4 weeks through Daniel helping students learn to trust God in difficult situations. We’re all navigating the many little empires our world is filled with. It can be difficult to figure out which voice to trust, and even more difficult to stand strong in trusting the voice of God. In this series, we’re surveying some moments from the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they demonstrated trust and commitment to the One True King of the One True Empire.

Video Messages Included

Week 1 (Daniel 1:3-16 NIV)

Intro: Most of us have probably felt the weight of conflicting voices trying to tell us who’s really in charge. Which voice do we listen to? Which empire do we fall in line with?

Truth: When faced with the choice to fall in line with the new foreign king’s empire or God’s, Daniel chose God’s. His refusal to violate Old Covenant dietary restrictions for the king demonstrated who he believed was really in charge. And just as Daniel knew God reigned over everything back then, we can trust that Jesus reigns over everything today.

The Point: Listen to who’s really in charge.

Week 2 (Daniel 2:1-49 NIV)

Intro: Everybody loves to be in control, but control is one of those things that seems pretty difficult to maintain a hold on in this world. Change is bound to happen, but what do we do when change feels more like chaos?

Truth: When Daniel, through God’s power, interpreted the king’s mysterious dream for him, he relayed the message that even the most powerful king in the known world was not really in control. King Nebuchadnezzar, a legendary king by earthly standards, would pail in comparison to King Jesus—who would reign over sin, death, and the world forever.

The Point: Trust who’s always in control.

Week 3 (Daniel 3:1-30 NIV)

Intro: We’ve all seen someone do something wrong before. Sometimes it can be almost humorous to see human beings make bad decisions. But when it’s not funny, and the consequences are real, what should our role be? What should our game plan be when we see an injustice happening right in front of us?

Truth: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three guys who noticed when the entire city began doing the wrong thing. Instead of worshipping the king as instructed, the three young men refused—even at the threat of death. As a result of their willingness to stand up for what was right without any kind of assurance that God WOULD rescue them from death, God’s name was exalted in their city.

The Point: Always stand up for what’s right.

Week 4 (Daniel 6:1-28 NIV)

Intro: We all have people and places we turn to when we need help. But what about when those options fail us? Who can we turn to when the problems of life still aren’t solved?

Truth: Daniel was faced with a big problem when King Darius targeted him with a new law. The king demanded that all citizens pray only to him for 30 days. Since Daniel’s habit was to pray to God from his window three times a day, he was faced with a big problem. But Daniel maintained his daily connection with God, and in turn God rescued Daniel from Darius’s attempted execution via lion’s den. Prayer mattered to Daniel so much because he knew only God could really help him.

The Point: Never stop praying.