AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE

“Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm” (Daniel 6:3 HCSB)

Mediocrity is a plague upon Christianity. Many of us are content with confessing to believe in a God of supernatural power and yet conducting ourselves as to never expect anything beyond the natural realm. We read the miraculous accounts in Scripture and think, “That’s nice,” but have no anticipation that God might demonstrate such events in our day.

As to commitment, we do just good enough to get by. We feel too guilty to do nothing for God, but are too wrapped up in the world to do much. Perhaps we are mostly like the little girl who prayed, “God make me good, but not too good—just good enough not to get a spanking!”

A Biblical term for this is, “lukewarm.” Jesus said that the church at Laodecia was neither cold nor hot. It was nauseating to Him. Think of the incredible price He paid in His crucifixion and the infinite power He displayed in His resurrection—all to shape us into an extraordinary community of believers—like we see in the book of Acts.

The record of the first-century saints was not meant to be the exception, but the rule. The bar was set incredibly high in the standard which Luke documents in his sacred history, but, nevertheless, is the reason we have the Spirit of God indwelling us to empower us to rise above the ordinary and live extraordinarily!

This has always been the case with men and women that God has used for His glory. We might point to Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Deborah, Elijah, or as in our study today, Daniel, as shining examples.

These heroes and heroines were not any different than you and me in the sense of being flesh and blood, subject to the weakness of the flesh and waywardness of the heart. James put it this way, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.” (James 5:17-18) He put his robe on just like we do—one arm at a time!

So, what set them apart? They let God be God in them! It wasn’t that they were exceptional in their power, but by faith they tapped into the power of Almighty God. The Lord didn’t find people of great ability, but of great availability—ordinary men and women through whom He could work in extraordinary ways—all for His glory.

Daniel’s life beckons us to become extraordinary in our usefulness to God’s Kingdom purposes. His life looms large and inspires us.

His was A LIFE EXTRAORDINARY IN ITS INTEGRITY.

“Darius decided to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, and over them three administrators, including Daniel. These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded. Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm. The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption, for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

Then these men said, ‘We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.’

So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, ‘May King Darius live forever. All the administrators of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that for 30 days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions' den. Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.’

So King Darius signed the document." (Dan.6:1-9)

The cream rises to the top. Daniel distinguished himself. He was a man of integrity. He meant what he said and said what he meant. There was no duplicity, no hypocrisy, only purity. His testimony and his activity were in harmony. That is extraordinary, but is the standard God expects for all those who belong to Him.

“But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

God has given us a new nature—the nature of Jesus implanted in us in the person of the Holy Spirit. We people of ordinary flesh and blood have the extraordinary power of God residing within to enable us to live with integrity.

That doesn’t mean everyone will like it. The mirror is avoided by the ugly. The light is shunned by the thief. The policeman is despised by the lawless. Daniel’s extraordinary integrity caused him as a Jew to be elevated to great responsibility beyond others in Persia. Here he was as a foreigner recognized for such an exemplary life and given preference and power—and envy grew in the hearts of his peers into a diabolical desire to destroy him—smash the mirror, extinguish the light, kill the cop.

His was also A LIFE EXTRAORDINARY IN ITS INTIMACY.

“When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.

So they approached the king and asked about his edict: ‘Didn't you sign an edict that for 30 days any man who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions' den?’ The king answered, ‘As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands and is irrevocable.’ Then they replied to the king, ‘Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you, the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.’ As soon as the king heard this, he was very displeased; he set his mind on rescuing Daniel and made every effort until sundown to deliver him.

Then these men went to the king and said to him, ‘You as king know it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.’ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No diversions were brought to him, and he could not sleep.” (Dan.6:10-18)

Daniel did not live to please men, but to please God. His heart was governed by God’s law. Insofar, as the Lord established human government, Daniel was faithful to follow the king’s command. But, if that earthly edict contradicted the eternal command, he would choose to follow God’s law.

The understanding of God’s truth and the strength to follow it was cultivated in Daniel’s intimacy with God. Everyday, three times a day, Daniel withdrew from the presence of men, to enter the presence of God. He was persistent in his prayer life and this brought him favor with God. Sadly, favor with God eventually results in disfavor with man. Intimacy with God births intolerance among sinners.

When the choice is thrust upon Daniel to obey God or man, he doesn’t need to debate it in his heart or discuss it with others—the decision has already been made. He is courageous in his conviction—a righteous man, bold as a lion.

Now, Daniel isn’t obnoxious about it. Forbidden to pray, he doesn’t go and shout a prayer on the street corner in front of the palace. He just does what he has customarily done. He isn’t looking for a confrontation. He doesn’t have a martyr complex. It was an extraordinarily ordinary practice to pray. It was as natural as breathing—prayer was the oxygen of his soul. Kneeling before God enabled him to stand before men. An ordinary person who becomes intimate with God becomes an extraordinary man or woman who reflects the glory to which they have been exposed.


Then, his was further A LIFE EXTRAORDINARY IN ITS INFLUENCE.

“At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions' den.

When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. ‘Daniel, servant of the living God,’ the king said, "has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?"

Then Daniel spoke with the king: ‘May the king live forever.

My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths. They haven't hurt me, for I was found innocent before Him. Also, I have not committed a crime against you my king.’

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, uninjured, for he trusted in his God.

The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions' den-they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live in all the earth: ‘May your prosperity abound.

I issue a decree that in all my royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion has no end.

He rescues and delivers; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.’

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Dan.6:19-28)

The extraordinary influence Daniel had was an influence that extended to heaven! It caused an angel to be dispatched to protect him. I picture the prophet, lying down in that pit with his head pillowed on a lion, other beasts snuggled up to him to keep his old bones warm, and their soft purring singing him a lullaby! Extraordinary!

Some liberal might try to explain this away by saying the lions were not hungry. Tell that to Daniel’s accusers! It didn’t go so well for them.

Influence with God has its roots in intimacy with God and its fruit will be influence with man. This extraordinary influence gripped the heart of Darius and we find a pagan king giving praise to the living God. He calls Him the living God because he has seen Him at work—in Daniel’s purity, prayer and preservation that made the prophet preeminent among his peers. As always, those who are extraordinary saints bring honor to the God who works in an extraordinary manner.

Would you exhibit extraordinary integrity and exude extraordinary influence as Daniel did? Then you must experience extraordinary intimacy with God. It is God who makes the difference, and the degree of difference is in proportion to the depth of the relationship cultivated daily.

“Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.” (William Longstaff)

This is the secret to an extraordinary life!