An Excellent Spirit (A Good Attitude) - Daniel 1:8-21 An ounce of good attitude will give you a bounce in life! The Bible tells us more than once that Daniel was a man who had an excellent spirit – a good attitude. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Dan. 6:3). What is that excellent spirit and how can we hope to have the same excellent spirit and attitude that Daniel had? In Daniel 1, Daniel and his companions were gracious to Ashpenaz. They noticed that the king’s protocol officer was friendly and kind to them, and recognized that this was the working of the Lord. “When a man’s way please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. 16:7). Instead of expecting this pagan Gentile officer to obey the Law of Moses and get himself in trouble with the king, Daniel and his friends took a wise approach and asked for a ten-day trial. They chose to appeal to authority! In many places in the Scriptures, you will find courageous people who had to defy authority in order to obey God, and in every case, they took the wise and gentle approach. The Hebrew midwives who were discreet towards Herod (Ex. 1); Daniel & his companions (Dan. 2: 12-24), the Apostle (Acts 4), and even Jesus Himself (1 Pet. 2:13-25). They were all courteous and did not try to get others into trouble. They had a meek and quiet spirit. They saw the challenge before them as an opportunity to prove God and glorify His name. Believers are meek and gentle in spirit. They are not easily provoked. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18). Success in life is greatly influenced by your attitude - good attitude or lack of it. Daniel, with his friends displayed good attitude towards people in authority. Equally, he was optimistic when faced with difficult challenges of life. Daniel’s spirit (attitude) was the result of the way he handled himself, and the way he treated other people, and most of all, the manner in which he served his God. These are all key factors in the development of Daniel’s character and nature (James May, Victory Temple Pentecostal Church of God). Daniel and his company did not threaten Ashpenaz or the king. They simply excelled in their studies, acted civilly and asked Melza to test them for ten days by feeding them only water and vegetables. They did not fast but simply declined the unholy food from the tray of the king. By divine providence, Melzar was willing to accept their suggestion, and God did the rest. Believers have no moral justification to ask others especially the unsaved to take risks that they won’t take themselves. In the end, their experience was not that they were delivered from compromise but that they were developed in character. The Lord used this private test to prepare Daniel and his friends for the public test they would face in years to come. Later on, God called Daniel “greatly beloved” (Dan. 9:23; 10:11, 19), for he was very much like His beloved Son. Whatever may be your challenge or situation today, your motive must be the glory of God and not finding a way of escape. The first and salient question should be, “What can I get out of this?” as opposed to, “How can I get out of this?” Perhaps if you could pick out those characteristics that made Daniel into a man with an excellent spirit, then you could develop that same kind of excellent spirit too. Do you have an excellent spirit – a good attitude? Prayer Circle •Do you represent God and His kingdom rightly in your daily affairs? Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal the beauty of Christ to you daily. •Request from God the discerning spirit to approach every situation in a way that brings glory to Him, His name and His doctrines. “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5). •Daniel had an excellent spirit within him. Pray that God will use all your personal challenges to develop excellent spirit & character within you. “That you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing” (1 Thess. 4:12). •“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” (1 Pet. 3:15). •In solving life’s problem, pray for the courage to face difficulty humbly and honestly, the wisdom to understand it, the strength to do what He tells you to do, and the faith to trust Him to do the rest. •Pray for great favor before every one that may represent Ashpenaz or agent of promotion in your path to greatness. •Ask God to transform your circle of friends and to surround you with companions like Hananiah (the Lord shows grace), Mishael (Who is like God?) and Azariah (The Lord is my help) who will walk faithfully in the path of righteousness and destiny together with you.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Feb 2014 14:01:00 +0000