to you, BUT DO discount the enemy's power and trust God's power plan and will over your life. He will turn it around for your good as long as you love Him and are walking accordingly. It takes trust to obey.
We can praise Him like Daniel, even ahead of time! For giving us wisdom and might, and making known to us what we desire to know! He might not show us everything but He shows us enough. He gave Daniel the solution to the king's dream and because of it, he was not only not harmed even though threatened, but he was advanced! It turned on the head of his enemies!
Daniel sought God daily, not just sometimes or when in a bad circumstance. Don’t listen to threats of bullying due to their need to control you, but afraid to lose! They know if they threaten you, and you stay down and comply, they got you where they want you. BUT IF AND WHEN you rise up or continue to stand, they lose! They stand to have a-lot to lose and you have a lot to gain. Stand firm till the end…..
God does not fall off of His throne and He hasn’t forgotten about you. He is, He has, He knows, and He is able to make known to you the solution in His time and way. Trust that! Again, don’t duck and weave and don’t be hasty to try to do it your own way or figure it out. Wait. Endure.. It goes back to the trust. In the Lord's scripture we can find that we can not only trust in the Lord with all of our heart but that also means that we do not have to lean unto our own understanding because it’ll fail us every time.
His thoughts and ways aren’t ours. It obviously does not make sense, but it doesn’t have to in order to trust or why would we need to? In all of our ways we should and can acknowledge Him, knowing/trusting that He will direct our paths. If we knew the way, we would automatically be saved and wouldn’t need faith, but that’s why we needed Him all along. We don’t need to acknowledge ourselves any longer or to trust in the enemy. We don’t have to have it all figured out, we just have to to acknowledge and submit to Him, and he will direct our paths.
Like Daniel, and all these mighty men and women before us, we can trust that God will not only come through, but he can put us on top in Jesus' name.
He reveals secrets, HE sets up certain kings at appointed times, and then gives his seat to another in His time and theirs! HE tears kings down. HE sets us up. Remember David? He was anointed king at a young age, BUT the crowning and seating didn’t happen right away. He was introduced to the palace long before he was crowned king. Again, another set up. He was the music player/ soul soother of King Saul, when his spirit was in agony. He was also the King‘s son‘s best friend. God was using it all. Then he became the king‘s enemy, and it seemed like Saul would get away with murder, but actually, David could have murdered Saul. But he didn’t. There was a time of hiding that was necessary as he was on the run from the king, in order to live that he would become king. It took MANY years, but in the end, he became king. Saul lost his throne and his seat was given to David. So as long as you still haven’t won, you’re still in the race - do not give in and endure till the end! That’s the ONLY WAY to win….
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34
He will have His way. In His time. Trust God and trust God with the process - GOD IS in the story. Follow Him.
I won’t lie, there are many times that I’m tired and feel like given in. Not that I necessarily want to give in, but I’m just mentality and physically exhausted and feeling hopeless. I just wanna see the end now. I want the answer I’m looking for now. I want the promise to come to pass now, but I find when I look back - that He was not only there the whole time but that I was learning to trust Him oh so much more. Learning to lean on Jesus.
It never happens the way I imagine because His thoughts and ways are so much higher than mine and that is why I must and can trust Him and endure. It’s not my time but His. It’s His plan. Not my way but His. I can’t lose hope because hope is an anchor that causes me not to drift afloat! One more day. One more time. One more step. Then another. That’s how we walk, one foot at a time. One foot in front of the other. Focusing on the vision but one step, one day, and one bite at a time.
BUT THOSE THAT WAIT on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
DEAR LORD MY GOD,
I admit that some days are harder than others to go on but I know that I have a prize to win so I’ll choose to throw off every weight that hinders and forget about what’s behind me. It’s there for a reason. I will endure and look forward to You and what You will do. You did it before, You can do it again and again! There’s nothing stopping You but my lack of faith in You to win. What do you want me to do in this moment for in the bigger scheme of eternity? All I have now is here and now, to act as I wait for what You will do. I don’t want to miss a thing. In Your Name Jesus, Amen.
