Living for God in an Ungodly Culture // Jason King

Faith

Daniel 2:1-13 (MSG)
“In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar started having dreams that disturbed him deeply. He couldn’t sleep. He called in all the Babylonian magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and fortunetellers to interpret his dreams for him. When they came and lined up before the king, he said to them, ‘I had a dream that I can’t get out of my mind. I can’t sleep until I know what it means.’ The fortunetellers, speaking in the Aramaic language, said, ‘Long live the king! Tell us the dream and we will interpret it.’ The king answered the fortunetellers, ‘This is my decree: If you can’t tell me both the dream itself and its interpretation, I’ll have you ripped to pieces, limb from limb, and your homes torn down. But if you tell me both the dream and its interpretation, I’ll lavish you with gifts and honors. So go to it: Tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ They answered, ‘If it please your majesty, tell us the dream. We’ll give the interpretation.’ But the king said, ‘I know what you’re up to—you’re just playing for time. You know you’re cornered. You know that if you can’t tell me my dream, you’re out and out doomed. I see right through you—you’re going to slap together some fancy stories and confuse the issue until I change my mind. No way! First tell me the dream, then I’ll know that you’re on the up and up with the interpretation and not just blowing smoke in my eyes.’ The fortunetellers said, ‘Nobody anywhere can do what you ask. And no king, great or small, has ever demanded anything like this from any magician, enchanter, or fortuneteller. What you’re asking is impossible unless some god or goddess should reveal it—and they don’t hang around with people like us.’ That set the king off. He lost his temper and ordered the whole company of Babylonian wise men killed. When the death warrant was issued, Daniel and his companions were included. They also were marked for execution.”

When it Seems Like an Ungodly Culture is Winning You Must Remember:

1. Refuse to have a victim mentality and choose to make a difference.

Luke 10:19 (NLT)
“I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy…”

John 16:33 (NIV)
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:37 (NIV)
“We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Romans 8:28 (NIV)
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
“We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Revelation 1:5-6 (NKJV)
“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
“I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

2. Respond in the opposite spirit of the culture you are called to serve and reach.

Daniel 2:14-16 (MSG)
“When Arioch, chief of the royal guards, was making arrangements for the execution, Daniel wisely took him aside and quietly asked what was going on: ‘Why this all of a sudden?’ After Arioch filled in the background, Daniel went to the king and asked for a little time so that he could interpret the dream.”

“Emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” ― Peter Scazzero (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality)

3. Release the matter into God’s hands, then rest in knowing He will take care of it.

Daniel 2:17-18 (MSG)
“Daniel then went home and told his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what was going on. He asked them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy in solving this mystery so that the four of them wouldn’t be killed along with the whole company of Babylonian wise men.”

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

4. Remember your life exists to bring glory to God.

Daniel 2:24-30 (MSG)
“So Daniel went back to Arioch, who had been put in charge of the execution. He said, ‘Call off the execution! Take me to the king and I’ll interpret his dream.’ Arioch didn’t lose a minute. He ran to the king, bringing Daniel with him, and said, ‘I’ve found a man from the exiles of Judah who can interpret the king’s dream!’ The king asked Daniel (renamed in Babylonian, Belteshazzar), ‘Are you sure you can do this—tell me the dream I had and interpret it for me?’ Daniel answered the king, ‘No mere human can solve the king’s mystery, I don’t care who it is—no wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and He has solved this one. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. This is the dream you had when you were lying on your bed, the vision that filled your mind: While you were stretched out on your bed, O king, thoughts came to you regarding what is coming in the days ahead. The Revealer of Mysteries showed you what will happen. But the interpretation is given through me, not because I’m any smarter than anyone else in the country, but so that you will know what it means, so that you will understand what you dreamed.’”

1 Corinthians 6:20(NASB)
“You have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God.”

Psalm 115:1 (NLT)
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name goes all the glory.”