Episode 63 - The Daniel Series: Resolved Faith In A Pressured World

In this episode, we explore Daniel 1 and the quiet strength behind his choice to refuse the royal menu, using it to examine how conviction, health, and integrity intersect amid modern pressures. We discuss the importance of setting clear standards before temptation arises, viewing God’s guidelines as gifts that protect body and soul, and emphasize leaning on the Holy Spirit and Scripture to stand firm when shortcuts tempt us. Cheryl shares a personal story of choosing resolve over immediate relief, illustrating how obedience brings unexpected peace and protection. This conversation offers practical guidance for seeking God’s voice, setting wise boundaries, and holding to your convictions with courage, encouraging listeners to stand firm in their own challenging choices. If this resonates, subscribe, share, and leave a review to support the community.

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Transcript

Resolve Over Royal Temptation

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Daniel was resolved. He knew the fact that what his God told him to eat and what his God told him to do was what would be best for his life. And he just was resolved that he wasn't going to listen to what this king and its kingdom said. So that's what we have to do. We have to know what we believe, why we believe it, and then be resolved that we're going to stand on it. And no matter who comes to us with this, that, and whatever of the world, it's not going to work.

Listener Note From Sarah

Why Resolve Must Come First

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Well, hey everybody, it's Cheryl, and you're listening to Healing Strongs Around the Word. We're a group of friends that sit around the table and talk about God's Word, and we're so glad to have you joining us. Today we're going to be studying from Daniel chapter 1, verse 5, and Daniel chapter 1, verse 8. Really short reading today. So join us around the word. Daniel chapter 1, verse 5. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years. And after that, they were to enter the king's service. And now Daniel chapter 1, verse 8. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. And he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. You just heard today's passage, but before we continue with the conversation, here's a note from Sarah in California. Sarah wrote us and it says, My healing strong groups have been a lifeline in our fierce, relentless battle for life and health. I confess healing scripture and meditate on it daily when not fatigued. I love that, by the way. I think that's so awesome that Sarah understands the power of Scripture and speaking it out loud, God's spoken word. It has power for your life when you're healing, everyday situations. Speak scripture over yourself. Be in God's word and be encouraged just like Sarah is. And if you'd like to help others find that same kind of lifeline, please visit us at healingstrong.org slash donate. Now let's get back around the word.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

The most important thing to me today in this passage is we got to be resolved as to what we're going to do before the temptation comes. We knew the children of Israel knew what their guidelines were. They're very detailed guidelines on all parts of their health, not just what they were going to eat, but how they do all kinds of things to prevent disease. And because God wanted them to be the strongest and the healthiest. If you're in God's family, you know, you can take advantage of all of his benefits. And a part of that was being in great health because they were following his rules. So Daniel grew up knowing those rules. And when he's presented with all these things from the world, from this worldly kingdom of Babylon, uh, and they were presented to him as rich food, rich wine. It's like the goodies. It's like Charlie and the chocolate factory, every good thing in front of them. But Daniel was resolved. Right. He knew the truth. And he knew the he knew the fact that what his God told him to eat and what his God told him to do was what would be best for his life. And he just was resolved that he wasn't going to listen to what this king and its kingdom said. So that's what we have to do. We have to know what we believe, why we believe it, and then be resolved that we're going to stand on it. And no matter who comes to us with this, that, and whatever of the world, it's not going to work.

Practical Boundaries And Integrity

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Oh, and the world is going to try to convince you to do opposite of what you've been resolved to. If you don't have any resolve, you will fall like a house of cards. Just like that. You have to, uh it's just like even with uh remaining pure from a sexual point of view, you've got to know ahead of time that you are, I'm not going to put myself in a situation that's going to allow me to be tempted to do that. If, or if you're a married person and uh you you have that coworker that wants to go out to lunch, no big deal or whatever. You have to be resolved and say, I may look silly to the world, but I have a rule that I won't go out to eat with someone of the opposite sex out of honoring my husband and our relationship. Right. It's resolve. You don't let it get to that point where you're like, oh, it's no big deal. We're just talking about work.

