Impact Your World Part 2 – Daniel in the Lion's Den

• Daniel in the Lion’s Den
• Daniel 6:1-28
• A Character Study …
three types of people
• The Good

• The Bad

• The Indifferent
• The Bad…
• Daniel is envied…
• Jealousy – his superior ability and “excellent spirit”
• He belonged to an alien race – a Jew
– “Why should this foreigner take precedence over us? – he must be stopped!”
• Daniel is targeted…
• They began watching him …
• They couldn’t find any corruption in him..
– He was faithful
• The only way to condemn him – his faith!
• The Christian is now targeted by our culture
• Galatians 5:11 the offense of the cross …
• John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

• Their evil plot
• Get the king to make and sign a law that is grossly unreasonable
• They told the king their proposal was their unanimous decision..
• The Indifferent King
• He saw the good in Daniel, but was oblivious to the tension building…
• A decent, but morally weak ruler …
• Darius is taken in by their flattery…
• They don’t want to appear innocent in the matter of Daniel’s blood…
• Get the king to sign the law .. It will be his responsibility, not theirs
• Let the system do it for them…
• The Great Responsibility of Lawmakers
• “No one allowed to pray to any other god, other than Darius, for 30 days”
• “Evil flourishes when good men are silent”
• Our responsibility to elect godly lawmakers.

• Darius is trapped…
• The law cannot be changed!
• He tries to wriggle out of it – tried as hard as he could to find a way to save Daniel
• The indifferent was beaten by the bad
• The Good… Daniel
• Now over 80 years old.
• A man of faith throughout life.
• His first priority – his relationship with God – he allowed nothing to stop this
• Daniel’s life of prayer
• Far from his homeland
• Busy with his government duties
• But not too busy to pray
• His heart was open toward God
• Didn’t mind who saw him praying
• Daniel took his burden to the Lord…
• Prayed for his nation surrounded by a godless pagan people
• He longed to see his nation spiritually changed and saved
• Only a great spiritual awakening can save our nation today!
• God is looking for intercessors today!
• Daniel gave thanks
• Not for the situation he was in, but for the fact God is his God who has all power and hears his prayer!
• Daniel’s prayer was heard
• Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
• Didn’t escape lion’s den, but God was with him to protect him.
• God protected Daniel
• Daniel is thrown into den of lions..
• Darius spends a restless night…
• Comes early to see about Daniel
• God protected Daniel
• Daniel 6:21-22 Then Daniel said to the king,"O king, live forever!22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
• God protected Daniel
• Daniel is delivered
• The conspirators are executed
• God is exalted
• Daniel prospers
• Which group are each of us in?
• Good – unashamed of our faith, steadfast in prayer
• Bad – resentful and opposed to people of triumphant faith
• Indifferent – remaining silent to the evil around us