Awesome Power comes from choosing a life for God.

Jul 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Windows Open Three Times, Unchanged by Decrees

Daniel’s daily rhythm of prayer wasn’t a reaction to crisis but a lifelong habit. He knelt toward Jerusalem three times daily, windows wide open, even when laws threatened death. His consistency wasn’t defiance but devotion—a life already surrendered. Trouble didn’t create his faith; it revealed it. True faithfulness isn’t situational but woven into the fabric of daily living. [35:21]

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. (Daniel 6:11-12, KJV)

Reflection: What daily spiritual habit anchors you when storms come? How might your routines reveal a faith deeper than circumstances?

Day 2: The Decree Meant Nothing to Kneeling Knees

Laws demanded silence, but Daniel’s posture—knees bent, windows open—spoke louder. His peace wasn’t in avoiding the lion’s den but in trusting the God who walks in it. Compromise whispers safety, but consistency shouts allegiance. When threats loom, the faithful don’t negotiate with fear; they double down on what’s eternal. [54:28]

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, KJV)

Reflection: Where is fear pressuring you to close your “windows”? What would it look like to pray boldly in that area today?

Day 3: Prayer Over Panic in the Lion’s Den

Daniel didn’t pray about the lions; he prayed through the decree. His focus wasn’t on the pit but the presence of God. Panic distracts, but prayer recenters. The lions’ mouths weren’t his concern—the faithfulness of his God was. True peace isn’t the absence of danger but the presence of surrender. [54:59]

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, KJV)

Reflection: What “lion’s den” situation tempts you to panic? How can you shift from calculating risks to claiming God’s peace today?

Day 4: Whose Will Owns Your Windows?

Open windows meant public allegiance. Daniel refused to privatize his faith, even to survive. Surrender isn’t hidden negotiation but visible obedience. Every choice asks: do I belong to human approval or divine authority? Ownership determines outcome—kneeling to God means rising above every threat. [48:42]

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15, KJV)

Reflection: Where have you quietly closed “windows” to avoid scrutiny? What one step could you take to live your faith more visibly this week?

Day 5: From Church Attendance to Being the Church

Daniel didn’t just attend temple rituals; he was God’s temple—a walking sanctuary. Faithfulness isn’t measured in Sunday hours but in surrendered moments. The church isn’t a building but a battalion of Daniels—kneeling in private, standing firm in public, choosing consistency over convenience. [01:24:05]

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2, KJV)

Reflection: Are you a church attendee or a living sanctuary? How does your Monday routine reflect the Sunday truths you proclaim?

Sermon Summary

Daniel chapter six puts a choice right in front of the people of God. Daniel knew the writing was signed, and Daniel still went into his house, opened the windows toward Jerusalem, kneeled down three times a day, prayed, and gave thanks before his God “as he did aforetime.” That little phrase carries the weight of the whole matter. Daniel did not become faithful because trouble showed up. Trouble showed up and found Daniel already faithful.

The presidents and princes looked for fault in Daniel, and the only thing they could find was his worship of God. No corruption. No dishonesty. No neglect. That kind of life shows what happens when God owns a person, not man. The decree tried to force Daniel into a smaller faith, a quieter prayer, a safer religion, but Daniel’s open window said that God was still worthy.

The two paths before Daniel are still plain. One path says, protect yourself, close the window, skip prayer for thirty days, and stay alive. The other path says, protect the relationship with God, open the window wide, pray toward Jerusalem, and let God handle the lions. Daniel chose the second path. The easy way was not the right way, and the safe way was not the surrendered way.

Prayer stands at the center of that choice. Daniel had every reason to panic. The law of the Medes and Persians could not be changed, and a whole crowd had lined up against him. Still, the decree meant nothing when it came to Daniel’s walk with God. The same place of prayer, the same posture of humility, the same God, and the same faith stayed in place.

God never told Daniel ahead of time that the lions would not kill him. Daniel did not walk into the den with a written guarantee. Daniel walked in with trust. Whether God delivered him or received him, Daniel had already made up his mind. The man wearing the crown could not sleep, but the man in the lions’ den had peace because God was with him.

A life for God is more than coming into a building. A life for God is choosing Jesus on a regular, permanent basis, in the good times and the bad times, when the body hurts, when money is low, when family is under attack, when fear is loud, and when the enemy has something planned. God still calls for disciples, not just attendees. The open window still asks the question: who owns this life?

