Reformation: BUT......

Welcome back to The Gathering Tabernacle Podcast. Are you making excuses for not standing on the Word of God? His Word is above EVERYTHING. What is keeping you from drawing near to God? You don't draw near to God through feelings; you draw near to God through faith. Are you willing to stand for the Lord no matter the situation? Learn more and have these questions answered on today's episode as Pastor Dan reads from the book of Daniel. 

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Sermon from 6-28-26 by Pastor Dan Goostree

Music by Ruwin from Pixabay

Transcript

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Welcome to the Gathering Tabernacle Podcast. We're located in Rocky Comfort, Missouri. Our mission at TPT is to host the presence of the Lord, to see his glory fall like fire, and free those who are in bondage. He came to set the captives free. On the podcast, we share our live sermons from late pastors Dan and Sarah Fistrick, teachings from special guests, and personal testimonies. Thank you for joining us today. If you would like to contact us, you can find us on Facebook or online at www.thegatheringtaberacle.com. Let's jump into today's episode.

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Hallelujah!

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Hallelujah! As we worship the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, worship like you are a part of the Great Commission. Hallelujah.

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Father, we praise you. Father, we praise your holy name, Lord. Lord, we worship your holy name, Lord. Lord, we worship you, Lord, in spirit and in truth, Lord. Lord, that you are the name above all names, Lord. Adonai, Elohim, Emmanuel, God with us, Lord. The Alpha and the Omega, Lord, the beginning and the end, Lord. Lord, we praise you, Lord. We honor you, Lord. We worship you, Lord. Lord, that you are the name above every name, Lord. You are the name above any situation that's going on in our life, Lord, Lord. You give up your life for us, Lord, so we could have life, Lord. Lord, you took on, you took on sin. You took on our sin nature, Lord. And when we surrender our life to you, Lord, Lord, you take on our nature, and we get a new nature, Lord. And we get a new name, Lord. Lord, we are we are daughters, we are sons, Lord. Lord, and we thank you, Lord, that your name is above every name. It's above anxiety, it's above depression, it's above hate, it's above anger, Lord. Lord, it's above any sickness or disease, Lord. Lord, it's above arguments, it's above anything that there is, Lord. Thank you, Lord. In this world we'll have tribulation. Your word says, in this world we'll have tribulation, but in you we'll have peace. And when we're in you, we have overcome the world, Lord. Thank you, Lord. We are more than overcomers, Lord. Thank you, Lord. We are the head and not the tail. Thank you, Lord. We are above and not below, Lord. Lord, we praise you. Lord, we honor you, Lord. As you have your way in this house today, Lord. Lord, as we submit to you, Lord, to the Lord of Lords, to the King of Kings, to the name above every name, Lord, as we submit to you, Lord. Submit to you, God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Lord, your word says, if we'll draw near to you, we'll draw near to us, Lord. Lord, and we know that's something we have to choose to do. We have to choose to draw near to you, Lord. It's just like, Lord, if you want me to draw near to you, you'll draw me near to you. No, it says, draw near to God, and he'll draw near to you. What's keeping you from drawing near to God? Tell him the altar is always open. The altar is where you, with the heart posture, you meet him one-on-one. And what is it today that you need to lay down at the altar? Because when you lay that down at the altar and to never pick it back up again, he will take that from you. He has already given up his life for you to have freedom. He has already took on your sicknesses and bore your diseases. He has already shed his blood for you. He has already applied the blood to every situation that's going on in your life. Isn't it awesome that we serve a mighty, all-powerful, all-knowing God? Isn't it wonderful we serve a God that that uh that truly does love us because he is love. He has an unconditional love. He don't love you. He doesn't love you because of what you do for him. He just loves you. Because he is love. You know, and because he's love, I want to be pleasing to the Father. And when I truly began to understand, if I'll really surrender my life to him completely, not not just, well, this area of my life or or that area of my life or this room in the house or that room in the house, but if I'll completely submit to him, I begin to understand that there is no greater love than what Christ has for me. I'm telling you this morning, there's no greater love than what Christ has for you. As you trust in him with all your heart, I believe it's Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. It says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart. I remember thinking, now, how do you trust in the Lord with all your heart? You know, I'm thinking, how do I trust in anyone else if I'm trusting in the Lord in all my heart? How do I do this? How'll I do that? But the word says, trust in the Lord with all your heart. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, trust in the word of God, trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. You're telling me if I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding. And then it says, and all trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, and all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight. So you think about that. See, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is acting on the Word of God. And trusting in the Lord with all your heart and leaning not on your own understanding is trusting and acting on the word of God. Lord, your word says, I know what your word says, and your word says, I don't have to trust my own understanding, Lord. Lord, but I just trust you with my life. With every aspect of my life. I'm telling you, when you begin to trust the Lord with every aspect of your life, your life will begin to look like Christ. Stuff that used to matter to you won't be as important as it used to be. You'll begin living a life of peace. You'll begin, it's called the fruit of the Spirit. You'll begin living a life of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. See, there are things that are in you when you receive Christ as Savior. But you have to submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee. You have to take thoughts captive that exalt yourself against Christ. You have to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. See, salvation is not walking an aisle and praying a prayer. You know, I see Jesus saying, Matthew, son of Alpheus, follow me. I see Jesus calling on the people and saying, following me. And I don't see Jesus at any time saying. Now there is great things beyond this life when you do follow him, but Jesus is like, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. So being a believer is not about you. It's about him. It's about him coming and saying, I want to make my abode in you. And when the Lord makes his abode, his home, when he makes his abode his home in you, then your home becomes the Lord's. That's what he meant when he says, he says, you know, I will dwell in a temple made without hands. And when you receive Christ, he comes and he dwells in you, in a temple made without hands. And you're made in the image of God. He says, You're fearfully and wonderfully made. And you're made in the image of God. God's a three-part being. He's a spirit that has a soul that lives in a body. And you're a three-part being. You're a spirit that has a soul that lives in a body. And every one of them is made in the image of God. You're still one, just like God's one. But there's three parts to your one, and there's three parts to his one. Hallelujah. Father, we praise you. Father, we thank you, Lord. For a wonderful day, Lord. We thank you, Lord, today for those that are going to receive the Spirit of wisdom, revelation, and the knowledge of you. Lord, we thank you, Lord, today for those whose eyes are going to continue to be being enlightened, Lord. Or to know the hope of your glory. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Amen, amen, amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. What a wonderful day, man. Last Sunday in June. So man, the grass is green and the water's flowing and uh we are just I must sound better. Holy moly. Turn me up a little bit, Andrew. People will be able to hear me. Yeah. But uh, I'm not begging you for money. I'm saying, yeah, you got a chance to be a blessing. You got a chance to sow into the kingdom of God because the God's He's already provided everything that we need in Christ Jesus. Just like uh like when you give, like we'll get ready to gather up our tithes and offerings right now, but but but but we get to give. We get to sow into the kingdom of God. You you get to be a part of the kingdom of God with your finances, with your with your health, with your with your mind, will, and emotions, with every every part of you. And and to know that that when you are are are giving, whenever it may be, whether if it's at the the uh tent revivals or or whatever it may be, that that when you're giving, you're you're sowing into the kingdom of God. Well, my gosh, all they want's my money. No, all we want you to have a better attitude. But but if you the way I get that is if you're saying all they want's my money, then then you're not giving out of the right heart because God loves a cheerful giver. Well, thank you, Lord, I get to sow into the kingdom of God tonight. Thank you, Lord, I'm blessed coming and I'm blessed going. And uh, and and he does, God loves, he he appreciates a a cheerful giver. But to know that that when you're giving, wherever it may be, uh, to know that you're sowing into the kingdom of God. So let's hold up our offering. Our ushers can get ready. So, Father, we praise you, Father, we thank you, Lord, that we get to give. Father, we thank you, Lord, that we get to sow into the kingdom of God, Lord. Thank you, Lord, your word says we'll be be fruitful and multiply, even in our giving, Lord, Lord. So we're trusting in you with that, Lord. Lord, the word says 30, 60, 100fold, Lord, but we thank you, Lord, for the full potential of the seed, Lord, in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Amen, amen. We've been talking on on prayer and uh and different things, and then and then, you know, standing on the word of God, and and you know, it's talking about, you know, the great how great the name is, and I thought, do we do we really do we really stand or are we like a a ship that's tossed to and fro by by the wind? Or do we truly stand on the word of God? Well, what happens when when you get into a situation and your and your faith or your uh your faith is being being tried, is it being tested? Do you stand on on the word of God or do we give in? You know, uh are you ple are you um um do you let do you let men persuade you or do you let the the the word of God persuade you? You know, I you know I see a lot of people and and I'm telling you, you have to get rooted in the word of God, and the only way to get rooted in the word of God is to know the word of God. So because if you don't know the word of God and you just know what what someone else has said or what they're saying, or or what you're hearing on the radio and and and whatever it may be, then then you may not be planted on a firm, solid ground. But I'm here to tell you today, when you when you're planted on a firm, solid ground, then you will flourish, you will grow, you will be fruitful, you will you will multiply. And I'm thinking it's great, great to be a part of a body that it that is being fruitful and multiplying, and it's great to be a part of a body that says, hey, no, no, no. We believe what the word says, you know, and and you know there's no no butts about it. We talked about that a few weeks ago about about, yeah, well, I believe that butt, and we talked about how butts are a problem. Is your butt a problem? No, praise the Lord, Grady. So so yeah, so so but sometimes our our butts get to be a real problem. Is that funny? Isn't that funny, Danny? I'm not talking about your I'm talking about your mouth and butt coming out of your mouth. Well, trust in the Lord, yeah. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all these ways, acknowledge him and he'll make your path straight. Yeah, but no, no, no, there's no yah, but about it. The word says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, and all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight. Yah, but no, there's no but about it. The word says, submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee. Draw near to God, draw near to you. Man, the God, uh, the devil is just tormenting me, he is tearing me up, he's tearing me to pieces. That's when you need to say, well, but but but you're not doing what the word says if you do that, because the word says, submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. But yeah, but but no, no, no, but's about it. But every time I submit to God, then then the devil tries to come after me more. You think? You think if you go chase the devil, God's not out there. He is out there, but but if you're going with the devil, the devil's got you where he wants you to be going. You're just doing your own thing. But when you start submitting to God, when he starts coming into you, when he starts guiding you, leading you, direct you, Christ is in you when you're born again. When he when he starts guiding you, leading you, and directing you, obviously Satan's not very happy with that. And I'm telling you, I'm telling you, when when situations go on in our life, when things go on in our life, I'll tell you, there's a God who's greater than Satan. I'm telling you, he was defeated on the Satan was defeated at the cross of Calvary over 2,000 years ago. He is under your feet. If you're a born-again believer, the devil is under your feet, and the only authority that he has is what you allow him to. Yeah, but no, no, no, no, but that's about it. The only authority that he has is what we allow him to. I'm not saying I don't allow him to have some authority in my life sometime, but then when I get back up and I stand on the word of God, then I submit to God, I resist the devil, and the enemy flees. And I do that by drawing near to God. Yeah, but I don't feel like drawing near to God. You need to be drawing near to God. If you don't feel like drawing near to God, that's the moment that you need to be drawing near to God. Well, yeah, but no, no, there's no yaw, buts about it. You draw near to it. Well, I don't feel like drawing near to God. Well, praise the Lord. We don't have to draw near to God by feeling. That's a good word. You should probably write that down somewhere. You don't have to draw near to God by feeling, you draw near to God by faith. Lord, your word says, if I'll submit to you, the devil will flee. Lord, your word says, Submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee. Lord, draw near to you. Lord, I draw near to you. Lord, I trust in you. See, I think a lot of times we sit there and we give the devil uh lots of glory, we give the devil lots of power, we give the devil lots of things, but but I'm saying, you know what, God, I'm just gonna draw near to you. I'm just gonna surrender to you, I'm just gonna pray to you, I'm just gonna worship to you, I'm just gonna bow down to you, I'm just gonna trust in your word, I'm just gonna get in your word, and then I'm just gonna believe the word. Don't get there in that word of God. Well, what about what about this verse right here? God has not given you a spirit of fear, but a power, love, and a sound. You know, I'm just full of fear. Are you a believer in Christ? Yeah. Are you a Christian? Have you surrendered your life to Christ? Yes, okay. Um then God has not given you a spirit of fear, but he's given you a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. So the spirit of fear is not a God. Now, if you need some deliverance or something from that, great. We'll help you out, someone will help you out. But I'm telling you, fear is not a God. Just like anxiety is not a God, hate's not a God, dissension's not a God, critical spirit's not a God, judgmental spirits are not a God. But there are some things that are that are from God. What are some of them? Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. They're from God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Alright, Daniel. Chapter 6. Oh, Daniel. You know anything about Daniel? What do you know about him? He's a pastor. There you go. Last night over there at the January Bible, someone asked me, says, Are you Daniel? And I was like, I can be. I can be. Hardly anybody calls me Daniel, but uh, it actually is my name. Gary Daniel. What do you think of when we think of Daniel? Daniel and the lines, Dan. Daniel interpreting the dreams. What do we think about Daniel? See, see, when Daniel uh when King I'll just say when the king, so I don't get it wrong. So when the king called for some for some people to come in and work in the courtyard, so Daniel actually came in. Daniel was actually a slave. You guys realize that Daniel was was actually a uh a slave in that when he when he got called in to come into the king's palace, but he began to have favor with God. And the one thing I think about that's interesting about um about Daniel is his uh is his his choice of food. And it was kind of awesome. Last night over at the tent revival, uh brother Jeff was preaching, and uh he had mentioned about going to the gym. I thought, now this is a pretty good example. He's like, man, you know, I go to the gym with with my friend, and I'll just say, I go to the gym with my friend Phil. There you go. Me and Phil go to the gym together. Every morning we go to the gym together. We lift the same amount of weights, we do the same amount of reps, we do, we do all this together. Me and Phil, we do the exact same stuff in the gym every single day. But he says, he said, uh He said, but but Phil, I mean, Phil's looking buff and Phil's looking ripped and Phil's Phil's looking good and I'm not looking as well. He says, I got this uh father-daddy belly or something like that, and I got this dad belly or something like that. But he said, the difference is when uh when Phil leaves the gym, he's like you know, we go out to eat and he's like, No, no, no, I can't eat that. That's not I've I've just been to the gym, I can't eat that, right? He said, the difference is when I go out, when I go out, he says, I well I just left the gym, I can't eat that. Do you need a picture? And I thought, man, that's that's good stuff. First time this guy's ever preached. And I thought, well, that that sentence right there preached it all. It it was what he was eating. So you think, man, I just need to exercise more, and exercise is great, and lifting weights is great, but I'm telling you, I don't know how to if I can put a number to it, but I'd say probably 80 some, 80 to 90 percent is is what goes in your mouth, not how much you lift. So so Daniel uh he goes there in the in in the courtyard, and I mean they're they're they're living it up there. You know, they're living it up. The king's got these ones coming in, and they're getting all the delicacies and the and the wine and all that, and and Daniel's like, he don't want He don't want to go away from his beliefs and what he's doing. He's like, you know what, I'd just rather have some beans and some and some carrots. You know, I'd rather just have a you know this and and no wine and this