Our posture has a direct effect on our mood, outlook, and self-esteem

A study done in 2014 concluded:
►Adopting an upright seated posture in the face of stress can maintain self-esteem, reduce negative mood, and increase positive mood compared to a slumped posture.

The problem is:
– We are usually unaware of our posture
– Must retrain our body
– Break old habits

We have a spiritual posture problem
– Poor spiritual problem posture
– Effects our faith/trust

Just like it does physically;
– Spiritually posture matters

How do I make the most of an unfamiliar season?

Daniel 6
1 Darius decided to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, 2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel. These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded. 3 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.

New king is setting up a new structure
– Placing Daniel in a high position of authority

The was something about Daniel that set him apart

Daniel 6
4 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. 5 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.”

Don’t be surprised when people come against you when you are following God
– Our reactions should stay the same
– Love over anger

Posture of Righteousness

Unfamiliar season and Self-preservation
– There is a pull to do whatever it takes to protect yourself/get where you want

Righteousness is “Right-Ness”
– In right standing with

 

The question of righteousness is this…
– Does this bring me glory or God glory?
– Does this benefit me or God’s kingdom
– Do my actions bring glory to me or God

Prophet Isaiah described what righteousness looked like
– Daniel would have known this verse…

Isaiah 33
15 The one who lives righteously and speaks rightly, who refuses profit from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears from listening to murderous plots and shuts his eyes against evil schemes— 16 he will dwell on the heights; his refuge will be the rocky fortresses, his food provided, his water assured. 17 Your eyes will see the King in his beauty; you will see a vast land.

Daniel had a posture of Righteousness
– His enemies knew there was something different
– They knew he didn’t play into their schemes

It wasn’t so he looked good, but that his actions pointed to his God

We want to around people like this
– Want them to be our friends
– Our boss
– Our kid’s friends
– Your spouse
– Want to be in business with people like this

Is your posture currently a posture of righteousness?
– Do you run from plots and schemes
– Do you refuse extortion
– Gossip is a form of extortion
– Using what you know to get what you want
– Do you take whatever you want to get what you need

If you do, you are not like Daniel, but those who were against him
– Run from people like them

Questions to ask yourself
– On a daily basis, am I concerned about bringing God glory or me
– Does it bother me when I am not living righteously
– Would those around me say the same as Daniels peers

Enemies of Daniel convinced King Darius to make a new rule
– No one could worship another God except the king for 30 days
– Anyone found doing so would be thrown into a pit of lions

 

Daniel 6
10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs 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.

►Posture of Prayer

Daniel did what his enemies hoped he would do, pray…

Prayer is:
– Praise
– Repentance
– Submission
– Thanksgiving
– More than anything – It’s relational Conversation

Daniel decided that is was more important to pray that to protect his own life
– Didn’t hide what he was doing
– Didn’t do it out of rebellion

When you are facing an unfamiliar situation, Don’t just make prayer a thing, make it the main thing
– Daniel made prayer a main thing
– It prepared him for what was next

Here’s the honest truth for most of us, prayer just isn’t that important
– Can be a bit awkward
– time-consuming
– easy to get distracted

But when we need God, we wonder where he is
– He is waiting to be found

To thrive in an unfamiliar season, you must make prayer the main thing
– Not just a thing

Daniel was thrown into lion pit/den
– A death sentence
– Daniel was special to the king
– King fasted all night
– Ran to open-pit at first light
– Found Daniel alive and well
– Pull him out and made this decree

Daniel 6
25 Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live on the whole earth: “May your prosperity abound. 26 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. 27 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.” 

God may have you in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable spot for this  reason
– So that through you, He may be glorified
– So that those around you can see God in you and through you

When bad things happen, doesn’t mean God isn’t with you
– he was with Daniel every step of the way

This should have even more meaning for us
– Daniel’s life is a signpost pointing to Jesus

Jesus had a posture of righteousness and prayer
– But instead of being spared, he was not

What is your posture
– Posture of Righteousness
– Are you seeking your own glory or God’s?
– Posture of Prayer?
– Do you seek God even with it is inconvenient

A person with postures of righteousness and prayer, God can do much

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