THE GOD FACTOR IN THE EXCELLENCE OF DANIEL
INTRODUCTION:
Life is more than what some motivational speakers say: “Strive and you’ll make it!”
Promotion comes ONLY from God, above not abroad (Psa. 75:6).
Thank God for the efforts of Daniel, but the God-factor in his promotion is by far greater than His efforts.
We need to learn and benefit from Daniel’s experience.
In Daniel, we see some occurrences of the God factor:
1. 1:1-2: God delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar. All military
strategies are void when God is the one that delivers a man into the hand of his opponent! Contrarily,
when a man’s ways please the Lord, God Himself makes even his enemies to be at peace with him (cf.
Amos 3:6; Rom. 8:28).
2. God had been preparing him for the unexpected, through his parents, the temple, the society, and life
experiences. He was making him for the task ahead.
3. 1:3-4: God gave him the qualities needed to fill the position prepared for him—no blemish, well
favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge, understanding of science, ability to stand in
the king’s palace, and teachability. God prepares man with the allocation for his God-given location.
God had prepared Eden for Adam and Eve before they came. We need the same kinds of qualities to be
productive citizens of God’s Kingdom. God doesn’t look so much on the physical side of who we are.
4. 1:9: God Himself brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. So, it was
easy for him to grant Daniel’s request. How beautiful when God Himself works upon us in respect to our
relations with others.
5. 1:17: God Himself gave Daniel and his friends knowledge and skill in ALL learning and wisdom, and to
Daniel, understanding of ALL visions and dreams (mark the word “ALL”). Again, the very act of God
giving gifts to the four Hebrew young men, gave them prime access and favour before the king of
Babylon.
6. 5:12: Daniel has been in Babylon for quite some time. He has kept his place, behaved himself wisely,
learned the science of the Babylonian system well, and yet maintained his system of worship before God
as well. God has enabled Daniel to become what God wanted him to be through all of his trials and tests.
7. 6:3: God gave him an excellent spirit that made him greater than the expectations of King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his people. Imagine a boy, perhaps as young as 12 or 13 years old. The
God factor in action.
How can all these things come about?
… by being conscientious in our relationship with God.
God rewards our decisions in honour and fear of Him. Daniel and his companions purposed in their hearts
not to defile themselves with the king’s obviously idolatrous delicacies.
Walk with God truthfully and wholeheartedly, and see Him work upon, through and around you for His
glory.
So how can I develop an excellent spirit?
1. The first step is to get rid of the blemishes. And how do you rid yourself of blemishes? That can only be
accomplished by repenting of your sin, accepting Jesus into your life and surrendering your life to him
through the act of salvation. The blood of Jesus washes away all sin.
2. The second thing that we see in Daniel that was a part of his excellent spirit was that he was “well
favoured”. Of course we know that when Ashpenaz saw Daniel, all he could see was that Daniel was a
leader among his peers. Daniel was well-liked and was able to influence those around him to become
better people. If you have an excellent spirit within you, you are going to be able to affect everyone
around you in some way that will help them to reach a little higher, work a little harder, commitment
themselves a little more to the service of their God.
3. The Bible says that Daniel was also “skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge”. Even as a young
man, Daniel had the ability to use what he learned for the best purposes. This means that we should learn
our lessons well from the Word of God so that one day, we can become the teachers of that Word to
others.
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4. You can’t have excellent wisdom and knowledge if you don’t allow God time to put it in you first. And
you can’t expect to teach if you haven’t spent time studying and learning.
5. Another thing that helped Daniel to have an excellent spirit is that he had an understanding of science.
Science is the systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and
experimentation. If you want an excellent spirit, you have to be a reader. Readers are leaders. Everything
around you has a science about it one way or another. Do you know how to use your sewing machine
ladies, or how to bake a cake or do the laundry? There’s a systematic knowledge of how to do all of that
that you learned over time by applying yourself to it. Daniel’s excellent spirit was there because he had
applied himself and learned his sciences well, and it was evident through his use of the things he learned.
He was a quick learner and a good student, and he was becoming an excellent teacher, not only through
what he said, but what he did.
6. From the spiritual viewpoint let me say that we must apply ourselves to the science of God’s Word and
his manner of dealing with mankind. If can learn that science, then we can truly gain much wisdom and
understanding, and that excellent spirit will be a natural by-product of God’s Word and Spirit working in
us.
7. Another thing that the Bible says was a part of Daniel’s excellent spirit was that he had the “ ability … to
stand in the king’s palace”. From a natural point of view this implies that Daniel was not only intelligent
and wise, but that he also knew good manners and understood protocol. Now those are some things that
many of us need to improve upon a whole lot. Bad manners and overstepping our bounds of authority
cause more problems in the church than anything else. Daniel knew when to talk, and when to listen. He
knew when to move and when to be still. He knew how to exhibit good manners at the king’s table. He
didn’t talk with his mouth full.
Promotion is from God alone.
When He favours you, the systems of this world will bow accordingly to favour you.
God’s grace is available for excellence (Daniel 6:1-3).
a) Daniel woke up one morning to find out that he was a slave in Babylon. He did nothing wrong, but he
still wound up a slave.
b) Daniel could have developed a slave mentality. He could have allowed himself to embrace a spirit of
defeat. But instead, Daniel embraced God’s spirit of victory.
c) Daniel did not seek to merely survive as a slave, Daniel knew God’s grace was on his to thrive.
d) Daniel did everything with an excellent spirit, so much so, that he was promoted to the highest positions
in the kingdom by three different kings.
e) When you embrace God’s grace for excellence, no one will be able to stop you from promotion,
advancement, acceleration and continuous victory.
f) If you allow God’s Spirit to lead you, you will find that He will lead you to do everything with a spirit
of excellence that matches His character.
g) I joined the Army at the tender age of 17. I am about to retire 25 years later having achieved the
highest position in my field. How? By the grace of God; by embracing His spirit of excellence.
Practically recognize the God factor in all areas of our lives, and here are some practical ways we can do
this:
IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except
the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” (Psalm 127:1).
CONCERNING OUR ACADEMICS: Going to school as a student, being able to attend classes, being
able to read in preparation for your test or exams, writing the tests or exams, and coming out in flying
colours cannot just be attributed to the fact that you are very brilliant, or that you are a very studious
student. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not
(Lamentations 3:22). Now, this is the God factor.
THE MATERIAL ASPECT OF OUR LIVES: The fact that your employer pays you on time or gives you
bonuses from time to time should not be seen as a holistic outcome of your diligence and commitment, but
because God touched his heart and granted you favour in his sight (Proverbs 21:1).
THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF OUR LIFE: The fact that you can stay peacefully with your college
roommates without them being a hindrance to your spiritual life, i.e. you being free to read your Bible any
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time of the day you want without them purposely trying to disturb; go to church, and even return late some
times and still have someone (though tired and sleepy) coming to open the door for you without harassing
you —this is not because your relationship with God is very strong, it is rather a bestowment of God’s
mercies upon you. There are those out there who are also on fire for God but are suffering persecution in
the hands of their roommates (yet in this they see the hands of God working in their circumstances for
their good.
When Daniel was captured, it was part of God’s plan. When he was led away to a foreign land and cast into
prison, God was in it. When he stood before the King to interpret dreams and visions, God was there too.
Just because you might face some strong adversity doesn’t mean that God isn’t in it and that you aren’t in
the centre of his will.
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