Key Takeaways

1. Faithfulness is chosen before trouble. Daniel did not become faithful because the decree was signed. Trouble only revealed what had already been built in him “as he did aforetime.” A life with God is not emergency religion, but a settled pattern where worship has already become the soul’s normal path. [44:46]
2. Compromise always asks for ownership. Daniel could have closed the window and still prayed quietly, but that would have let the decree shape his obedience. The issue was not volume, visibility, or style, but ownership. Whoever controls obedience begins to act like the owner of the soul. [48:21]
3. Prayer answers panic with surrender. Daniel had every reason to fear, because the law was fixed and the crowd was against him. Yet the decree meant nothing compared to his walk with God. Prayer did not erase the lions, but prayer kept fear from becoming lord. [54:13]
4. Trust does not demand guarantees. God never promised Daniel beforehand that the lions would be quiet. Daniel trusted God without knowing whether deliverance meant rescue from death or faithfulness through death. Real trust lets God decide the outcome while the heart keeps obeying. [62:56]
5. Discipleship is more than attendance. Coming into a building is not the same as choosing Jesus as Lord. A church attendee can be present when convenient, but a disciple belongs to God when life gets hard. The call is to choose a life for God, not just a Sunday habit.

## [80:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:13] - Daniel 6 And The Choice Before Daniel
[35:21] - As He Did Aforetime
[37:02] - Choosing A Life For God
[38:32] - No Fault Found In Daniel
[40:33] - Two Paths Before The Soul
[43:06] - Surrender Before The Lions
[48:21] - Ownership And Compromise
[52:51] - Prayer Instead Of Panic
[54:13] - The Decree Meant Nothing
[62:56] - Trusting God Without Guarantees
[66:13] - Consistent Faith Through Every Battle
[79:46] - The Choice Already Made
[89:15] - Receiving Peace Under Attack
[96:20] - Choosing To Be The Church

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Daniel 6:10
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” [35:21]

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” [01:05:58]

2 Corinthians 6:17
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

Isaiah 54:17
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Observation questions

In Daniel 6:10, what specific things did Daniel do after he knew the decree had been signed, and what does the phrase “as he did aforetime” show about his usual pattern? [44:46]
What kind of fault were Daniel’s enemies unable to find in him, and what was the only area where they thought they could accuse him? [38:32]
What were the two paths set before Daniel when the decree was made? [40:33]
According to Proverbs 3:5-6, what are believers told not to lean on, and what are they told to do instead?

Interpretation questions

Daniel’s faithfulness was already in place before the crisis came. What does that suggest about the kind of spiritual life that can stand firm when pressure suddenly arrives? [37:32]
Daniel could have changed the way he prayed without stopping prayer completely. Why would that still have been a form of compromise, and how does that connect to the question of who owns a person’s life? [48:21]
The decree was real, dangerous, and unchangeable, yet Daniel kept praying. What does it mean to say that the decree “meant nothing” in comparison to his walk with God? [54:13]
God never told Daniel ahead of time how the lions’ den would end. What does Daniel’s choice reveal about trust, especially when obedience comes without a clear guarantee of rescue? [01:02:56]

Application questions

Trouble reveals what has already been built in a person. When pressure rises, what does it usually reveal about prayer, worship, and trust in daily life? What patterns need to be built now instead of later? [44:46]
Compromise often sounds small at first: close the window, stay quiet, skip prayer for a little while. What pressures most often tempt a person to tone down obedience to God right now—fear, relationships, exhaustion, embarrassment, or something else? [50:48]
Prayer keeps fear from becoming lord. When anxiety gets loud, what does it usually push a person to do? What would it look like this week to choose prayer before panic in one real situation? [52:51]
A disciple chooses Jesus in the good times and the bad times. In what area of life is consistency hardest right now—church life, private prayer, Bible reading, purity, trust, or serving others? What keeps that area unsteady? [01:06:52]
Trusting God does not mean having every answer ahead of time. Is there a situation right now where the outcome is unclear, but obedience is clear? What would trusting God with that situation actually look like? [01:06:13]
Coming into a building is not the same as belonging fully to God. What is the difference between attending and truly living as a disciple? Where might that difference be showing up in everyday choices? [01:20:31]
The open window asks, “Who owns this life?” If that question were answered honestly, what would the answer be in the use of time, habits, money, speech, and priorities? Where does surrender need to grow deeper? [48:36]

Sermon Clips

43s

#TrustGodThroughLions

“``Daniel had an opportunity to accept his consequences and start acting like everybody else acts. But he chose to go to the lion's den. One thing I wanna bring to your attention before we pray this morning, god never said he was gonna save him from the lions. God never said whether he was gonna deliver him or receive him into his grace. Many times people think that when they went into the lion's den, they already knew that god was gonna work it out the way that he did. He did not. He just had a trust in god for god to work everything else. God expects us to trust in him.”

