Standing Firm (Daniel 1:8)

Daniel 1:8 says: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s food, nor with the wine that he drank; therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs not to force him to defile himself.

And God brought Daniel into favor and goodwill with the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, ‘I fear my lord the king, who appointed your food and your drink; for when he sees your faces looking paler than those of the young men who are your age, you will endanger my head before the king.’

Then Daniel said to Melzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had placed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ‘Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our faces with the faces of the young men who eat the king’s portion of food, and afterward deal with your servants according to what you see.’

So he consented to this and tested them for ten days, and at the end of the ten days their faces appeared better and healthier than those of the other young men who ate the king’s portion of food.”

Brothers and sisters, I want to share with you the story of one of the most exemplary figures in Scripture: the prophet Daniel. Daniel represents some of the most beautiful values in Scripture, and he is an example for us in these times in which we live. The image of Daniel came to mind as I searched for an appropriate theme for this time we are living through in the state of Massachusetts.

As we look at this graphic illustration presented through same-sex marriage, we see how far American culture has strayed from the values of the Word of God.

I was telling a reporter who interviewed me yesterday specifically about our position regarding same-sex marriage that it is not as though we have singled out homosexuality as the unforgivable sin. Rather, when we look at how God has dealt with homosexuality in Scripture—or, more precisely, how Scripture views homosexuality—it is simply as an illustration of the degree to which humanity can stray from God.

If someone had told me five years ago that Massachusetts would today be preparing to celebrate same-sex marriages, even knowing the human heart, I probably would have had doubts about it. Yet today that fact, that development, is a reality.

And Daniel lived in a context similar to ours. He was a God-fearing young Jewish man who was taken to a nation that rebelled against every divine principle.

Babylon practiced every sin imaginable. Babylon is seen in the Bible as the source of many abominations: occultism and astrology, the worship of pagan gods, the oppression of nations, and a general departure from the principles of God.

And Daniel was taken to live in that context. In one sense, he illustrates what it is like to live immersed in an environment hostile to the values we embrace. That is why the figure of Daniel is important to us at this stage we are going through.

And we must understand that what we are going through is nothing unusual in history. The Church has always lived immersed in a context that opposes its values.

What the Word tells us again and again is that if we remain faithful to the Lord’s principles, we will always emerge victorious.

So this afternoon I want us not only to receive a call to stand firm in our faith, but also to be encouraged to keep moving forward with our eyes fixed on the Lord.

What do we see in the figure of Daniel? What kind of man was Daniel? First, Daniel was a man of integrity—integrity in the sense that he remained faithful to his values regardless of the situation he might face.

In the famous passage about the lions’ den, when they tried to force him to bow before the king’s statue, Daniel said, ‘I do not worship any man, and therefore I cannot do it.’

And in this instance, when he was asked to eat food that was probably sacrificed to idols and was unclean according to Hebrew law, he chose not to obey and simply to eat vegetables.

And that is integrity. Integrity means remaining faithful to the principles we know are true, no matter what. And if at some point we stray from those principles, rather than disguising our actions in a way that justifies what we are doing, our integrity brings us back into alignment with the purpose of the Word of God.

And that is what I told another person who interviewed me this past Friday. He asked me whether we thought we were better than the people we were criticizing. I told him, ‘We Christians are aware that all of us need the grace of God. The difference is that when we experience sins and temptations, rather than calling them something else, we call them what they are and try to improve our lives.’

A person becomes addicted and experiences certain sins, and then tries to change their name, move the boundaries, and say that they are not sin; but God knows that the exact opposite is true. Integrity means adhering to a standard and holding fast to it no matter what may happen. Daniel was a man of integrity; he teaches us lessons about integrity.

The second thing I see in Daniel’s life is that Daniel was willing to take unpopular stands. In this very instance, for example, when Daniel and his friends said, ‘We are not going to eat the king’s food,’ Daniel ran the risk that people would think, ‘This man does not know how to be a team player. He is an individualist. He thinks he is better than we are. He is questioning our values.’

And I also believe it was possible that this could affect his future career, because he was being trained to occupy a high-level position in the Babylonian government. As in an army, where a soldier may appear reluctant to follow the standards and values of his army, Daniel ran the risk of alienating others and being labeled as someone who was not fully obedient, who was rebellious at heart. But Daniel understood that he had to take that stand because his understanding of God’s law demanded it. And although it was unpopular, he held his ground anyway.

