OPENING THOUGHT:
When it comes to doing something great for God, many of us are tempted to wait for what we think will be the right time or place. When that never happens, we then conclude that we are not called. Yet, that is simply not true...

Matthew 5:26
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven!”

When Jesus made this declaration during his Sermon on the Mount, he was not telling you to wait to be the light. He was telling you very simply to be the light. The truth is that you and I are called by God to be a light shining brightly and making a difference, no matter the place or time and no matter the circumstances that we find ourselves in at the time. And that includes even those times when life takes us into a wilderness.

In this sermon series, we have seen how Daniel struggled to survive when life took him into a wilderness. He lost almost everything when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem in 605 B.C. But as we have seen these past three weeks, Daniel never lost his faith. His faith not only survived in the wilderness; his faith actually thrived in the wilderness. How did this happen for Daniel, and how can it happen for you? Today, we will find answers in Daniel 4. Daniel did not wait for a better time or place. His faith shined brightly right where he was!

MAIN THOUGHT:
Daniel was still living in Babylon in chapter 4. Remember that he had been kidnapped by a foreign army and kept in Babylon against his will. When God did not provide Daniel with immediate relief, Daniel must have been tempted to pack his bag and try to get away. When you find yourself in a spiritual wilderness, no matter how short or long, you will face this question... Do I move or do I stay?

There is nothing wrong with having your suitcase packed and ready. You need to be ready to move when God says to move. But what if God answers your prayers by telling you to stay... And not simply to stay, but to make a difference while you stay? This is when you need to get your spiritual "shovel" out and do a little digging where you are so that you will be able to make the most of where you are!

TIPS on Staying Well in the Wilderness:
While you are staying...

1. Stay in Good Soil
This means taking time to take care of you in the wilderness. Eating right, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep will be important. Physical nutrition is necessary for you to be a strong, physical vessel. But what about spiritual nutrition?

Going back to Daniel 1 and 2, remember that Daniel stood firm on God's Word, he prayed to God, and he experienced the strength of standing with close fellow believers. All of this helped him to keep his spiritual tank full, even in the wilderness.

You probably don't go very long without food when you get hungry. You stop into the gas station when the fuel light comes on in your car. But are you ignoring the warning signs of spiritual hunger? If there is any hope of your faith shining brightly in the wilderness, you must stay in good soil to keep your spiritual tank full!

2. Stay Open for Opportunities
In wilderness moments, you will often become closed off to ministry opportunities. But if you are staying in good soil and God is pouring into you, then there will be new opportunities to share those blessings with other people. As God is blessing you, be looking for opportunities to share those blessings with others. Let God flow through you!

Others will be able to see God's presence in your life. Take it from King Nebuchadnezzar...

Daniel 4:8-9
“Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream… .” 9I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me.”

Even while in exile, Daniel remained open and willing to minister to others. Only God could interpret the dream of the king, but God had given Daniel the ability to be His hands and feet. The question became whether Daniel would be open and willing to share that ability to help others.

This is one of the ways that you will find confirmation on your decision to stay in the wilderness. You will know that you are in the right place when God is not only blessing you, but you are able to bless others. As you stay, stay open for these opportunities and stay sensitive to the needs around you. God will give you new opportunities to make a difference!

3. Stay Faithful to God
It is really that simple, but also that difficult. For Daniel, being faithful was difficult because the message that God gave him to share was difficult.

Daniel 4:19
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” And Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!”

You can see in this verse that Daniel had genuine compassion for the king and was not comfortable giving the king bad news. When the king had dreamed about the tree being chopped down to the stump, it was up to Daniel to tell the king the hard truth... That he, the king, was that tree! Though Daniel was greatly perplexed for a time, and even terrified, over the thought of sharing this bad news, when it came down to obeying his fear or obeying God, Daniel was faithful to God...

Daniel 4:27
“Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

Daniel's faithfulness, together with the power of God, produced amazing results that were glorifying to God. We see at the end of chapter 4, a foreign king who did not know God becoming a genuine worshiper of the one true God!

Daniel 4:37
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble!”

So, what are you waiting for? Consider what God can do through you, from simply faithful to simply amazing. God loves to work this way, even in the wilderness!

CLOSING REFLECTIONS:
Are you trying to run on empty?
Are you open for new opportunities?
Are you being faithful to God?