Daniel and Zechariah Volume 1, week 2

Week 2: A Pattern of a Person Used by God to Turn The Age 

The messages in this week are just like the manual of how to be an overcomer for the dummies like me. So let me tell you something I have learned in these wonderful messages. 

(Day 1) God needs overcomers, like Daniel and his friends, to turn the age. According to Daniel 10:11, 19 and 9:23, the overcomers are the men  of "preciousness," (Recovery Version) or "greatly beloved" (KJV). Therefore may we be transformed by the Lord to become the overcomers, and may we fully co-ordinate and co-operate with Him to consummate His eternal plan to make Christ preeminent through the rule of heavens. 

Secrets for becoming the overcomers 

There are at least 3 secrets of how to become an overcomer (they are not secrets anymore, are they?) from the life of Daniel that I really enjoyed. 

1. Live in the Body of Christ. (Day 3) 

There is no policy of "one man show" in God's ministry. Daniel was accompanied by his friends when he did his ministry in Babylon.  
Likewise, we need to live in the Body of Christ, that is the church, and work together with brothers and sisters in the principle of the Body in the blending life. 

2. Join to God's Word. (Day 4) 

When Daniel read the book of Jeremiah about God's promise that He would turn back to bless His people after 70 years of captivity, he immediately joined to God's desire by fasting and praying. 
Knowing the Word is not enough. We need to join the Word also. So let us be open to the Word of God, treasure it highly as our life supply and divine watering, and join ourselves to God's desire. 

3. Be a Man of Prayer with Excellent Spirit. (Day 5) 

Obviously, Daniel was a God-fearing man. He waited upon the Lord for the delivery of God's people from slavery. And he prayed fervently to God, even when prayer to God was not allowed. 
To fear God is not to be afraid of Him. It is to want Him, desire to keep His will single-heartedly, with full submission to Him. And prayer is the highest expression  

of the overcomers who fully co-operate with God to carry out His economy on earth. Like Daniel's prayer, we should pray that God will do something for Himself, for the Lord's sake (Daniel 9:17). 
Through prayer, we will be able to do what man cannot do, and we will be able to understand what man cannot understand. 
Moreover, Daniel was known as the man who had the Spirit of the Holy God and who was with excellent spirit. This was what the queen mother (Daniel 5:11-12), who probably did not know God, spoke to the king Belshazzar of Daniel. The excellence of spirit in Daniel's life was so obvious that it could be seen by others. Therefore let us be a man of prayer and exercise our spirit, and our lives will have an impact (in good way) to others, and glorify the Lord. 

Some signs in the lives of the overcomers 

By this means, we will be the overcomers, through whom God will use to accomplish His economy on this earth. The more we practise, the more we will see the greatness and goodness of God, and the more we will know Him, not only know about Him. Consequently, we will be touched by His love that constrains us to give up ourselves and live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). We may face some kinds of persecution because of this. But ironically, we will be among the happiest men of the world. This happiness is not understandable and independent of circumstances. We will be even drunkened with happiness, and will be the cause of others' happiness. Isn't it good to experience the happiness like this? 

Regarding this incomplehensible happiness, I recall the story of Watchman Nee, who was imprisoned because of his faith in Christ. He was in prison for 20 years. As everyone can imagine, it should not be a very desirable place to live. Moreover, he had got some problems with his health. Despite the persecution and difficulties, he kept his faith to the end. And surprisingly, he started one of his last letters to his sister in law that, "In my sickness, I still remained joyful at heart." And probably the last yet powerful testimony in his life, a paper was found under his pillow after he died, saying "Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ." Wow, it is so amazing, isn't it? This spirit of martyrdom can happen in our lives when we surrender all to Him. 

Reference 

• The Holy Word for Morning Revival: Crystallisation Study of Daniel and Zechariah Volume 1, week 2. 
• http://www.watchmannee.org/life-ministry.html

  

 Thirayost Nimmanon