DanielSample

Daniel 1 tells how God vindicated the decision of Daniel and his three friends against compromising with the prevailing culture.

Daniel 2 tells how Daniel was promoted and made civil administrator over the province of Babylon because God revealed to him the content of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Our God reveals secrets.

While there has been a widespread rejection of Christianity in ‘the West’ since the Second World War, and the church has shrunk as a result, God has been preparing and equipping the church for the future. One of the tools that God is re-establishing in His church is the ministry of the prophetic. God is a God who reveals and this is one of the things that distinguishes the church from the ungodly society around us (where there can be a strong tendency to deceive, hide, and cover things up).

The wise men of Babylon openly admitted that they could not tell the Emperor his dream; ‘No one can reveal it to the king except the gods’; Daniel 2:11.

Jesus knew that the woman at the Samaritan well had five husbands; John 4:18. He knew that Judas would betray him; John 13:26. And he deliberately told his disciples things before they happened, ‘so that when it does happen you will believe’, John 14:29.

I remember a man calling unannounced at the rectory in Zimbabwe. He explained, that for the first time in his life, he had attended a church service (in London). The person leading the service had a revelation about ‘someone here whose name begins with ‘L’ and who is in a complicated relationship, giving exact details of what was happening in the person’s life. The man asked me what he should do. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. I did my best to advise him and a few months later he was married.

I know a woman who was asked to lead a prophetic training session at a church. The session started at 10:00 am. The moment she opened the session with a prayer the Holy Spirit showed her that one of the church staff was embezzling church funds. So at 10:05 am, she announced (to everyone’s bewilderment) that they would be taking a coffee break while she spoke to the pastor. The pastor asked the staff member if it was true, and the staff member confessed to it right then and there!

Our God is a God who reveals!

Note to Self: Have a thorough time of confession before the next prophet visits our church.

Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 that ‘if an unbeliever or an enquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of their sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

This is why he instructs us to ‘follow the way of love and earnestly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy, … which strengthens, encourages and comforts others’1 Corinthians 14:1-3.

Ask the Lord: ‘Who do you want me to encourage today?’ (and note the person who first comes to mind).

Ask the Lord: ‘What do you want to do in that person’s life?’

(And then celebrate the risks you take – more than the accuracy. We must be wise and responsible, but the point is that as we take risks and practice the Spirit tutors us to listen and speak.)

Let's read Daniel 4 together now