With presidential elections in the US just one year, many Americans observe global problems that are breaking out and wonder: What kind of leader we need in this historical moment?
That’s a very good question. As believers, each of us needs to hear from God concerning the matter. If we have not already done so, in the coming months we will need to know who the person He wants in that position and how you want to vote. However, there is another question for which we need an answer from God right now. One that is equally important.
As we can see, the believers, both here and around the world, are facing pressure to back in faith-to remain silent about it and keep it hidden, out of reach, where not bother anyone . In this situation, we need to ask: What kind of Christians should be at this particular time in history?
Obviously, the Bible has much to say about it . However, it was not until recently that I remembered a specific passage in the Old Testament, which speaks directly to the problems we are facing today. I tells of a man of God who lived their faith boldly in the midst of a pagan culture, even if that courage threatened to cost him his own life.
I’m sure you remember the story. He is talking about when Daniel was cast into the den of lions. It is recorded in Daniel 6 and begins: “Darius made the decision to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps … Above them put three governors, whom the satraps were accountable to the interests of the king might not affected. One of the three governors was Daniel, but Daniel was above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit he lay. Even the king thought to set him in charge of the whole kingdom “(verses 1-3).
There, just the story begins, we find the answer to the question, What kind of Christians should be at this particular time in history?
people need to be recognized for our superior (or excellent) spirit !
that was the mark of distinction by which Daniel was recognized, and that was a light in a dark nation. This made it could be someone you trust and was promoted to a position of great influence and authority. This caught the attention of people, and made it an unstoppable force the kingdom of God.
As believers, you and I have that same kind of spirit. As joint heirs with Jesus has given us His “more excellent name” (Hebrews 1: 4, RVR60). We are partners in a “much better ministry” (Hebrews 8: 6) and participants of His “great glory” (2 Peter 1:17).
How am I supposed to express exactly that excellence?
Read what the following verses say about Daniel, and you can see it. These tell us how, after being promoted, the other members of the administration of the king became jealous and tried to catch him committing a sin, in order to reportársela the king. However, they found a big problem, “they could not find it , nor accuse him of any fault, because he was reliable and had no vice nor committed any fault. Finally, they said, “We will never find the occasion to accuse this Daniel, unless we look at something that has to do with the law of his God” (Daniel 6: 4-5).
Meditate on that. The enemies of Daniel could not trip him because his loyalty was extreme! Because of its excellent spirit, no matter what other people do; he believed and faithfully obeyed God in every situation.
And that’s what we must do if we are to live in excellence today. We should be filled with faith and be faithful. Regardless of the cultural conditions, threats or pressures that may arise, we must never give concessions when it comes to believing and acting on the Word of God.
Never.
No matter what it takes
“But Brother Copeland, you do not understand my situation. I must negotiate a little bit here and a little there. I am a leader in my line of work. I have a very high position in my company. If I am brave in my faith and do not follow the crowd, I can cost you dearly. ”
No matter what it costs. Nothing in your life or my life is so precious to us to make concessions on our Lord and Savior.
Our fidelity to Him is our highest calling and our highest honor, and will always be an error negotiate. That was something I learned many years working alongside my spiritual father, brother Oral Roberts. I heard him talk often about spiritual excellence and fidelity. One thing he often said on this subject still sets fire me. “The concessions do to retain something will make you lose it over time.” That is a spiritual law. It is an absolute factor. And it is also a reciprocal truth: if you stay connected to God through faith in His Word, rehusándote to negotiate, He will see you out in any situation, as a winner-and He still made in the most impossible situations. Observe what happened next in the story of Daniel, and see what I mean. His enemies really conspired to use him against his faith, which was nonnegotiable. They went before the king and said, “Long live forever His Majesty King Darius! All governors, magistrates, satraps, princes and captains of the kingdom have unanimously agreed to ask His Majesty to enact a royal edict, and to confirm it , ordering that anyone in thirty days sue for any god or person lest His Majesty, to be thrown into the lions ‘ den. His Majesty be good enough to confirm this decree and sign it , so that under the law of the Medes and Persians, it can not be revoked “(verses 6-8). King Darius granted their request by signing the decree, which put into effect a law that, for 30 days, made the prayer life of Daniel was a death sentence. How did Daniel respond? When he learned that the law had been signed, “went into his house, opened the windows of their chamber toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt and prayed to his God, thanking him as he used to do “(verse 10). Daniel was not intimidated at all by threats! He kept praying as always-and not try to keep their secret prayers. Daniel did not close their curtains and blinds. On the contrary, he kept open so that anyone who wanted to could hear it . It’s easy to imagine the reaction of the people around them. Probably they called him aside and said, “Man, is a little more cautious; You do not want to end up in the ditch with lions. You have the authority to impact this nation. You’re improving things and the king hears you. If you keep praying that way, you will lose your ministry altogether. At least close the windows! At the end of the day it will not affect nada.Dios not need a window open to listen. ” ” Well , ” you might say,” That last part is correct, is not it? God does not need an open window to hear the prayers of someone “. In this case it’s needed. If Daniel had closed the windows, he had done because he was afraid and that would have changed everything. Fear cancels faith, and faith is what keeps us connected to God.
