“The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.” (Daniel 6:7, NIV).
Daniel 6 teaches us that God honors, helps, and rescues believers who have unwavering Faith in His Love and Power and use courage to practice uncompromising integrity.
Daniel was approximately 80 years old when his faith was severely tested. His response to the Kings command:
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10).
Is it possible for Christian Believers in 2026 to have the faith and trust in God that Daniel had? Yes!
God’s Gifts to Humanity
Faith: “…I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.” (Romans 12:3, CSB).
Spiritual Gifts: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].” (2 Timothy 1:7, Amplified Bible).
From accepting Christ as our personal Savior, what does God expect of us? “Be holy, for I Am Holy.” (1 Peter 1:16).
Reflection: Do your thoughts, spoken words, habits, behaviors, and lifestyle reflect that you are a Son or Daughter of God, who is striving to live righteously?
Choose a Time when you can be alone and without distractions and perform a Spiritual Self-Assessment. When complete, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any habits or behaviors that indicate the compromise of God’s Righteous Standards.
Without the power of the Holy Spirit guiding our thoughts and decisions, we may have embraced the Unbeliever’s Creeds of “Self-Reliance and Chasing Your Desires.”
“A creed is a formal statement of core beliefs or guiding principles. While most commonly used to define statements of religious faith (from the Latin credo, meaning ‘I believe’), it can also refer to a personal philosophy or set of principles that dictates how someone lives.”
Self-Reliance and Chasing Our Desires Always Separate Us From God!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding…Do not be wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:5, 7).
“Self-trust replaces Reliance on God, the Creator, with reliance on the thoughts and strategies of the flawed human heart.”
Reliance on AI: “Artificial Intelligence does not have human feelings, self-awareness, or inner consciousness. Instead, AI simulates thinking by processing massive amounts of data…”
“By trusting in one’s own thoughts [human wisdom], or the supposed wisdom of AI, the believer severs their vital connection with God.”
The Triune God is the Only True Source of All Knowledge including All Present and Future Situations and Outcomes, and the Only Source of Spiritual Wisdom. (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Chasing Your Desires is to actively pursue your biggest ambitions, goals, or passions. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19, 21).
We cannot follow Christ with love and loyalty with a divided heart. “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:24).
The concept of a Worldly Christian, who lives as they please [as long as they attend weekly church services] is a deceptive false teaching originated by Satan.
God’s Command: “Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.'” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
“In this Scripture, the Apostle Paul calls believers to live a life that is spiritually set apart and distinct from worldly, ungodly influences.”
Daniel Is a Faith Hero!
Although Daniel and the nation of Judah were in Babylonian captivity for 70 years, he used his faith to always believe and trust in God’s Love, Power, and Promises. Daniel proves that it is possible for us to intentionally keep our faith and focus on God, and not our circumstances.
Bible scholars estimate that Daniel was between 80-85 years of age when he was thrown in the lion’s den. But God!
Daniel’s Deliverance: God Honors Daniel’s Faithful Obedience – Daniel 6
“Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting [sorrowful] voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'” (Verses 19-20).
“Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! 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.'” (Verses 21-22).
God’s Plan For Us Is To Have Steadfast Faith Like The Prophet Daniel
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith is Active! We use our faith to Love, Trust, Surrender, and Obey God, the Father; we pray in faith to God, the Son [Jesus], our Redeemer and Intercessor, who receives all prayers, forgives us of our sins, and it is God, the Holy Spirit, who uses our faith as a catalyst to perform our spiritual growth and transformation, and empower us with knowledge, wisdom, and strength..
Our faith keeps us connected to Jesus Christ, and reveals our cooperation with God, the Holy Spirit, who relies on our faith and obedience to perform Sanctification.
“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
Like Daniel, we must also use our faith to remain focused on God’s Sovereign Power, believing [without any fear or doubt] that God is more Powerful than our circumstances.
Studying the Bible is crucial to our faith and spiritual growth. The Scriptures teach us of God’s Loving and Righteous Character and the various Bible stories document the many times He has intervened to give victory to the righteous. [Faith Builder].
