The preparations for success at the top don’t start from when you arrive at the top; rather, even in your lowly position today, you need to start exhibiting the characteristics required to succeed at the top and trust that God sees all and will reward you in due course, according to what you can handle. Matt 25:15. The life of Daniel is full of lessons for success and I hope you find these as a useful guide. Study Daniel 5:10-12; Daniel 6:1-5.
- Daniel was very well educated and skillful in both worldly and Biblical matters. He and his three friends were given knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom, by God, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. King Nebuchadnezzar interviewed them in all matters of wisdom and understanding and found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in all his realm. (Daniel 1)
- Daniel and his friends were vegetarians and non-alcoholics, and they looked better and fatter in flesh than all their peers. (Daniel 1) What they fed on and drank had a direct impact on the quality of their mind and thinking clarity.
- Daniel had a tight knit group of close friends who he asked to pray with him for God’s help. Regarding King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the magicians and astrologers all said: “it is a difficult thing that the king asked and there is no man who can interprete the dream except the gods, whose dwelling is not in the flesh”. Basically, they all saw this as a completely impossible situation/task. After Daniel told the king to give him some time to figure out the dream, he asked his companions to join him in seeking God’s mercy in interpreting the dream. In essence, Daniel recognized the need for friends to join him in praying and seeking God’s face intensely. God answered. (Daniel 2)
NB: This reinforces when Jesus said: Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them – Matt 18:20.
- Daniel had a tight knit group of close friends who he asked to pray with him for God’s help. Regarding King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the magicians and astrologers all said: “it is a difficult thing that the king asked and there is no man who can interprete the dream except the gods, whose dwelling is not in the flesh”. Basically, they all saw this as a completely impossible situation/task. After Daniel told the king to give him some time to figure out the dream, he asked his companions to join him in seeking God’s mercy in interpreting the dream. In essence, Daniel recognized the need for friends to join him in praying and seeking God’s face intensely. God answered. (Daniel 2)
- Daniel reigned throughout the time of King Nebuchadnezzar, being in charge of the magicians and astrologers. In another place it says he was in charge of the whole province of Babylon. When King Nebuchadnezzar promoted him, Daniel petitioned the king to promote his friends also, and they sort of became like “ministers” in Babylon. He could have forgotten about them as he was now a big man, but he didn’t. From the view of his friends, this reflects the importance of having the right, godly friends around you i.e. the power of having the right network. They (his friends) were also rewarded for their faithfulness. (Daniel 2)