or that. And it's like, well, well, no, no, you can't do that because if you do that, then then then you'll look all sick and weak and all this. So anyway, they they went ahead and Daniel's like, well, how about we try it for uh 10? Was it 10 days? I don't know if you remember. Let's try it for a few days anyway, they done it. And and the ones that that had the the fruits and the vegetables and the and the beans and stuff, the ones that had the fruits and the vegetables, they they look sleeker and and and in better shape than the ones that didn't. So the the way I understand it is so everyone else had to start eating the the celery or the the fruits and the vegetables, right? That's the way. But and maybe it was just Daniel and his friends that did that, but I could be off on that. But but what I'm getting at is Daniel chose not to defile his body by eating stuff that wasn't proper for his body. And that can be spiritual and that can be physical. You can choose, you know, I choose not to watch stuff that I shouldn't watch. I choose not to partake in things not to partake in. I choose not to go places that I shouldn't go. Yeah, and sometimes my flesh wants to go there, but I was like, no, no, we're not going there. Sometimes my flesh wants to watch things, but but no, but that's called submitting to God, resisting the devil, and he will flee. Man, I think we always think submit resisting the devils when when he's out here face to face with us with punching gloves on and punching us in the face. But but no, it starts out with the with the little things. And I can tell you, if you if you'll you'll quit letting the little things poke you in the side and tap your toe and do all that, if you'll quit letting the little things get to you, then the big things will quit punching you in the mouth. Right? Because the devil just don't start out coming back whopping you in the mouth. You know, he does the little thing, he starts spreading out. Well, what do you think about that? I'm not sure about that, you know. And he starts causing division, and then he starts starts getting in there, and then he starts festering, and it's it's kind of like a splinter in you, you know. You know, anyone ever went out and and got a splinter in their hand? And then you're like, man, I can't wait till that festers. I'm gonna see, I'm just gonna see how long it takes for that for that thorn to fester in my hand and get bad. You're like, no, you're like, no, I want to get that thorn out of there, right? Just as quick as you, you know, nothing else becomes uh important other than getting that thorn out of your hand. Right? And I'm telling you, that's the way the enemy works. He starts like a thorn, and if you'll get that thorn out before it starts festering, before it starts getting red, then you'll save yourself a lot of trouble. It's a lot easier to get that thorn out too when it's uh first put in there. I don't know if it goes tentacles or what, but sometimes they won't hardly come out. Then you have to get Pastor Sarah with her glasses and her needle over there. And I'm thinking, maybe I'll just do it myself, but but but but we can just we can just dig it on out of there, right? So, hallelujah. All right, Andrew, you're doing great. Daniel chapter 6. Start one, then we won't miss any of them. Darius the Me decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two other administrators to supervise the high officers and to protect the king's interest. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers because of Daniel's great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. How awesome is this? Someone that came in as a as a slave and and as a servant has now become to where King Darius is wanting to place him over the the entire empire because of who he is. And I thought, you know, how did he how how do you think Daniel got to that point to where where he was getting that type of position or recognition? You know, you know, did do you think he did it by by by griping and complaining? Well, I can't believe I'm here. They got me under house arrest. I don't know, they got me under arrest, they got me doing this, they got me doing that. But no, no, Daniel from day one kept his eyes focused on the Lord. He keeps kept trusting in what the Lord had told him to do. And and when you if when you focus on the Lord, when you trust in the Lord, people will realize that there's something else guiding you, something else leading you, other than than just just man. And and Daniel continues standing on the word of God and they begin to be be placed up and up. You know, and then but what about these these ones? You know, let's say you come in as a as a a slave or as a servant, you know, and and now you're you're eating, well, you think you're better than me because you're eating broccoli and and cauliflower and and and watermelon, you know, and and can't I can't imagine what all that they were saying to him, but but Daniel just keep kept being lifted up, lifted up. You know, the king, one time the king uh had a dream, and he's like, he's like, you know, I think I had a dream last night, but anyway, can you interpret what my dream was last night? And he's like, well, well, tell me what the dream was, and then then I'll tell you. He's like, no, I want you to tell me what the dream was, but I'm not gonna tell you what I dreamed. Read back in the in the first part of Daniel. That's what it said, right? And there's like, man, there's no one that can do that, king, is what the king's people are saying. And it's like, well, well, we know this Daniel. He we've heard he's interpreted some dreams. And anyway, Daniel goes to God and God gives him the revelation of the dream. So I'm telling you, Daniel's intimacy with God, Daniel's relationship with God, Daniel not bearing off of what God did kept him safe and kept him free. All right. Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in Daniel. In the begin searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs. So we got to get this guy out of here. You know, he's trusting in the Lord, he's he's doing these things, and we're not a bit happy with what he's doing. So let's find some fault with what he's doing wrong. But they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion. And in how that goes, you know, you might think people's coming after me, people's doing this, people's doing that. I can't believe they're doing that. Uh you think they're coming after you? I'm telling you, they're not coming after you. They're coming after what controls you. They're coming after your religion. They're trying to get you to bow down, they're trying to get you to eat the king's food, they're trying to get you to not trust in the Lord with all your heart. They're trying to get you to not submit to God, they're trying you to get you not to believe the word of God. Verse 6. So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, So they're little conniving people here. Long live the king, long live King Darius. We are all in agreement. We administrators, officials, high officers, advisors, and governors, that the king should make a law that it that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human, except you, your majesty, will be thrown into the den of lions. So, so what was talking about there, who prays for anyone divine or human, like anyone who prays into any any other gods. Divine, we're looking at a god. So he's saying, Anyone who prays to another god or human except you, then they should be thrown into the lion's den. And now, your majesty, issue and sign this law, so it cannot be changed. An official law, the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked. So the king signed the law. So, so on the law, so so on the law here, when it when it was signed, then when it was done here, I mean it was done, it was finished, it couldn't be changed. It's like, well, well, I think we need to uh reject this, or I think we need to go against what the law has done. It's like, no, when when the king signed it, it was done, it could not be turned. Well, I think we should get a second opinion. No, there wasn't no second opinions. All right. Verse 10. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room. With its windows open towards Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to the Lord. So what do you do in a situation? So check this out. So this law's been signed, and you've been doing this ever since you've been there. Daniel's been going up there, he'd been praying three times a day through the window to the Lord. So I ask you, as believers in Christ, what do you do when someone starts coming after your faith? What do you do when someone starts pressuring you just a little bit? You know, do we hear so so they told Daniel that that you know you can't worship anyone or they'll be thrown into the lion's dens. So Daniel's like, you know, so he got a group together and they started meeting over on the side and started telling them how wrong King Darius was, and they was gonna revolt against King Darius, and and Daniel led this reformation of the it wasn't nothing like that, was it? What did Daniel do to get out of this situation he was in? Daniel trusted in the Lord with all of his heart. He leaned not on his own understanding, and all of his ways he acknowledged him, and God made his path straight. You'll see where God made his path straight. God made his path straight, but he's like, you know what? I've been praying like this, I've been doing this for the time that I've been here, and I'm not gonna change. Lord, I've said I pray to you, Lord, I submit to you. That's good stuff. Just as he's always done. And this is what I thought was interesting. It's always, why was Daniel praying? We back it up on there, Andrew. He's like, I had an honor for 10 minutes. End of verse 10. So what was God praying? Or what was Daniel praying? He was giving thanks to God. He wasn't begging him. Oh Lord, please save me. Oh Lord, please do that. He was being thankful to God. I thank you, Lord. Lord, I Lord, I trust in you, Lord, Lord, I give my life to you, Lord, Lord, Lord, even if I'm not delivered. You know, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abin together, there's like, you know, even if the Lord don't uh uh deliver us, we're not gonna serve your God. So he's like, Lord, I I just choose to serve you, I just choose to honor you, I just choose you, Lord, that that's what I'm gonna do. I ain't doing nothing, I ain't doing no other way. And I'm thinking, what do we do as people? What would you be doing? Well, you know, it's only 30 days. I've been here for, I don't know how long you've been there. I've been there for four years, and what's 30 days and four years? I tell you know, for 30 days, I'll just I'll just uh uh I'll just go pray in the closet. Actually, the word says to go in the closet and pray anyway. Right? Yeah. But but but no, no, he's like, you know, no, I I've been praying here, I've been meeting the Lord here, and I'm I'm not gonna do nothing different. But how how how how much are we to be like, well, I don't want to really offend anybody. And and they sign this this thing, and I don't want to get caught worshiping God because really I'm just supposed to worship Caesar or worship King Darius. That's what they say, I'm worship anyone but you. I I I'm just supposed to be worshiping him and no other gods. But but but are you bowing? Are you bowing, you know, are you bowing to other gods when you don't worship the great I am? You are bowing to other gods when you don't worship the great I am. No, Lord, I choose to worship you. Lord, I'm not backing down no matter what comes against me, Lord. Lord, I'm standing on you. Now, now what comes against you, you can't, you know, notice Daniel didn't get irritated, Daniel didn't get aggravated, Daniel didn't get an offense, he didn't get into criticism. He just kept standing on the word of God. And I'm telling you, you just keep standing on the word of God. Well, why do I need to do that? Because the word works. The word works in every situation of your life. All right, 11. Then the officials went together to Daniel's house and found him praying and asking for God's help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human, except to you, your majesty, will be thrown into the den of lions? See what the king says. Yes, the king replied, that's that decision stands. It's an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked. Then they told the king, Well, that man Daniel, one of those captives from Judah, is ignoring your law, you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day. So hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. What I think is interesting about this is, you know, the king signed the law, and he didn't know really what group of people they were talking about, just like with Esther and the Jews, just like with Esther and the Jews, and it talks about the Medes and the Persians then too, but but he didn't realize what he was signing. But but the king didn't really want nothing done to Daniel, right? But the law was so strong, so enforceful that he didn't have no choice. Um 16. So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said, May your God, whom you faithfully serve, rescue you. And I thought, isn't