GOD WILL MAKE A WAY –  DANIEL, HANANIAH, AZARIAH (2)

Post date: Jan 30, 2020 12:31:18 AM

These three young men did not give up on the God they knew and worshiped despite being taken captive and kept in prison in a foreign Nation. These three young men did not become angry or discouraged with their God, with themselves, with their commanders in prison or with anyone else for becoming captives and prisoners. These three young men did not fight back with the guards for giving them other names besides their original names, -- the commander of the officials gave them Babylonian names, Daniel was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah named Shadrach, Mishael named Meshach and Azariah named Abed-nego. These three young men did not give up their trust in the Living God of Israel, instead they decided, though we are in prison, though we are restricted and placed under observation, we will not want to defile or do anything to dishonor our bodies before our God.

Their moment of change came the very time they individually and collectively agreed, decided to keep themselves from physical or spiritual defilement through food and drink; when they decided to honor their God instead flowing or following along with whatever comes by because they were already in the prison. God began to grant them favor right before the commander by accepting their request. It is certain that God will perfect His will, His plans, and His purpose in the lives of all true believers and followers who will decide to honor Him even in their afflictions and pains in life, but what decision have you made personally in your present situation? What complaint do you have or present before God? When your name is physically changed to reflect their thoughts and imaginations of you, what have you done? When your routine is changed to reflect the bad circumstances you find yourself, what do you do? When your enemy becomes the commander of your life and your affairs, what do you do? When your best is replaced with your worst, what do you do? It is good to know that God is observing your actions and words irrespective of the situations and the circumstance that brought you to where you are right now. Your personal decision can and will bring a big and unexpected and change from God for you.

“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile, taint, dishonor himself with the king’s finest food or with the wine which the king drank, so he asked the commander of the officials that he might be excused so that he would not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king, who has prearranged your food and your drink, for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the young men who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king. But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, please, test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the king’s finest food be observed and compared by you, and deal with your servants in accordance with what you see. So the man listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days, it seemed that they were looking better and healthier than all the young men who ate the king’s finest food. So the overseer continued to withhold their fine food and the wine they were to drink and kept giving them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all kinds of literature and wisdom, Daniel also understood all kinds of visions and dreams.” Daniel 1:8-17

Daniel who was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah named Shadrach, Mishael named Meshach, and Azariah named Abed-nego, decided that their new given names and their situation will not change them or compel them to change their God. They did not decide or pray to be freed from captivity or prison but rather decided not to defile themselves, there and then, God began making ways for their total upliftment. For prayers, Click here