LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM [Daniel 5b]

“The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.
“There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.”
Daniel 5:10,11 (NKJV)

• Light and understanding and wisdom were found in Daniel.

Light, understanding, and wisdom are product of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
If a minister is intimate with the Holy Spirit, the eyes of understanding of such would be enlightened, illuminated, and would have the light which will result in wisdom.
Light comes through the understanding of the Word of God, which produces wisdom.
Endeavour to pray the Pauline prayer in Ephesians 5:17-23 regularly for several months and pray in the language of the Holy Spirit extensively every-day, for you to have light, understanding and wisdom of God.

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, MAY GIVE TO YOU THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM,
THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”
Ephesians 1:17,18 (NKJV)

“Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.” ”
Daniel 5:12 (NKJV)

• Some attributes are found in Daniel in the above passage of the Bible which are:

excellent spirit
knowledge
understanding
interpreting dreams
solving riddles
explaining enigmas (untying knots)

• If you study the life of Daniel all these attributes do not just emerge, THEY are the products of what Daniel does regularly.

There are doings of Daniel that produced the godly and goodish attributes mentioned above.
In studying the life of Daniel you will deduce these doings in him:

[1] Discipline: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8).

A leader, minister must be discipline in eating, sleeping and talking. Some ministers eat anything, anywhere and at anytime.
When such see food they throw caution into the wind.
It is not ethical as a minister for you to go about eating in people’s houses.
There are food that defiles, you should stay away from such.
BE disciplined in eating, talking, and sleeping.

[2] Holiness
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” (Daniel 1:8 NKJV).

Daniel purposed, determined in his heart not to defile or pollute himself.
Sin makes one stinks and it makes one sinks.
There are many things that can defile a believer: sexual immorality can defile you, Sin of lying, stealing, carousing, and other easily besetting Sins.
Without holiness no one WILL see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Holiness is one of the doings in Daniel’s life that produced godly attributes that made him excel.

[3] Prayer

“Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
THAT THEY MIGHT SEEK MERCIES FROM THE GOD OF HEAVEN CONCERNING THIS SECRET, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”
Daniel 2:17-19 (NKJV)
READ: Daniel 6:10,11; 9:3,4

One of the secrets and strengths of Daniel among his doings is prayer.
Through prayers God reveals things that are hidden to him, even things not known by any other person.
Any leader, minister who fails in prayer would eventually fail in the ministry work.
There must be a special tie between the Sender [God] and the sent one [Minister] for best results in the ministry: “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30).

[4] Reverence for God—Fear of God
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, AND PRAYED AND GAVE THANKS BEFORE HIS GOD, AS WAS HIS CUSTOM SINCE EARLY DAYS."
Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)

Daniel prayed as was his CUSTOM, even when king had signed the decree that no one should pray—make request from any god or man (Daniel 6:7).
Nothing should separate us from the love of Christ: “WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? Shall TRIBULATION, or distress, OR PERSECUTION, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, OR SWORD?” (Romans 8:35).

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
IF WE ENDURE, WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”
2 Timothy 2:11,12 (NKJV)

Do not shirk in your faith work.
Do not cow because of challenges and threats.
Fear of God, reverence to God is one of Daniel’s doings that produces godly attributes in him.
Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

[5] Consistency
“… he (Daniel) knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)

Consistency is one of Daniel’s doings that produced the good attributes.
A minister should be consistent in prayer, Study of the Word of God, teaching and training the people under his or her leadership, and the work of Ministry (Acts 6:2,4).

“TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENTION TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE.
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. CONTINUE IN THEM, for in doing this you will SAVE BOTH YOURSELF and THOSE who hear you”
1 Timothy 4:13,16 (NKJV)

[6] Delight in study
“In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the Word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:2 (NKJV)

Studying will approve you in your ministerial assignment: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV).

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

“A wise man is strong, Yes, A MAN OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASES STRENGTH;” Proverbs 24:5(NKJV)

Your level of understanding and revelation determine your depth in God.
Studying of the Word and prayer deepened your relationship with God.
God approves His minsters by giving such Revelations in the knowledge of Himself.
If you do not have Revelations of God, it means your knowledge of Him is shallow.
Pay attention to studying and prayer, mainly praying in the language of the Holy Spirit.

[7] Fasting
“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, WITH FASTING, sackcloth, and ashes.”
Daniel 9:3 (NKJV)

“In those days I, Daniel, WAS MOURNING THREE FULL WEEKS.
I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”
Daniel 10:2,3 (NKJV)

Somebody said you can be a successful professional without FASTINGS, however, you cannot be a successful minister without FASTING, and OFTEN.
Fasting is one of the doings of Daniel that produced good attributes in him.
Fasting will humble your flesh, subdue your body, and cause your spirit to ascend—your spirit be more sensitive.
As a leader and minister, fasting once or twice a week will not harm you.
Your system or body will adjust to whatever you have trained it with; IF you trained your stomach with food by eating four times a day, it will adjust to it, AND if you trained it with eating once a day, it will equally adjust to it.
Fasting will not kill you, it will edify you spiritually and keep You fit physically.

• Excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles and explaining enigma’s, that is, untying knots (Daniel 5:12) were found in Daniel because of the godly principles he was practicing.

Good fruit and attributes are by-products of what we do daily in our lives.
Good spiritual exercises produce good results, Godly attributes in one’s life: "FOR BODILY EXERCISE PROFITS A LITTLE, BUT GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE FOR ALL THINGS, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!