49s

#ChooseRelationshipWithGod

“Two paths present itself. One path was protect yourself, close that a window where you're praying, skip prayer altogether, and just stay alive. Lose fellowship with god for thirty days but stay alive. That was path number one. Path number two was protect your relationship with god. Open that window wide and pray toward Jerusalem. maybe your freedom but keep your peace. So Daniel had to think about what I don't really think. And he thought about it too long. He chose the second path. I'm going to walk with god. That's the choice that we need still today.”

44s

#ChooseJesusNotJustChurch

“If you've never accepted God as your Lord and Savior, you need to do that today. Coming to a building is not good enough. I'm glad to see you this morning. I'm thankful to see you. But just walking in those doors is not enough. You need to choose god. If you allow compromise or discouragement or fears to creep into your life, I need today be the day you return back to being a faithful, consistent disciple of Christ. Don't wait till the lions come. Don't wait till things happen in your life. Choose god right now.”

55s

#CircumstancesDontDefineFaith

“Notice here, the decree, I know this may not sound right for some people and then you get you can get mad at me for saying this but if I don't teach god's word, then I'm not his teacher. The decree meant nothing. Let this sink in for just a quick second. The decree meant nothing. Yes, because of the decree, he's going to have people come up against him. And yes, because of the decree, he may end up in the lion's den. But the Bible says, he went to his room. Opened up the window, and he began to lean in closer to god. Begin to pray even that much more. Can you say this morning that life's circumstances mean nothing when it come to your walk with god?”

58s

#ServeGodTillTheEnd

“God never told Daniel. Daniel, when you walk into the lion's den, I'm going to quiet their mouths. I'm not I'm not going let them destroy you. Never said that. Later on, after he went through the situation, and the king could not sleep. The man that was had so much power couldn't sleep at night and the man that was thrown into the lion's den had peace. He slept at night. It was god. It wasn't Daniel's wisdom. It wasn't Daniel's strength but just as he had four times, just worshiping god. The decree meant nothing to him. I'm going to serve god. If this is the last time I'm able to serve god and I get taken home, I'm going to serve him till I die. I'm going to serve him till I die.”

66s

#ServeBeforeAndAfterStorms

“He didn't become faithful because of trouble. Trouble revealed itself and he still kept on serving gods. We get a lot of people. I I don't I don't like to always sometimes share a problem in church with folks but a lot of people want to call me up and ask for prayer when they're having a hard time. When they're sick, when they're in a battle Come on now. And and then when everything is is is just come up against them, I get all kind of requests. I need But as soon as god moves his sovereign hand, I don't hear from them anymore and personally, I think that's wrong because Daniel shown from us a good example. He served god before the problem and he served god after the problem. He he served god and before they got mad and even after that got mad, he was still open up his window and praying almighty god. Brother, that's a life for god right there.”

48s

#PrayOneMoreTime

“It was the devil's plan that you give up by now. But for some reason, you keep on going. It was the devil's plan that the last battle take you out. The last pain took you out. The last situation, the last betrayal, the last bit of status that you had to deal with would take you out. But god, by his presence and his love and mercy, sent you encouragement, sent you protections, and you begin to pray one more time. How many of you felt that? In the midst of your problem, you pray one more prayers. In the midst of your prayer, you know, all your situation, you hear that voice say, it's gonna be alright. No matter what you're going through and you just keep on going. He pro chose prayer over panicking.”

57s

#UnshakableInFaith

“Can you say that this circumstance that will not take me out? I was born in the fire and the smoke won't do. I I I'm going through hard times now. I'm gonna deal with this person. I'll deal with this situation but I will never leave god. How many can say that this morning? I'm I'm having to deal with a problem. I've gotta deal with some situations but my god will always be my comforter, my shelter, my joy, my peace. I will always serve god. I need to resound it. Somebody say amen this morning. You see, it it it shows here the decree meant nothing. And I look at that and that's something that I want to emulate in my life. He had the same place of prayer, the same posture of humility. He worshiped the same god. His faith did not change.”

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New Testament Christian Church - Irving, TX This sermon · AI assistant

What does choosing a life for God mean?

Who owns our allegiance, God or man?

How should prayer replace panic in crises?

Awesome Power comes from choosing a life for God.

Devotional

Day 1: Windows Open Three Times, Unchanged by Decrees

Day 2: The Decree Meant Nothing to Kneeling Knees

Day 3: Prayer Over Panic in the Lion’s Den

Day 4: Whose Will Owns Your Windows?

Day 5: From Church Attendance to Being the Church

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Awesome Power comes from choosing a life for God.

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