the source and strength of the triumphant life 2

7/31/2019 The Source and Strength of the Triumphant Life 2

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-source-and-strength-of-the-triumphant-life-2 1/5

THE SOURCE AND STRENGTH OF THE TRIUMPHANT LIFEDaniel 1:8

DEFINITIONS:SOURCE: Origin, starting point, input,STRENGTH: Power, enablement

TRIUMPHANT: Victorious

Daniel lived a triumphant life in Babylon.

He lived a clean life in an unclean society, a holy life in anunholy society,

a pure life in an impure nation,

a righteous life in an idolatrous environment,

an undefiled life in the midst of moral defilement.

He was like a white lily growing in a dirty surrounding

without any stain on it.

The source of his triumphant life was divine and the strengthof that life was prayer and faith.

The root of his principled life was God’s grace and The sustaining power was his firm decision, importunateprayer life and unwavering faith in God. With his spirit focusedon God’s glory and his heart given to God from which He couldrule and reign without a rival, his firm purpose to remainfaithful to God was absolute. Believers in Babylon must takeheed, watch and pray lest they partake in the sins, and lifestyleof Babylon. The culture of Babylon must not be allowed todefile the conscience of believers.

Daniel had no choice whether to live in Babylon or not; he had been taken captive along with other Jews from Jerusalem in

Judah. BUT HE HAD A CHOICE AS TO WHAT KIND OF LIFE HELIVED. He chose to live a life free from every form of defilement.Defilement was not limited to eating and drinking either in the Old

Testament or in the New Testament but he “ purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.” Unclean meat, food or meatsacrificed to idols, idolatry, witchcraft and sorcery, immorality,transgression and sin, evil of every kind, all defile the man

PART ONE: WARNING AGAINST DEFILEMENT:1. Leviticus 11:44-45_______________________________________________ 2. Lev 18:24,30 ______________________________________________ 3. Lev 19:31; _______________________________________________ 4. Ezek 20:7,18,19,43; _____________________________________________

5. Ezek. 37:23; _______________________________________________

ZEM Christian Education Dept. [email protected] +232-33-400507

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



6. 1 Chronicles 5:1 _______________________________________________ 7. Hebrews 12:16-17, 13:4; _________________________________________ 8. Heb 6:4-6, 10:26-29____________________________________________ 9. Pro 10:27 _______________________________________________ 10. Psalm 106:39-42; _______________________________________________ 11. Mat 15:18-20 _______________________________________________

Daniel knew that defilement would bring God’s judgment and wrath on

him, so he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. LikeDaniel, we too can have God’s grace and spiritual strength to be freefrom all defilement of idolatry, immorality and iniquity.

PART TWO: CONSECRATION AND PURPOSE OF HEARTAGAINST DEFILEMENT

1. Daniel 1:8__________________________________________________

2. Psalm 17:3__________________________________________________

3. Deuteronomy

32:46,47_____________________________________________

4. Joshua 22:5__________________________________________________

5. Psalms119:105,106_________________________________________

______

6. Psalms 119:1-

3__________________________________________________

7. Psalms

141:4__________________________________________________

8. Proverbs 4:23-

27__________________________________________________

9. Luke 9:51

__________________________________________________

10. Colossians

3:1,2__________________________________________________ 11. 2 Timothy 3:10-

14_________________________________________________

12. Acts 11:23. __________________________________________________

“But Daniel purposed in his heart.” Out of the heart are the issuesof life. His heart had been enlightened by the Word of God. A strongconviction had been established in his heart and to him truth was not

relative but absolute. He judged the proposal and provision of the king




by the demand of God, the great King of heaven and earth. Hemeditated much on the Word of God and considered the danger andeternal consequence of defiling himself. Regardless of theconsequences of rejecting Babylon’s lifestyle he purposed in his heartto fear God rather than men - even men of authority and might. Hispurpose was to please God and leave the consequences in His Hands.Fear of man destroys faith in God, faithfulness to God and the veryfoundation of a righteous life. Fear of man weakens the heart,enfeebles convictions and shakes the very foundation of a firmpurpose.

“Daniel purposed in his heart,” not in his head. The heart, not thehead, is the seat of our spiritual life, the spring of life’s principles, thesource of strong affection and man’s actions, the fountain from whichall spiritual and vital actions flow. As the heart is, so our life will be. Ourlives can never rise above the state of our hearts. A conviction thatoriginates from a sanctified heart, a principle that is rooted in apurified heart, a purpose that is implanted in a renewed heart, will leadto a righteous and holy life. Convictions floating like unsettled notions

in the mind, borrowed principles stored in the head, shared by friendsbut not fixed and rooted in the heart do not produce sanctified,triumphant lives. When the heart is quickened and sanctified by God’sgrace, the life of faith and holiness will be a constant reality whereverwe find ourselves - in Jerusalem or in Babylon. A firm, settled purposeof heart is indispensable for a consistently righteous life in Christ.

