The core inquiry of this discourse revolves around the pivotal question: "What lesser things do you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?" This episode delves into the necessity of creating space within our lives, thereby allowing divine intervention to manifest. We explore the narrative within Daniel chapter 10, reflecting on the significance of relinquishing certain non-sinful pursuits to facilitate a deeper spiritual engagement. The dialogue further challenges us to consider our motivations—are we seeking affirmation from others or resting in the unconditional affirmation bestowed upon us by God as His cherished children? Ultimately, we are prompted to reassess our priorities and identify what we may need to forgo in the pursuit of spiritual enrichment.
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The core inquiry of this discourse revolves around the pivotal question: "What lesser things do you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?" This episode delves into the necessity of creating space within our lives, thereby allowing divine intervention to manifest. We explore the narrative within Daniel chapter 10, reflecting on the significance of relinquishing certain non-sinful pursuits to facilitate a deeper spiritual engagement. The dialogue further challenges us to consider our motivations—are we seeking affirmation from others or resting in the unconditional affirmation bestowed upon us by God as His cherished children? Ultimately, we are prompted to reassess our priorities and identify what we may need to forgo in the pursuit of spiritual enrichment.
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SHOW NOTES:
What lesser things might you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?
In this episode of The Prodigal Journey, Ben reflects on Daniel 10 and a challenge from a recent message at his church: sometimes creating space for God to work means being willing to let go of things that aren’t necessarily sinful or wrong, but may be lesser priorities in a particular season.
Daniel’s decision to go without certain foods for three weeks raises an important question for us: Is there something in our lives that we need to set aside for a season so that we can make more room for God? That might mean changing our schedules, saying no to certain opportunities, or even surrendering an attitude or posture of the heart.
Ben also explores another powerful theme from Daniel 10: God’s affirmation. Daniel is reminded that he is precious to God, told not to be afraid, and encouraged to be strong. That leads to a deeper question: Are we doing things to receive affirmation from other people, or are we living from the affirmation God has already given us as His children?
Rather than allowing other people’s responses to determine our value, what would change if God’s affirmation became the foundation from which we serve, grow, and live?
This short devotional offers a practical challenge to examine what we’re pursuing, where we’re finding our value, and what may need to change so that we can create more space for God to work in our lives.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Making space for God may require giving up something that isn’t necessarily sinful, but is lesser or less important in a particular season.
- Creating space for God can involve our schedules, commitments, priorities, attitudes, or the posture of our hearts.
- Saying no can be necessary when our desire to serve causes us to overcommit.
- God’s work in our lives isn’t necessarily about receiving something material; it can involve receiving something deeper and more spiritual from Him.
- Daniel was reminded that he was precious to God, encouraging us to consider where we are finding our own value.
- Seeking affirmation from other people can cause us to base our worth on how others respond to us.
- God’s affirmation of us as His children can become the foundation from which we serve rather than something we seek as a reward for serving.
- Affirmation should be the beginning of our work, not the end.
- Spiritual growth involves examining both our behavior and our thinking to see whether they reflect our identity in God.
- One important question to consider is what needs to change so that we can find our value in God’s affirmation rather than the approval of others.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 — What Do You Need to Give Up for Something Greater?
01:22 — Creating Space for God to Work
05:19 — Finding Your Value in God’s Affirmation
06:40 — Questions for Reflection
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Intro/Outro music used with permission under a standard music license, purchased from @WavebeatsMusic. License certificate on file.
CREDITS:
Track Title: 'Motivational Power'
Music by WavebeatsMusic
Promo Video: https://youtu.be/5hTaTrJowJk
TRACK INFO:
WBM T73: 'Motivational Power"
Artist: WavebeatsMusic
Composer: Henrique Tavares Dib
PRO: APRA/AMCOS, IPI:00611600895
Publisher: Songtrust ST Music ANZ PTY LTD, IPI: 825751036
Speaker A
What lesser things do you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?
Speaker A
We need to be creating space in our lives for God to do his work.
Speaker A
Welcome to the Prodigal Journey, where we celebrate Christ's power through our weakness.
Speaker A
And thank you for joining us on this episode.
Speaker A
Before we dive into this episode, I just wanted to give you a reminder that we have started posting some links in our show notes for a bunch of different episodes.
Speaker A
The more recent ones, most of those are Amazon links and those are affiliate links.
Speaker A
So if you like the books and you would like to purchase those, all that money that comes from purchasing anything that we recommend through Amazon goes back into the podcast.
Speaker A
So I just want to let you know about that, that it does help go into creating more content for you guys.
Speaker A
So we'd appreciate any help through those links.
Speaker A
All right, on this episode, I want to talk about some things from Daniel chapter 10.