And, brothers and sisters, in these times in which we live, we must be willing to take stands that are unpopular. We are going to be a disturbing presence; we are going to be a thorn in the side of modern culture, particularly in this state.

Let me tell you that, in that case, we will be in very good company, because the Lord Jesus Christ was the first to prove troubling to the culture in which he lived. That is one of the many reasons they killed him.

And you, at your school—if you are a college or high-school student—or if you work at a social-service agency, or are a schoolteacher, university professor, or physician who perhaps disagrees with abortion or other doctrines being preached in these times, you will have to ask yourself: Am I going to go along with the current, or am I going to stand firm in what God has taught me?

I applaud those six justices of the peace—I do not know whether there are more—who chose to surrender their licenses rather than perform same-sex marriages in Massachusetts. And one of them is here with us: our sister Mary Santiago, who surrendered her license as a justice of the peace before the first one was performed. That may not be popular, but, brothers and sisters, we must ask ourselves whether we are going to flow with the culture or stand firmly on the Word of God.

The Word of God says, ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ What the Church has always done throughout history is hold its ground until the evil day has passed. And having passed through the evil day, to stand firm—that is what the Word says.

Are you willing to suffer for Christ at your workplace or wherever it may be? College or high-school student, are you willing to eat your lunch alone in a little corner of your lunchroom because your friends reject you for taking an unpopular stand?

Daniel took an unpopular stand and recalled—or rather, anticipated—what the Word says: ‘Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ Daniel took unpopular stands.

And at the risk of dwelling too long on this point, something else occurs to me that I also want to mention. Unless we are willing to take unpopular stands, the enemy’s power of persuasion will be stronger than ever before in history.

Humanity has resources as never before to strengthen itself in its perverse motivations. We need only look at the technological resources available to the media. We need only look at the colors and technical resources that can be used in movies and the tremendous cunning with which the media can gradually change the sentiments of the culture.

And so, unless we are determined and willing to take unpopular stands, we can fall into so many of the traps into which other generations before us have fallen, doing things that are not of God.

This week I was reading a book—my daughter Abigail is doing a report on the young Nazis, the ‘Hitler Youth,’ as they were called. When you look at how this country of Germany, over a period of about fifteen years, was completely hypnotized by the demonic figure of one man and by a social movement, and was led to commit atrocities that today, sixty years later, make us wonder how that was possible—the Germans themselves ask the same question—and how these people, one of the most civilized peoples in history and among the most refined in their sensibilities, were led to burn, starve, and conduct experiments on millions and millions of human beings, you wonder: How is it possible for a society to lose its mind in that way?

When we look at the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition, committed in the name of Jesus Christ in the sixteenth century, and when we look at the atrocities committed by Japan during the Second World War, and at how that nation also fell under that same evil hypnosis of destruction and violence, then we can understand, brothers and sisters, that the human mind is the most malleable and impressionable thing there is.

Human beings and society can be led to embrace any conceivable perversion if the proper stimuli are applied systematically and persistently. And unless we resist that influence, little by little we will become desensitized and adopt those positions, because our own tendency will be to seek comfort.

People do not like being isolated; we need a sense of belonging, one of the most powerful instincts in the human psyche. And little by little, the tendency will be to give up, lower our hands, accommodate ourselves, and enter the general current, because there is greater comfort and security there. And if we are not careful, we will begin to question the very Word of God, as so many well-intentioned Evangelicals, though led astray by evil, have already done.

So Daniel is an example for us, and he tells us: Be willing to take unpopular stands, because they are going to become very popular among the enemy’s ranks.

And the last thing I see is that Daniel was willing to take great risks and sacrifice things that were important to him. As we have already noted, he was willing to sacrifice relationships that he loved and that were important to him. When King Nebuchadnezzar, who thought very highly of him and had placed him in an exalted position, tried to force him to worship his statue, Daniel said: ‘King, I cannot do it. And God is powerful enough to deliver me from the fiery furnace, and if he does not deliver me, well, too bad. If I have to sacrifice my relationship with you, I am very sorry.’ We saw that Daniel was also willing to sacrifice his career for the values of the Kingdom of God. And he was willing to sacrifice even his very life in the case of the lions’ den and the fiery furnace.