“My people perish for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). Through the Scriptures, the inspired writers give us historical details revealing that God is Faithful, Dependable, and Powerful! [Faith Builder].
“For the word of God is living and active…” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Words strengthen our faith, giving us hope that He will never leave us or abandon us. Jesus tells us that the Scriptures are the Bread of Life, and we must eat from them [study] every day, to be fed spiritually. [Faith Builder].
“Be holy…” We cannot depend on human thoughts, or teach ourselves how to live holy. There are many opinions on what we need to do, yet we need to pray for wisdom and guidance and study Christ’s instructions.
The Bible is our Source for navigating through our spiritual journey with victory. Much prayer is required for the building of our faith, spiritual transformation, and maintaining our relationship with Christ.
Our Spiritual Journey with Jesus requires consistent Human Effort and we will receive from the Holy Spirit, the Divine Intervention of Jesus’ Strength.
The Apostle Paul who started the early churches wrote letters of encouragement to the members, describing the spiritual activities that every Christian believer must do to receive the spiritual growth and transformation performed daily by the Holy Spirit:
“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…” (Colossians 1:9-10, NIV).
“We can come to Jesus just as we are, but we cannot stay just as we are.”
Sanctification Is God’s Spiritual Goal: Daily spiritual growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the likeness of Christ’s Righteous Character requires the teamwork of Human Effort and Divine Intervention.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15 – 16, NIV)
Like Daniel, who consecrated himself through daily personal worship, three times a day, we also need to use our gift of time to commit to worshiping, following, trusting and obeying Christ, our Savior and Shepherd.
“The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27, Amplified Bible).
Following Jesus requires a mindset and lifestyle of continuous self-denial and worship [Romans 12:1-3]. Every morning, we use our faith to surrender and commit to obey the promptings and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
For over 6,000 years, Satan has manipulated the minds of many people to rebel against God. Human Effort alone cannot keep us on the Narrow Path of Righteousness.
Our daily prayer of faith and surrender invites the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith, and empower us with the spiritual knowledge and wisdom to discern life through spiritual eyes.
Despite King Darius’ command, Daniel was faithful and obedient to God. Not only did he continue to worship God three times a day, by opening his window, Daniel’s accusers witnessed his courage and steadfast faith and trust in the Most-High God.
In 2026, our tests of faith are very different from Daniel’s test of faith. Satan is presenting temptations of social media, earthly trinkets, success, relationships with unbelievers, fornication, gambling, immoral programs and video games, alcoholic beverages, and addictive mood gummies and teas to calm us.
Many Christian believers have embraced and developed hatred for one another because of political differences; and instead of helping those who are economically disadvantaged, they are using their God-given resources to become Wealth Builders.
Loving Others Is a Test of Our Faith and Obedience to God: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39).
Represent the love of Christ to everyone. We do not have time to hate or to be upset with anyone. Ask the Holy Spirit to saturate your heart with God’s Agape Love.
Prayer, praise, and study of the Holy Scriptures keep us close to Jesus Christ, our Shepherd and Triumphant King, who promises that He is coming soon. Yes and Amen!
Satan is using his best strategies to entice us to abandon our relationship with Jesus Christ. Every day, when we least expect it, we will face temptations that test our faith and loyalty to God.
Stop, Think, and Pray! Pray continuously!” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Facing accusations or conflict? It’s a faith test! Never react with emotions; remain silent and pray. [Faith Builder].
Whisper prayers throughout your day for Divine Wisdom and Strength. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit empowers us with Jesus’ Divine Strength to persevere and pass every test of faith. [Faith Builder].
God has promised to deliver us and He will!
“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.” (Ephesians 6:10, Amplified Bible).
Lord God, we ask You to be our Strength as we navigate through our spiritual journey of faith. We also ask for the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and correct us, as we follow Jesus on the Narrow Path of Righteousness. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
© 2026 STEPS 2 Success With Spiritual Solutions Ministry
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.