When You’re Under Attack

There Is a God in Heaven

Scripture References

Primary text

• Daniel 6
• Daniel 6:1
• Daniel 6:10

Other references

• Daniel 2:21
• Psalm 37

Overview

Part two of “Unshakable” centers on Daniel 6 and the lion’s den. Pastor Craig shows how Daniel’s life in Babylon models an unshakable faith: he served with integrity, trusted God consistently, and honored Him faithfully—even when obedience put his life at risk. Because “there is a God in heaven,” believers can stand out in a dark culture and influence others without compromising their convictions.

Context

• Life.Church is celebrating over 2,000 baptisms this week; each story reminds the church that God is still moving.
• The message comes during a tense election week in the U.S., underscoring the need to anchor confidence in God’s sovereignty, not in political outcomes.

Main Points

1. Serve God with Integrity (“Manah” – to excel, stand out)

• Daniel, likely in his 80s, had already served four different kings.
• He “so distinguished himself” among 120 satraps and two other administrators that King Darius planned to promote him.
• Integrity made him a target: jealous leaders searched for grounds to accuse him but found none—no corruption, negligence, or broken word.
• Application: Followers of Jesus should excel at work, keep their word, pay their taxes, and treat people well so that our lives stand out for God’s glory.

Illustration: Pastor Craig used a felt board and finger-puppet lions to retell the childhood story, then corrected the image: Daniel was an elderly statesman, not a young boy.

2. Trust God with Consistency (habit > emergency)

• A royal decree outlawed prayer to any god except Darius for 30 days.
• Daniel neither stopped praying nor hid it; “just as he had always done,” he knelt toward Jerusalem three times a day and gave thanks.
• Consistency matters: what we do daily shapes who we become; sporadic spirituality never produces deep strength.
• First response to crisis is prayer, not panic.

Quote:

“It’s not what we do occasionally that makes the difference; it’s what we do consistently.”

3. Honor God with Faithfulness (regardless of outcome)

• Daniel chose obedience without knowing whether God would save him: “God can rescue me, and I’ll trust Him if He doesn’t.”
• Darius, trapped by his own edict, reluctantly placed Daniel in the lions’ den but hoped aloud that Daniel’s God would deliver him.
• God sent an angel; the lions’ mouths were shut. Daniel emerged unharmed “because he had trusted in his God.”
• The miracle led Darius to issue a decree that everyone in the kingdom should fear Daniel’s God.
• Faithfulness, not prominence, is the goal: one day the commendation we want to hear is, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Illustration: The story foreshadows Jesus—both faced conspiracies, false charges, a sealed cave, and emerged alive by God’s power.

Key Truths

• Integrity makes believers stand out and opens doors for influence.
• Spiritual attack often confirms you are in the will of God, not outside it.
• Consistent spiritual disciplines (Word, prayer, fellowship, worship) prepare you for inevitable crises.
• God controls the course of world events; He “removes kings and sets up other kings” (Daniel 2:21).
• Every Old Testament story points to Jesus, the ultimate deliverer.

Response

• Examine your work and relationships; correct any area where you lack integrity.
• Establish a fixed daily rhythm of Scripture reading and kneeling prayer.
• When pressure mounts, refuse to panic—pray immediately.
• Speak about your faith with kindness rather than condemnation, influencing without compromise.
• Celebrate and publicly declare God’s work in your life (e.g., baptism, testimony).

Closing

Pastor Craig repeated the assurance, “There is a God in heaven,” calling the church to anchor hope in God’s unchanging sovereignty rather than in cultural or political turmoil. He invited anyone facing burdens to trust God afresh and led those far from God to surrender to Jesus, reminding all that God has been faithful for every decade of our lives and will remain faithful forever.

Prayer

Craig prayed that believers would entrust every worry to God, that God’s kingdom would come and His will be done, and that new believers would be filled with the Holy Spirit to live faithfully for Christ.