Are we willing to sacrifice great things for the Lord in order to honor God? Are you willing to lose your life for the Lord? Are you willing to lose your job for the Lord? Are you willing to lose a romantic relationship for the Lord? Are you willing to sacrifice your sense of comfort and your dreams of success for the values of the Kingdom of God? Because as time passes, that will become less theory and more reality in the lives of God’s children. So we see this: Daniel is an exemplary man, a model we should follow.

Now we are going to look at some reasons why Daniel is, beyond all that, a model for today, specifically for these times in which we live. I have already said it: we live in a culture that is contrary to the values of the Kingdom of God, and the consequences of resisting that culture are serious. Like Daniel, we are under tremendous pressure to conform to that culture.

And I have a word for young people about this as well. Young people, do you know that the homosexual movement is very confident that, in the long run, victory will be theirs? And the reasons they think so are that... Surveys have been conducted showing that 60% of young people today, including many Christian young people, think that homosexuality is not a problem, while 60% of adults and the elderly think that homosexuality is not of God. So they are not fools, and they think that in 10 or 15 years, when we are six feet under, you will have control of the government and society, and they will have nothing to worry about.

Young people, in the name of Jesus, I want you to promise the Lord right now that you will stand firm in your position. Promise the Lord right now.

What enabled Daniel to exercise that kind of integrity?

Look, number one: Daniel determined to honor God and keep himself pure. It says here in verse 8: "Daniel purposed in his heart..." That is speaking of a prior decision, a deliberate decision. We are saying that Daniel weighed the pros and cons and reflected on the matter that concerned him. Daniel thought, "Why eat?" or "Why not eat the king’s food?" He weighed the possible consequences of one course of action or the other. And then he made a moral, spiritual, and emotional determination and said, "I am not going to do it."

Brothers and sisters, we have to make a prior determination. We have to stop living the Christian life by inertia. God abhors generic religiosity. These are times to decide whether we believe or do not believe.

These are times to adopt a radical stance concerning the Kingdom of God. It is time to say, as Esther said, "If I perish, let me perish." It is time for us to decide how we are going to live the Christian life. If you are merely visiting the church, or if you have been there for years and are still undecided or undefined, it is time for you to reach a point of crisis and say, "No, I am going to live the Christian life with burning passion. I am going to honor the Lord no matter what. I am going to resist the pressures of the world. I am going to honor the Lord with my life. And I am going to live a life of spiritual excellence."

Because if you let the world define your values, including your spiritual values, the world will be very eager to do so, unless you have already determined what you want to fill those moral spaces.

Young person, if you do not define yourself, the world will define you. Christian, if you do not determine which vision will guide your life, the world will define that vision. We have to make up our minds and then move forward firmly, guided by that vision we have established in the name of the Lord.

Second, Daniel knew the will of God. Because, in order for him to know that eating that food was contrary to God’s will, he first had to know what the Word of God said. He knew that the Scriptures prohibited eating food sacrificed to idols. If he had not known the Scriptures, he would simply have allowed himself to be swept along by the context in which he found himself.

That is to say, brothers and sisters, we have to know the Word of God. Even today, there are people who call themselves Christians who are preaching doctrines of demons. There are people whom you will respect and admire who will teach you things that are contrary to the Word of the Lord. And unless you take the time to examine the Word of God for yourself, unless you become deeply immersed in the Spirit of Scripture, unless the vision, the worldview of the Word, penetrates every pore of your life so that you can instantly and instinctively determine what is of God and what is not of God, you will often be unable to resist the enemy’s subtle indoctrinations and schemes.

The time is coming when Christians will almost need to discern the Word of God by ear rather than by reason. That is, the Word of God must become so deeply integrated with our being that our own spirit becomes attuned to the Spirit of God to help us navigate the subtle deceptions that the Devil has established in this highly rational age. That is why it is necessary to know the Word of God; study the Word of God, know the Word of God.

Third, Daniel trusted in the faithfulness of his God. He trusted in the Lord’s promises. He took risks and put God to the test. The eunuch who was in charge of him thought, "Well, if this man does not eat the king’s food, he will become malnourished, and they will cut off my head, because I am responsible." Daniel said, "Put us to the test; let us see what happens in 10 days," because he trusted that God was powerful enough to nourish them supernaturally.

Time and again, Daniel took great risks in his life, trusting that God was powerful enough to make up for any deficiency he might suffer because he served and honored the Lord.