Health Journeys And Standing Firm

SPEAKER_02 4:39

With the cancer journey, picking your protocol. If God gives you this is what you need to do for your health and that gives you peace, then you need to stand on that. There are going to be people in your life, even in your own family, that question. But if God has given you peace about this journey, then you are to stand and do what he's called you to do.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

I also think that it's good to ask God, um, you know, first of all, seek him and what you're to do, but ask him to speak to you specifically, to give you a word so you can stand on that word when those temptations come, because they will come. And it's super hard to stand by yourself without any resolve if if you're doing it on your own power. I can just tell you, you're not going to be able to do it. You have to have God, the Holy Spirit, his power helping you to stand firm, to be resolved in whatever you're dealing with right now.

SPEAKER_00 5:43

If you ask him, he will do it. You you have got to spend time in the word to be able to for him to spark that word in you and make it come alive.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

Right. But he's a good daddy. He loves you to ask. Yeah. Ask. And then start reading, and he will give you it. And he will answer.

Cheryl’s Work Decision Story

Looking Back At God’s Protection

Encouragement And Closing CTA

SPEAKER_01 6:06

It's funny, I um just a personal anecdote. I uh was struggling with a decision I needed to make um concerning my job. And I was really waffling. Like I didn't want to do the hard thing. I just wanted to take the easy route. Like so many other people um that are in the same boat with me, they just seemingly took the easy route. But God himself, one morning, I was uh driving to work and heard a sermon about protecting your future. And it was exactly about it was the story of Jacob and Esau when Esau um wanted a bowl of stew that his brother had made, and he sold his birthright for it to get that bowl of stew because he was hungry and he wanted it now. And I'm like, I wanted what I wanted now, but I wasn't even considering my future or anything. And more importantly, the Lord, it was his kind way of saying, warning, warning, Cheryl. I know what's, I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Uh, he basically knows what is best for me. And he gave me a warning, and I had to be listening. I had to be in his word, I had to be seeking it, or I would have never heard it. Listening to that conversation brings back so many memories for me because we actually recorded the conversation several years ago. And it's true, I was going through the toughest thing I've ever gone through with a job where I had to have resolve, just like Daniel, and make a decision and go against what my employer was telling me I had to do and what most of the employees were were doing as well. And it was concerning a health decision that I did not have any peace about, and uh that I literally got a word from God, do not do it. And I stood by my um my guns and I did not comply. And I'm on the other side of that now. The Lord protected me in all of it from a health perspective and from a job perspective, and that's no longer the case. It was completely rescinded what had happened later on. This is why you have to be in God's word, uh, like I was saying earlier, and get that word and stand on it because you will falter if you don't. And so I'm I'm just uh standing on the other side of that now, several years later, I'm like, wow, look at what God did. God protected me. He was in the fire with me, and he was the fourth man in the fire. You'll hear more about it as we go more into this um study and this uh plan. But just want to encourage you, listener, that whatever is on your mind that that you might be waffling about, that you might be wondering, should I do that or whatever? What is best? Pray about it. Talk to God about it, seek his will for you. And I promise you, he will give you a plan. He will tell you what to do. And then you got to have that resolve and just stand on that word and do it. Be obedient and watch God. Be obedient and watch God. Oh, I love how stories from so long ago still have an impact today because God's word is alive and active and it's sharper than any two-edged sword, that's for sure. Anyway, thank you so much for joining us for Healing Strongs Around the Word. I hope you were encouraged to get into your word and look for that word from the Lord for you, what you need to hear from Him right now. And I also ask that if you like our podcast, that you will click like, subscribe, or tell your friends about us, or even rate us because that helps us go in the search engine so more people will find out about us. And check out our website too, healingstrong.org, where you're gonna find out about our wonderful community groups and our amazing organization. Until next time, remember faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.