PART THREE: COMPREHENSION AND PERCEPTION OF HEARTFREE FROM DEFILEMENT

1. Daniel 1:8__________________________________________________

2. Acts 15:22-29__________________________________________________

3. Mark 7:20-23__________________________________________________

4. Hebrews 12:15-

17__________________________________________________

5. James 3:6

__________________________________________________

6. Matthew 15:10,11,18-20_____________________________________________

7. Psalm 119:1-3__________________________________________________

8. James 1:26,27__________________________________________________

9. Hebrews 13:4__________________________________________________

10. Revelation 21:27.

__________________________________________________




In preserving himself holy and acceptable to God while training inBabylonian school and living in the world’s pagan city, Daniel’spurpose of heart was to keep himself pure, free from all defilement.Daniel’s definition and understanding of “things that defile” wasbased on the scriptures he had been taught from childhood. For theIsraelites, unclean animals and birds, meat sacrificed to idols and wine,part of which had been poured as libation to an idol, were all defiledand defiling. These provisions from the king’s table were thus defiledand Daniel’s conscience would not accept such free provisions. So, he“ purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself withthe portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which hedrank.”

“That which defileth man” goes beyond idolatrous food and drink.Daniel knew this and we ought to know it as well, so that we can becleansed and remain free “from all filthiness (defilement) of theflesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God ” ( 2Corinthians 7:1). “To keep himself unspotted from the world” and

“undefiled in the way ” (James 1:27; Psalm 119:1), the believer mustbe free from the “abominable customs” of the world (Leviticus 8:30; 1Peter 4:3,4), from any involvement with “familiar spirits, wizards” (Leviticus 19:31), from “all evil ” and “transgressions” ( Ezekiel20:43; 37:23); we must be watchful over ourselves so that we are not“defiled with our own works” or “our own inventions” (Psalm106:39,40). The teaching of Christ ought to be taken to heart as wepurpose in our hearts not to be defiled.

“ And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth

the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,Thefts,covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come fromwithin, and defile the man” (Mark 7:20-23).

The Son of God can make us free and keep us free from all defilement -from all sin. His power can make you what you ought to be, His Bloodcan cleanse your heart and make you free; His love can fill your souland make you live a victorious and triumphant life.

PART FOUR: CLEAR CONSCIENCE AND PURITY OF HEARTWITHOUT DEFILEMENT

1. Daniel 1:8

__________________________________________________

2. Acts 24:16

__________________________________________________

3. Hebrews

13:18__________________________________________________




4. 1 Peter

3:15,16__________________________________________________

5. 1 Timothy

1:5,19________________________________________________

6. Psalm

24:3,4__________________________________________________

7. Matthew

5:8__________________________________________________

8. Acts 15:9__________________________________________________

9. 2 Timothy

2:21,22_______________________________________________

10. Ephesians 5:25-27.

______________________________________________

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defilehimself ... therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchsthat he might not defile himself.” Daniel’s aim in all things, in allplaces, in all situations and at all times, was to have “a consciencevoid of offence toward God.” His was a noble pattern of life basedon a noble principle of conviction. Whatever the cost or consequence,God’s glory was the focus of his life. His great and noble desire was tobe pure, to be free from every form of defilement, to please the Lord,and no pain, peril or possible persecution could bend his will to

Babylon’s culture or religious practice. His constant aim was to dowhatever God demands and to avoid whatever God forbids. He hadbeen well-taught in the Scripture of truth, his spirit was responsive toGod’s still, small voice, his heart was pure and holy, his motive wasGod-honouring and self-effacing, his conscience was enlightened andsensitive. Not even an appearance of evil would he excuse or allow inhis life. His private life was to be as pure as his public life. Even inBabylon, Daniel refused to allow anything into his mind, his spirit, hisheart, his body, his life, anything which would offend God, anythingcontrary to God’s truth, purity or His pure worship and excellence. Oh,

that we might live such a Christ-honouring life today.

Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone. Dare to have a purpose firm.Dare to make it known. Many mighty men are lost, daring not to stand.Dare to be a Daniel. Have a firm purpose to stand for truth andrighteousness; be faithful in small things as well as in great things.Purpose in your heart to be undefiled and pray for grace to live as Godcommands.


the source and strength of the triumphant life 2

Documents