3 Actions For A Hopeless Situation
Welcome to the podcast which gives practical advice for daily Christian living. Ignited Peace is a Yahweh Inspired Living podcast station because we are on fire for God. Sometimes we can find ourselves in situations that seem absolutely hopeless. These are times when we know that the only reason that the situation can ever get better is because God intervenes with his grace and mercy. Occasionally, these situations are not even a result of our own actions. This is a timely word especially during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people have lost their jobs and other people are being evicted from their homes. It is wise to have an emergency fund saved for emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is not always practical for various reasons. Some of the various reasons include, low income and other life crises which take priority over creating an emergency fund. How does someone cope with such negative circumstances? Especially, when you have absolutely no other solution to your problems?
I have been in this situation before beloved, but with God no situation is entirely hopeless beloved. You are not alone beloved. In the book of Daniel, there were three children of Israel who were possibly going to be put to death because King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream. He did not want to share his dream with anyone, but he decreed that he wanted his dream to be interpreted. This is most likely the worst part of the text for everyone. As a follower of the God of heaven, our hope is in the eternal resting place of our soul which is heaven. Therefore, death is not a big issue for followers of the God of Heaven, but no one really desires to die an untimely or excruciatingly painful death. However, God’s will is God’s will. Fortunately, for Daniel and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah is not God’s will for them to die at that time. How can these three men interpret a dream for the king, if the King did not share the dream with the men? This was a dilemma even for the King’s magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. These people knew that only the one true and living God, who was not a man, would ever be able to interpret the King’s dream to anyone because the King refused to share his dream. Unfortunately, many times the children of God are dragged into situations that do not have anything to do with them, and Daniel and the other wise men were sought to be slain too due to the King’s decree. In Daniel 2:13 the bible states,
“And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.”
This scripture demonstrates the fact that the they whom were the King’s magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans were not able to interpret the King’s dream, and they were going to be put to death in addition they were going to have everyone else be put to death due to their incompetence. This is usually the situation in many scenarios which when one suffers, these type people desire everyone to suffer with them. I am glad that we serve a God who does not forsake the righteous. God gave Daniel the wisdom to complete the following three actions that anyone in a hopeless situation should follow:
- Have enough faith to ask for time.
- Thank God in prayer for time and mercy.
- Thank God for resolving the problem.
In Daniel 1:15–16 the bible states,
“He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? The Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.”
Asking for time was an action of faith by Daniel because the King’s magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans knew that their rituals were powerless. They knew that they could not meet the request of interpreting the King’s dream which he would not share with anyone. Daniel knew that God would interpret the King’s dream to show his might because we serve a God that is glorified in our weakness. The God of Heaven is indeed a God that is not of flesh, and this situation would certainly demonstrate his divine nature to the King. Therefore, Daniel exercised enough faith to ask for time. God allowed the King to grant Daniel and the other wise men who are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah time. In your situation today, have you allowed God to be magnified in your problem? Have you humbled yourself and asked for time? This is a great act of faith because Daniel had enough faith in the God of heaven to know that God would indeed bring hope to this hopeless situation in time. Sometimes situations cannot be resolved immediately, and that is fine. Ask and you will receive. Simply, complete the first action of faith and request time. The best part is that God allowed the King’s captain, who was Arioch, to have enough faith in the God of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to give them time to interpret the dream. Wow, can you imagine the power that people who do not believe in God witness when people who do believe in God exercise their faith in hopeless situations? Our faith is indeed an act of ministry. Especially, when we have faith in God during hopeless situations.
The second action Daniel demonstrated to us was to allow God to intervene on his behalf in this situation was to pray to God for time and mercy. A major significant action that was demonstrated in this step too was that Daniel and the other wise men engaged in corporate prayer. They prayed together to God for time and mercy. Corporate prayer is a powerful action because it allows us to come together and humbles ourselves together before God to request to intervene on our behalf. God is definitely in the midst when two or more are gathered in his name. God gives the righteous the desires of their hearts, so these men desired to live to see another day. Therefore, they desired to interpret the King’s dream and receive God’s mercy and time. In Daniel 1:17–18 the bible states,
“That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”
After they prayed, the King’s dream was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. The God of heaven did not allow himself to be put to shame. He showed his wisdom and divine nature by revealing the secret of the King’s dream to Daniel. He showed everyone that he indeed was a God not made of flesh.
The third and final action that Daniel completed was that he thanked God for resolving his problem. In Daniel 2:23 the bible states,
“I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou has now made known unto us the king’s matter.”
Even if you are not experiencing any problems today, thank God for the fact that you are not in a hopeless situation. Because it could have been you, but God did not allow you to be in a hopeless situation. If your situation seems hopeless today, then at least you are in the situation with God. This message has provided you with three practical applications of God’s word to use in situations which seem hopeless because your situation is never hopeless when the God of heaven is on your side.
To conclude, remember to invite God’s grace and mercy into your situation each and every time by taking the three actions of Daniel which were the following:
- Have enough faith to ask for time,
2. Thank God in prayer for time and mercy, and
3. Thank God for resolving the problem.
Have a blessed and prosperous day beloved !
