Stand Strong Like Daniel

Daniel 1:8

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself…

The nation of Israel was conquered and Daniel, along with his 3 friends, was carried off to Babylon. They were forced into a training program that was intended for the best and the brightest young captive men to be stripped of their culture and indoctrinated into a pagan worldview so that they could serve in the government of the king. They were no longer to consider themselves a part of the people governed by God's laws but were expected to conform to the culture of the conquering nation. Their language was changed, they were required to eat food forbidden under Jewish guidelines, and they were even given Babylonian names.

But Daniel was fully committed to follow after God and determined, purposed in his heart, that he would not sin against the Lord by just going with the flow. We know that the ruler of this world is Satan and he will do everything he can to try and force you into his mold. He is determined to oppose God and deceive the people of God into following right along with the wickedness and sensual corruption around us that will drag us down into a cesspool of sin, ignoring what God has determined is right.

Daniel saw it coming and made up his mind to stay committed to the Lord no matter what it cost him. He eventually faced a death sentence in a den of lions for not bowing down to a pagan idol and it was his determination to be faithful to the Lord that gave him strength to resist sin throughout his life. He even became a respected ruler in Babylon because God exalted him for his faithfulness.

You and I must commit ourselves today and every day, to stay faithful to Him and the way to start is to train your mind by reading and memorizing the Bible, His Word. We need to change our thinking so that we think His thoughts and resist the lies of this world.

Now, I came across this verse while I was reading my Bible and I immediately consider it a verse worth remembering, one that would motivate me in my spiritual life. Build that habit now. Pick our verses you want to remember and write them on a note card so you can carry them with you. Start by memorizing this verse today and let it remind you to pray for strength to stand strong.