Be careful with this phrase
At this time, the same kind of pressure he faced Daniel is gaining strength. Here in the US, Christians are being forced to hide their faith behind closed doors. Essentially, we are told that we close the curtains and blinds when it comes to what we believe, while at the same time politicians and government officials assure us that our “freedom of worship” is still intact. Freedom of worship. that phrase sounds very similar to the phrase “freedom of religion” that describes what is guaranteed in the US constitution. But it is not the same thing. There is a big difference between them. The freedom of worship is currently used as a way of saying, “You can worship whoever you want in your home, car or church. But do not take the Bible to work with you. Andes not talking about Jesus during the break. If you start to practice your faith in public, where others can hear and be offended, my will cost expensive, because they do not need to hear what you think. ” Obviously, at this time, no one in the US It is threatening to throw Christians to the lions ‘ den. They are just trying to get us out of public spaces and their road. However, I have already made my decision: I will not take me the way! I will not negotiate my walk with God. ” ” Brother Copeland, is there really people who have pushed for you to do it ? ” Oh, yes. On more than one occasion. Some years ago I was pressed by a member of the United States Senate, who came against me waiting for access to private information of employees of the ministry, which is confidential by law. I would not agree to their demands because he had made a promise to the Lord and my colleagues many years ago that never share any of their names, nor reveal any of their offerings detail. He tried to force me to do it, suggesting that it had something to hide and making us look bad. Then he began legal proceedings against us. We were forced to spend more than a million dollars just to defend ourselves. Negative publicity is supposed to put pressure on us, making revenue ministry came under. But it does not work. Income did not decline. “Well, they have the right to cite you to court,” someone warned me. “And? I told. “Let them do it .” “And what if they send you to jail?” I answered that question publicly from the pulpit. “I gave my word to my colleagues and to the Lord about it .” And I continued: “I will not negotiate that. If the government wants to send me to jail, they can. I preach from prison, so I know very well what I will do there. ” Some people with good intentions approached me and encouraged me to deliver information. “It will not do any harm to anyone , ” I suggested. “The government will not misuse that information.” However, I continued to respond in the same way. “I do not care what they’re planning to do with her, I not give. I gave my word, and I will not. ”
You are not alone
, of course, in the end, the Lord protected me in that situation. He protected the ministry and everything went well. What’s more, instead of feeling threatened and intimidated by the experience, the pressure on me making me stronger term.
This is how it always happens. If you continue in faith and you stand firm in the Word, you reach a point where you enjoy the lack of concessions. The joy of the Lord comes to your interior, and is your strength!
The best way I can describe it is to compare it with something that I experienced once when I was a small child. I was traveling with my dad on one of his business and stopped overnight at a hotel. While he recorded us at the reception, I researched around and walked into a room where men played shuffleboard (shuffleboard) and made the mistake of touching the board.
Now that was an intimidating experience!
When I put my finger on the board, one of the men began to abuse me verbally. I called in unimaginable ways and little I eat. However, while I was screaming, my dad came to the place. He put his hand on my shoulder grandota, I slid behind him, and with great booming voice said: “If you want to talk to this child, you have to talk to me! Do you understand? ”
The man looked at my father like a deer frozen in the headlights of a car. He whispered, “I did not mean anything.”
“Then, you should not have said anything!” Replied my father.
With that, the room fell silent and everyone froze waiting to see what would my dad then. They had reason to be worried, since my dad was not a small man. Standing behind him, I felt great. I wanted to say something like, “Dale papi, we can handle it ! Yes, we can handle it !
Of course, nothing happened. My dad just said, “Come on , son.” Then we turned around, we left the room and went to our room. When closed the door, said, “Kenneth: from now, you will keep your hands to yourself ! Do you understand? ”
That landed me quickly, because for a short time had been flying very high. I felt invincible standing behind my father.
As believers, we are in the same position when we stand firm with faith in the word of God and refuse any kind of negotiation. We are more than conquerors because we are not alone. We stand behind Jesus. We say, “Lord, we can with this! We can win this fight without any effort!
That was the attitude that Daniel had. For the moment he entered the lion’s den, that was not a big problem. He was not afraid and was so full of faith, instead of eating, the lions had to wait until later, when he finally could eat the enemies. “And when they brought, he was unhurt because he had trusted in his God” (verse 23).