that awesome that that the king would say that? Well, Daniel, you're doomed. You're doomed, you're gone. But he's like, No, no, may your God, whom you serve, so faithfully rescue you. So the king was seeing something in this God. He knew that that what was in Daniel didn't just come from Daniel's ability. He knew that that what was from Daniel had to be coming from above was a power that came above, had some authority with it, had some knowledge with it, and had some wisdom with it. All right. So a stone was was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of the nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. Very early the next morning the king got up and hurried out of the lion's den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you serve so faithfully? See, he realized he served him faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions. And Daniel answered, Long live the king! My God has sent his angel and shut the lion's mouth so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight, and I have not wronged you, your majesty. The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in God. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had been trusted in God. And I'm telling you, what are you what are we doing in our lives? What are you doing in your lives when you be become into a situation, when you come into a trial or or a temptation that's going on in your life? Do you do you do we do we automatically give in to the enemy or do we keep standing on the word of God? And I'm telling you, you you keep standing on the word of God. You keep believing, you keep you keep acting on the word of God, you keep letting it become life in you because he said you've come so you could have life and have life more abundantly, so you continue standing on the word of God. Perfect example here of Daniel standing and not wavering and not bowing. No, Lord, no king. I will I'm serving only the Lord God Himself. And like I said, even the king saw Daniel's heart. Even the king saw that that Daniel's faith was so strong. He's like, King, has the God you known and served so faithfully, has he rescued you? Yes, he's rescued me, Lord. Yes, he's rescued me, Lord. Verse 24. Then the king gave orders to arrest the man who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lion's den along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. You realize there wasn't. Lion's Den A and Lion's Den B, right? There wasn't the friendly lion's den and then the unfriendly lion's den. You know? All right, Daniel. You're going, but but you're going into the friendly lion's den, so don't really worry about it. Yeah. But but but what what I think's interesting is is he said, you know, they maliciously, they they were malicious. You know, there's a lot of malicious people. There's a lot of malicious things that people try to try to do behind the back and to stab people and to get people. And a lot of times when we find that out, like we want you want to get even, right? Like you want to get even with him. But I'm telling you, just keep focusing on the Lord, keep trusting on the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. All your ways acknowledge him. He'll make your path straight. Because I'm telling you, the Lord's the one who fights your battles. The Lord's the one that fights your battles. See, after this, it says said the king threw them into the deal. The king threw him into the deal. So as you keep focusing on the Lord, I just trust in you in this situation. Now he may tell you to do something in the situation. You may have to do something, you may have to say something. You may have to go somewhere, you may have to, whatever it may be. But don't take the situation into your own hands. Don't take the situation over here. Lord, you're the one that fights my battles. Lord, I trust in you, Lord. Lord, I fight my battles on my knees. Lord, Lord, you're good and your loving kindness endures forever. Lord, I praise you, Lord, I honor you, Lord. Lord, Lord, just your word said, You will make my path straight. Lord, and I trust in you. And then and then as you begin going after him, as you begin seeking him, as you begin praying to him, then he begins to speak to you. And when I say I speak, he speaks to you, I'm not saying like in a in an audible voice. I'm saying he speaks to your spirit, to your spirit person. And I had a preacher one time, Brother Steve, and he's like, the Lord didn't speak to me in an audible voice. He said it was much clearer than that. And I thought, and that's how the Holy Spirit is. The Holy Spirit can be much clearer than an audible voice. You know, with an audible voice, you think, well, did I just hear that? And with the with the voice of God, it's like, oh, I heard that. So so to think that, oh no, Lord, Lord, I trust in you, and then he's the one that fights your battles. Amen. 25, right? Yeah. Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world. King Darius, when he seen that that someone truly would stand up for God, when King Darius seen that someone wouldn't bow to the enemy, no matter what was going on, no matter what, well, if you don't renounce Christ, and a lot of times I think that we think, you know, over in third world countries and and and and you think, you know, if I was over in a in a third world country and and uh and they went up to me and asked me to renounce Christ or die, you know, boy, I'd stand for Christ. And and I'd have to be like, you you won't even stand here in the United States. You won't even stand here in a place that's comfortable. What makes you think when you you're over cross seas in another country, you're gonna you're gonna stand then? But I'm telling you, if you won't stand in the little places, you're not gonna stand in the big places. If you won't stand on top of the mountain, you're not gonna stand in the valley. So I'm telling you, start standing on the mountain. Start standing in the little way. No, no, I'm standing on here. I'm standing on you, Lord. 25. Peace and prosperity to you. I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God. So they're talking about this God of Daniel. Amen. