An Excellent Spirit Leads to Greatness
Daniel 6:3 (KJV)
“…Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” – Daniel 6:3 (KJV)
Daniel and his friends were exiled to Babylon as teenagers. While in training, they refused to defile themselves and rejected food from the King’s table (Daniel 1:8-15). This act of physical discipline at such a young age helped them become more spiritually grounded in the foreign land where pagan gods were worshipped, and ungodly customs became laws to be obeyed by all citizens. They were gifted and were ten times better than their colleagues, none was equal to them (Daniel 1:20).
These teenagers dared to be different, thus attracting attention as well as enemies. Their journeys in Babylon from teenagers to adulthood were filled with rough patches and near-death experiences. They ended up in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3) and the lion’s den (Daniel 6:16-23) just because they refused to deny the one true God to serve other gods. However, the good news is God showed up in the fiery furnace to deliver them, and He shut the mouths of the lions, causing Daniel to have a peaceful night’s rest. The nation’s leaders witnessed God’s power in operation on more than one occasion as He delivered Daniel and his friends.
As a teenager, this period in your life may seem challenging as you embark on self-discovery, but always remember God is with you. Daniel and his friends did not turn away from their God despite all the challenges they experienced. Know today that there is purpose in pain, thus the reason you must go through. You will overcome one day at a time once you continue to hold fast to your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The future has great things in store for you, just like Daniel and his friends.
Daniel was justly rewarded and promoted by each King he served under; he eventually became the first of three presidents in the nation because he had an excellent spirit. Teenagers, I urge you to have an excellent spirit like Daniel; greatness is inside of you, waiting to emerge at the appointed time. Be ready, be prepared, and be focused in the midst of all you may be going through.
Read: Proverbs 22:29; Colossians 3:23
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 12:8-17; John 9:1-34; Ruth 1; Ruth 2
