What if you had What if you had no church to attend?no church to attend?What if you had no What if you had no pastor to teach you?pastor to teach you?What if you were trained What if you were trained by witchdoctors?by witchdoctors?Would you be a Would you be a true believer?true believer?

How a JewishHow a Jewishslave boyslave boybecamebecamepresidentpresidentin Iraqin IraqDaniel 1:1-2Daniel 1:1-2

Daniel was captured and Daniel was captured and taken to Babylon when he taken to Babylon when he was a boy ten to fifteen was a boy ten to fifteen years of age.years of age.He saw his family killed He saw his family killed and his nation destroyed.and his nation destroyed.He became a eunuch in He became a eunuch in Nebuchadnezzar’s court.Nebuchadnezzar’s court.

The Jews The Jews developed a developed a

PPrisoner risoner OOf f WWar ar mentality.mentality.

They hated Babylon.They hated Babylon.They’d become slaves.They’d become slaves. Jeremiah 29:27-28 Jeremiah 29:27-28

The Wrong Song!The Wrong Song!Mistake #1 – Don’t sit down.Mistake #1 – Don’t sit down.Depression is such a Depression is such a subtle enemy.subtle enemy.It causes you to It causes you to internalize your pain. internalize your pain.It shuts down your emotions.It shuts down your emotions.

Mistake #2 – Don’t stop Mistake #2 – Don’t stop singing praises to God.singing praises to God.It’s a big mistake to hang It’s a big mistake to hang our harps in the willows.our harps in the willows.Praise is one the greatest Praise is one the greatest ways to victory.ways to victory.When we stop praising, When we stop praising, we’ll soon be doubting.we’ll soon be doubting.

Because of their hatred for Because of their hatred for Babylon they missed their Babylon they missed their opportunity to witness.opportunity to witness.They were afraid they They were afraid they would “forget” Jerusalem.would “forget” Jerusalem.But the best way to But the best way to remember Jerusalem remember Jerusalem is through praise.is through praise.

Mistake #3 – Don’t internalize Mistake #3 – Don’t internalize your pain.your pain.Pain makes us angry and Pain makes us angry and we want someone to pay for we want someone to pay for the things which hurt us.the things which hurt us.By focusing on their pain By focusing on their pain the Israelites have become the Israelites have become like their enemies.like their enemies.

The Jews who escaped The Jews who escaped captivity thought they captivity thought they were safe from danger were safe from danger and that the slaves in and that the slaves in Babylon would die.Babylon would die.

The reality was just The reality was just the opposite! the opposite!

The Attitude The Attitude AdjustmentAdjustment

Daniel changed his Daniel changed his attitude toward Babylonattitude toward Babylon. . Daniel came to understand Daniel came to understand that God was God in Babylon.that God was God in Babylon.It’s hard to It’s hard to savesave what we what we want to want to destroydestroy!!

Daniel saw himself as Daniel saw himself as a missionary to Babylon.a missionary to Babylon.He understood it was God He understood it was God who had sent him there.who had sent him there.He believed he was He believed he was responsible to bring the responsible to bring the revelation of Jehovah revelation of Jehovah God to Babylon.God to Babylon.

We can’t win anyone by We can’t win anyone by ignoring them.ignoring them.We can’t warm anyone’s We can’t warm anyone’s heart by turning a cold heart by turning a cold shoulder.shoulder.Jesus refused to pray that Jesus refused to pray that God would take us “out of God would take us “out of the world.” John 17:15the world.” John 17:15