The overarching theme in the book of Daniel is that statement that says: But Daniel resolved not to defile himself…whether it was refusing to eat the king’s food, refusing to stop praying when the king ordered, or many of the other challenges of living out his faith in Babylon…Daniel had a made-up mind…he had resolved in his heart that the headwinds of the Babylonian culture were not going to change him or weaken his faith.
Over the last several weeks, we’ve talked about the things that fueled Daniel’s resolve:
1. A firm belief in the sovereignty of god
2. An eternal hope that gave him courage
3. A biblical humility that gave him favor with God and man
4. A rare wisdom that balanced grace AND truth and gave him perspective
These 4 key elements of Daniel’s life are the foundation of a countercultural faith. But I think we would miss the key ingredient of Daniel’s resolve if we ended this series without talking about Daniel’s prayer life. The wind in the sails of Daniel’s resolve was his prayer life. Trust in God’s sovereignty, hope that births courage, biblical humility and supernatural wisdom are all the results of someone’s life who has intimacy with God…an intimacy born in prayer.