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people, he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. Now, isn't that interesting that King Darius is the one that decreed that is the one that said that? Let's go back again. I decree 26. I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. Now tremble with fear before the God of Daniel don't mean now be scared to death of the God of Daniel. It means have a reverence. You can have a reverential fear and you can have a scared, I'm going to run from him fear. But it's saying, have a reverential fear before the God of Daniel. You know, the God that spoke the world into creation. I'm telling you, the God that is that is holds the holds the world in his hands. You know, and to hold the world in your hand, you have to be outside creation. He is outside creation. God's not dependent on it being too hot or cold. God's not dependent on oxygen to still live. God's not dependent on radiation or anything like that. He just is. He just is. And he's saying, he's saying, that's the God we serve. With fear before the God of Daniel, before he is the living God. So he understood that everything else was a dead God. And he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people. He performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. It says, so Daniel prospered in the days of King Darius and Cyrus. So we can all stand. So I ask you today, are you willing to stand? Are you willing to stand no matter the situation, no matter what's coming against you, to have the faith like Daniel. The faith not to get distracted. You know, a lot of times we think, man, I got this going on, that going on. But just to stay focused, just to stay in tune with God, no matter what's going on in your life. We went down to the Need on Thursday night and Friday night, and Pastor Todd Smith was down there, and he gived us some great encouragement. You know, he said, he said, the battles will get stronger. That's real encouraging. He said, the battles will get stronger coming against you because you're fighting through more and more powers and principalities. He said, stay low and stay on your face. And basically let God fight your battles. You know we're sitting there saying we don't want no more battles. There's not going to be such a thing as no more battles. But there is going to be better victory. There is going to be stronger victory. So imagine today, if you need prayer, or if you just need to come to the altar. Because you have battles going on in your life. We're not going to pray for the stinking battles. We're going to pray for the focus that you keep your eyes focused on the Lord. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Our battles not with flesh and blood, but with powers, principalities, or rulers of darkness. In the heavenly realms. So if you're thinking about your body and where's the heavenly realms, it's it's it's up, it's in your head. The battle's in your head. But it says you're seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above powers, principalities, and rulers of darkness. I believe Daniel had to have this revelation for him to stand, just like you have to have this revelation to stand on who you are and where you are. And then we've lost focus. I could share falling apart stories with every one of you. But I'm not going to share falling apart stories. I'm going to share what the Word of God says because I'm not moved by falling apart stories. And a lot of people just want someone to sympathize with their falling apart story. And I'm sorry if you got a fallen apart story, but I promise you, we could trade battle boons and we'll see. You know, but I'm not going to do that. I'm telling you, I just choose to believe in standing on the word of God. No matter what situation comes in front of me. Well yeah, but this and that. No, no, there's no butts about it. I I just choose to stand on the word of God. Daniel, please don't get in front of the window. Don't get in front of the window for the next 30 days. Daniel, I don't want you want you to get in trouble to be thrown into the lines, Dan. You wonder how many come to him and said that. He's like, get the butt out of my way. I'm going to worship God. Because I know if I don't worship God, I'm going to crash and burn. Lord, we choose to worship you, Lord. We choose to worship you in spirit and in truth, Lord. Lord, we're we're not ashamed of you. Some of you may be struggling with that. I used to struggle with it. It's called pleasing people. People pleasing. Are we a people pleaser or are we a God pleaser? We people pleasers or we God pleasers. You know that's two different. Well, I'm both. No? No, you're not. You're on the fence, you're tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. No, Lord, we're here to please you. Lord, Lord, I present myself to you a living sacrifice, Lord God. Which is my reasonable service. And Lord, I will not be conformed to this world. I'll be transformed, Lord, by the renewing of my mind. Lord, teach me to pray to you. Lord, teach me to let your spirit lead my spirit. Lord, guide me. Lord, direct me. Lord, I got all this stuff going on in my life, Lord, but I see in your word, Lord, where your yoke is easy and your burden is light. So Lord, I'm yoking up with you. I'm yoking up with you, Lord, because if I'm yoked with you, Lord, then my burden is light. And I lay my burden at your feet, Lord. And I thank you, Lord, you've took on my burden. I lay my sickness at your feet. I lay my anxiety at your feet. I lay my depression at your feet. I lay my criticisms at your feet. I lay my sickness at your feet. And thank you, Lord. We can worship you in spirit and in truth, Lord, Lord. So we just choose to worship you, Lord. We worship you, Lord of Lords. We worship you, King of Kings. Oh Lord. Lord, may I see the way you see. Lord, may I hear the way you hear, Lord. Lord, may my thoughts be your thoughts. Lord, my ways be your ways. Lord, may my actions be your actions, Lord. And Lord, that may I not be distracted, Lord. May I see it out front when distractions are trying to come out of me. May I see it out front. Eyes wide open. See it out front. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Lord, that may we not do anything, Lord, on our own ability, Lord. Not on our own ability, Lord, just on your ways, Lord. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord. You have my best interest at heart, Lord. Thank you, Lord. You have their best interest at heart. Just open up your arms. Open up the arms of your heart. And just let him grab you. Just let him wrap his loving arms around you. Thank you, Lord, for the freedom going on in this house right now, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the renewing of the minds, Lord, right now, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the tormenting spirits that are leaving right now, Lord. Lord, as we trust in you. Thank you, Lord, for life. Life more abundantly, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the truth, for your truth makes us free. Thank you, Lord, who the sun sets free is free indeed. Thank you, Lord.

