Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
Daniel is one of the most recognized people in the Bible. Many of you reading this heard as a teenager the challenge of dare to be a Daniel. Without question, he is one of the Bible’s best role models. He had a long life that was marked by him being a man of integrity! When you get to chapter 6 and read the familiar story of Daniel in the lion’s den you read of a man of impeccable character. When enemies sought to find “dirt” on him, their conclusion was “they could find no ground for complaint or any fault because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” (Daniel 6:4). He was a man of integrity.
When examining his exceptional life, one might and should ask what his “secret” was living such a life of integrity. I think the secret is found in our verse, Daniel 1:8. In Daniel 1:8, we have Daniel making a decision based on Biblical conviction. Daniel had purposed (KJV, NKJV), determined (HCSB, NLT), made up his mind (NASB), and resolved in his heart (ESV, NIV) to not do anything that would defile himself before God.
The character we see throughout his life was chiseled by his convictions!
It is from this verse that we get one of the most important spiritual principles for being a person of integrity. The principle is temptations must be met with convictions!
What exactly does that mean? It means our decisions that must be made in a moment are made based on the decisions we have made before the decision has to be made!
An example of this is Joseph. Joseph had decided that he would not participate in immorality long before he faced a sexual temptation and when tempted by Potiphar’s wife he said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Jesus made decisions to resist the temptations presented to Him by the Devil by quoting back SCRIPTURES as reasons for resisting. Daniel’s decision to not defile himself was made a long time before he faced the decision of doing something that would defile him and that led to him not participating in doing something that would defile himself.
What are your convictions for doing what is right and avoiding doing what is wrong? What has been decided that when you need to decide you can say that decision has already been made?
Are there some convictions that you need to decide?
I have found Psalm 15 and Psalm 101 helpful for establishing convictions. I will let you read Psalm 15 on your own but notice Psalm 101 and pay close attention to the “I will” statements.
Psalm 101:1 A Psalm of David. I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. (ESV – “I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;”) 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure. 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. 8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.
From Psalm 101, we see David making decisions that when it comes time to make the decision, the decision has already been made.
As a discipler, I have had students write out their own Daniel 1:8 and Psalm 101. it might be something you want to do.
More than writing out resolutions I challenge you to write out convictions! And then when temptation(s) comes you meet that temptation with a biblical conviction!
Continue Strong with established convictions so temptations will be met with convictions!
And remember to DATE the Word