And look, brother, if we had time, to me this is one of the most powerful lessons in all of Scripture.

Are we willing to put ourselves at a disadvantage in our lives time and again in order to honor the Lord?

When you come home tired from work on a Wednesday afternoon, and it is cold outside, and it is already four in the afternoon and dark outside, and your church is calling you to come to the house of the Lord and worship Him in a midweek service. And you are thinking that tomorrow morning you have to get up at six in the morning and go back out onto that cold street. You have to make a decision at that moment. You have to ask yourself, is God powerful enough to make up for that loss of rest that I am going to suffer, and tomorrow give me the strength and joy so that I may not even feel the difference between one thing and the other?

Do you know what often guides me to do things that are not in my job description? It is the example of people like Daniel, which tells me that if I invest while looking ahead, the Lord will honor me; I know that He will grant me the desires of my heart and make up for any lack.

When you give the Lord that 10% of your money, which you need to pay for this or to pay for that, but you say, "No, I am going to put myself at a disadvantage, and I know that God is powerful enough to fulfill His promise."

When you decide to leave that boyfriend whom you know in your heart is contrary to the values of the Kingdom of God, and you say, "Well, what if I remain single all my life and lose my last opportunity?" but you decide to honor the Lord anyway, and you trust that the Lord is faithful to provide for you.

Oh, brother, we are not talking about poetic images; we are talking about things that have an impact every day, every moment, on the decisions we make 24 hours a day in our lives. That is the principle that says that if I put myself at a disadvantage, my God is powerful enough to make up for any lack in my life. If I seek first the Kingdom of God, all the other things will be added to me. And that principle of taking great risks in the name of the Lord, putting Him to the test, and knowing that God will come through.

The last thing Daniel did was associate with others who believed as he did. He sought the affirmation that comes from living in community with other believers. There were other friends of his who made the same decision because they strengthened one another in their purpose to be faithful to the Lord. That is the principle behind the Church. In order for us to live by the values of the Kingdom of God, we have to stay together, do you understand?

A single ember grows cold and goes out in an instant. But an ember joined to hundreds of other embers warms together with them and keeps the energy, or temperature level, very high, and they can keep burning for a long time. United in spirit and faith, and enjoying fellowship with one another, we can stand firm in our purpose to be faithful to the Lord in the midst of adversity. You and I need each other. We need the Church of Jesus Christ.

You cannot be faithful to the Lord in this day and age while living like the Lone Ranger, watching television programs while you eat cereal and watching a television evangelist. You need the warmth, encouragement, and support of your brothers and sisters.

That is why I tell you: keep seeking the Lord in the context of a spiritual community. Find two or three men and women like you who desire to live a life of excellence for the Lord. Stay close to the Body of Jesus Christ, because that will encourage you in the midst of difficulty. And this does not mean that we should isolate ourselves and have no contact with the world; understand me. Because we need to be salt, and the salt has to be inserted into the body that it is going to season. But what we are saying is that our deepest affections and our most intimate relationships should be with people who have the same values and the same faith as we do. The context from which we derive our satisfaction and joy should be one that shares the values of the Kingdom of God. Let us not stop gathering together.

So, brothers and sisters, there we have Daniel; he is an exemplary man for us. He took risks; he put God to the test. He trusted in the Lord’s faithfulness and sought out others who would encourage him in his faith and in his pursuit. He was not afraid to take unpopular positions. And he determined in his heart to be faithful to the Lord.

Would you like to make a commitment today to live at that level of excellence?

In the Name of the Lord. If you want to live according to those values, if you want to adopt those values, then let us determine to live at that level of excellence.

Thank You, Lord, thank You, Lord; we worship You, we worship You. Take a moment to count the cost.

And let us ask the Lord to forgive us for our indifference and our mediocrity. And let us determine to live a life of excellence and steadfastness. Thank You, Lord.

Father, we believe that You call us to live up to the standard of a man like Daniel. This afternoon, Lord, we embrace that vision of excellence. And we ask forgiveness because many times we have not lived at that level. But today, Lord, we determine once again to honor You rather than men. Give us the power. Pour out the Holy Spirit upon us. And let us be lights. Help us illuminate this world, which is sinking deeper into darkness every day.

And we declare, Lord, that You are faithful. You will honor those who honor You. Thank You, Father; we stand firm in You, Lord. Thank You, Jesus.