SPEAKER_02 55:46

Thank you, Lord, for faith.

SPEAKER_03 55:49

Thank you, Lord, for faith and action, faith, acting on the word of God. Thank you, Lord, for these examples of people, of men and women of faith, Lord, that we can stand on and be like, man. If Daniel can do it, I can too. If Esther can do it, I can too. If we will not, we will not turn to the right or to the left, Lord. We only focus on you. Thank you, Lord, you fight our battles. Thank you, Lord, for the battles you're fighting in the spiritual realm right now, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the minds being renewed. Thank you, Lord, if we just believed. Believe in your word. We just act upon it.

SPEAKER_01 57:02

We trust it. Shambaroku Mara Shikidabapa Shama Bato Boroko Shiki Dadda. Mima Mamarokoto, Shibabarakata, Borokopa Shandaraki. Morokopa Shiki Dadadara Borokopa Shandad. Borokopa Shiki Ladadadata. Borokopa Shandadadaraki. Mina da darakata Borokopa Shandadatata. Boroko shiki la marakatapi.

SPEAKER_03 57:46

Thank you, Lord, for interpretations. Thank you, Lord. Maybe you've never interpreted, but I'm telling you, no one's ever interpreted until they've interpreted the first time.

SPEAKER_04 58:05

Today is the day that you walk out of the wilderness into the promised land that God has given you. There will still be giants in there, but in him you will conquer them. There'll be nothing that you can't do. The land has everything he has said. He has not changed his mind for the plans that he has, his ways to prosper you, give you everything that you need in his promised land, not yours.

SPEAKER_02 58:34

Hallelujah. It's how you fight the giants. It's how you fight the giants. Oh Father, we thank you. Father, we praise you, Lord.

SPEAKER_03 58:54

Praise you, Lord, for your word. May we stand on your word. May we not back down. May it flow out of us, Lord, like rivers of living water. May your glory be shown, Lord, as we trust in you. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen and amen. We'll see you Wednesday at 5 45.