Speaker A
We are currently going through Daniel at our church.
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So this is a shorter episode about some things that stood out to me in this teaching.
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I'll do this type of episode from time to time, just on some things from maybe a recent message or I've heard on Scripture that God is revealing, using to reveal more of himself to me.
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So the first verse I want to read in Daniel is Daniel 10, verse 3.
Speaker A
And it says, at that time I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine, crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.
Speaker A
The question I want to ask you from this verse, and one thing that was challenged to us during the message a couple weeks ago from this passage was, what lesser things do you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?
Speaker A
Let me ask that again.
Speaker A
What lesser things do you need to give up in order to receive something greater from God?
Speaker A
Now, the things that Daniel gives up in this passage are not things that are sinful in themselves, or there's no indication that those things had taken a place of idolatry in his life.
Speaker A
He just chooses to give up some lesser things in his life to receive something greater from God.
Speaker A
Now, this for me is very hard.
Speaker A
My wife and I were talking about this the other day, and the things that we are involved in currently are all church things.
Speaker A
But we are only, you know, serving in two main things.
Speaker A
And we're not involved more than really two nights a week.
Speaker A
So we're not really overextending ourselves.
Speaker A
So for me, I have a hard time figuring out what it is that I need to give up or forgo in order to receive something greater from God.
Speaker A
And maybe it's not something that I'm doing that I need to give up.
Speaker A
It could be an attitude or a posture of my heart that I need to give up in order to receive something greater.
Speaker A
That is also something I could pray about because I have been learning to say no more often to opportunities to serve just to make sure I'm not over committing to things because I do have a hard time telling people no, because I do want to serve in any way I can.
Speaker A
But that can become unhealthy if you're not careful.
Speaker A
So I have been praying about what it would look like for me to give up something lesser in order to receive something greater from God.
Speaker A
Now this doesn't necessarily necessarily mean receiving something physical from God, as in he will give us something material.
Speaker A
It could be focusing more on receiving something spiritual from God.
Speaker A
And we need to be creating space in our lives for God to do his work.
Speaker A
So the question again, is there something you can identify in your life that you need to give up for a season in order to make space for God to work?
Speaker A
Couple other verses I want to look at first verses 10 and 11 say, just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.
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And the man said to me, daniel, you are very precious to God.
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So listen carefully to what I have to say to you.
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Stand up, for I have been sent to you.
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When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.
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And then verse 19 says, don't be afraid.
Speaker A
He said, for you are very precious to God.
Speaker A
Peace be encouraged, be strong.
Speaker A
And he spoke these words to me.
Speaker A
As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, please speak to me my Lord, for you have strengthened me.
Speaker A
Now here Daniel is told several times, you are very precious to God.
Speaker A
So listen carefully.
Speaker A
He is told, don't be afraid, for you are precious to God.
Speaker A
Peace, be encouraged, be strong.
Speaker A
So my question to us today is, are you doing things to receive affirmation from others?
Speaker A
Or are you doing things because you are resting in the affirmation that God has given you as his child?
Speaker A
Sometimes our motivation for doing things or serving in certain ways can be in order to receive affirmation from other people.
Speaker A
Because we all want to know that we are doing a good job.
Speaker A
And many times we place our value in how others respond to us.
Speaker A
But what if we started using the affirmation that God gives us as his children in order to motivate us on to do greater things for the kingdom what if we find our value from God's affirmation as his children?
Speaker A
That's something to think about.
Speaker A
And one thing that was challenged in the message.
Speaker A
The speaker said affirmation should be the beginning of our work, not the end.
Speaker A
Affirmation should give us the motivation and the strength we need to move forward.
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So just a couple questions to close out this challenge from these verses.
Speaker A
In what ways are you seeking affirmation from others to find your value?
Speaker A
And the other question what needs to change in your thinking and behavior to show that you are finding your value in God's affirmation of you as his child?
Speaker A
Now, if you missed those questions or didn't get a chance to write them down, you can go back and listen to those questions.
Speaker A
We will also include those in the show notes as well for you to be able to see them visually.
Speaker A
So I would love to hear from you.
Speaker A
I would love to hear how would you answer some of these questions or how has this episode or these verses been helpful for you?
Speaker A
Correct?
Speaker A
Go ahead and send me an email.
Speaker A
Bentheprodigaljourney.com that's Benheprodigaljourney.Com thanks for tuning in to the Prodigal Journey where we celebrate Christ's power through our weakness.
Speaker A
This podcast is available on all major platforms, so be sure you go and subscribe or leave us a review.
Speaker A
Also, if you'd like to reach out, you can reach me ben@theprodigaljourney.com that's Ben@theprodigaljourney dot com Tune in next time to the Prodigal Journey.
Speaker A
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