Daniel 6:10. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Some say that a person must possess the things of the world to succeed. Others say that faith alone is all one needs. Both statements sound right, yet neither is complete. Without understanding and engaging the realities of the world, believers can become enslaved by those who do. At the same time, without spiritual insight and power, people—no matter how capable—become enslaved by the very things they pursue.
What we truly need is not the world’s power, nor faith detached from reality, but spiritual strength that overcomes the world. That strength comes from knowing and experiencing the power of the gospel. Only when the gospel governs our lives can we engage the world without being controlled by it.
Tragically, many believers remain unaware of the spiritual blessings God has already given them. Consumed by daily survival and worldly success, they remain unconcerned with that which God values most. This spiritual ignorance is the root of repeated failure in Christian living—not because God has withheld power, but because His people do not live from it.
Daniel understood the true source of strength from the very beginning. That is why, when prayer to the living God was declared illegal, he continued to pray “just as he had done before,” fully aware that the consequence would be the lions’ den. His confidence was not reckless courage, but settled conviction born from a life anchored in God.
When Judah fell to Babylon, Daniel discerned the deeper cause of the nation’s collapse—not military inferiority, but the loss of the gospel through idolatry. From the start of his captivity, he resolved not to compromise with Babylon’s idols. He understood that God had not placed him in Babylon by accident, nor elevated him in government for personal success. Daniel knew his calling was restoration—the restoration of the gospel to the nations.
Because Daniel understood God’s purpose, he was never enslaved by Babylon. He lived as a free man in captivity. When King Nebuchadnezzar demanded the meaning of his dream, Daniel boldly declared that wisdom did not belong to humans but to the God of heaven who reveals mysteries. He exalted God publicly and exercised his authority as a child of God without fear.
Later, when King Belshazzar mocked God by using sacred vessels for idol worship, Daniel again spoke without compromise. He confronted the king with the truth—that he had rejected the God who held his life and all his ways. That very night, God’s judgment fell, and Babylon’s power ended. Daniel’s faith did not merely survive history; it redirected it.
In the same way, God has entrusted us with authority—not political authority, but gospel authority—to speak His truth to the world. We are sent not to blend in, but to proclaim the message that reconciles humanity to God. The world we live in is still covered in darkness, disaster, and deception, and people continue to live under the power of sin and the devil. This is why God has placed us exactly where we are.
Daniel’s unwavering faith was met with God’s faithfulness. When he was thrown into the lions’ den, God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. Through Daniel’s deliverance, King Darius proclaimed the living God to all nations. One person’s faith blocked disaster and revealed God’s glory to the world.
This same God is with you today. Do not fear the world as you proclaim the gospel in your mission field. The God who sent His angel to Daniel can surround you with heavenly protection and power. Like Daniel, resolve not to compromise. See the age of idolatry clearly, and choose to reveal the power of God through faith.
Thanksgiving was the key to Daniel’s life. He prayed with gratitude three times a day, even under threat of death. Thanksgiving is possible only when we trust God’s sovereignty in every situation. It is the highest expression of faith and one of the most powerful weapons against the enemy.
Make time to be alone with your Father. Let the Word heal you. Let the Holy Spirit fill you with power. Receive wisdom from above. Restore your strength, your calling, and your vision. Turn every situation into prayer, just as Daniel did.
Even pagan kings recognized that Daniel’s wisdom and strength came from God. In the same way, the world will see that your life is sustained by a power not of this age.
Do not be shaken. Do not be intimidated. Hold firmly to God’s promise: those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).
Prayer. Father, may today be the most spiritual day of my life because You are with me. May today be the most joyful day because of Your Son Jesus Christ. May today be the most powerful day because of Your Spirit working through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.