Daniel 11:32b KJV

…But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits

There is a saying that knowledge is power. It is also further stated by a wise man that “correct application of knowledge is wisdom”. Whichever way we look at it, the very first step to getting power or becoming wiser is to gain knowledge.

The Lord says in Isaiah 5:13, “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst”. Also, in the book of Matthew 16:5–11, Jesus was taken aback by the disciples because they were not catching up as expected concerning understanding him.

The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.“ The knowledge of God is a project on its own. The greatest investment on earth is the one invested in knowing God. The reason is that when you know God and He knows you, you will have direct access to deep secrets.

There is nothing of relevance in life that doesn’t have a secret as to how to achieve it, and your investment in knowing God will open you up to revelations that will give you better ideas on what to study to stay on top of your game.

Nobody is born with knowledge; you have to acquire it. There are many professors today who are good Christians but don’t know much about the Bible. They have read hundreds of books and written a number of theses, but they haven’t read the Bible from cover to cover or have a good understanding of the scriptures.

Let us step up from being ordinary Christians into becoming real Christians that understand the scriptures and know the God of the Bible. Your exploits are directly proportional to how much of God you know, and if you want to maximize your experience as a child of God, you must seek God and develop great passion towards knowing Him intimately.

You must make your experience of God a daily affair, and Satan will always be under your feet.

It is when you know God (which will come at a cost: determination, discipline, taking necessary actions, studying the Bible, etc.) that you can do exploits.

How can we know God?

Just as everyone called an engineer today did not become an engineer through wishful thinking, you must also pay the price by studying and meditating on God’s word regularly and also developing a consistent, fervent prayer life. Your prayer must not just be about the things you want but also about knowing the mind of God about situations around you and about others.

2 Kings 1:2–4 English Standard Version

2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah went.

Your first point of call anytime you are in a challenging situation defines where your hopes lie. Are you always quick to run to men whenever you have problems? It is true that God will always use men to solve most of our needs, but He is the one who should be allowed to determine who will meet those needs. The Bible says in Psalm 146:3, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help,” and this is the reason why many end up committing suicide when those they put their trust in fail them.

In the above scripture, King Ahaziah sent his servants to inquire from an idol called Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether or not he would recover from his injury. He left the whole nation of Israel for another territory to find “god”, whereas the Almighty God was there in Israel. Why do you think he made that decision? It’s simply not because the God of Israel was powerless, but because he had no relationship with the true God. The reason why many Christians wander about today, seeking help where there’s none (from fake pastors and strange powers), is not because God’s power has no effect but because they have lost their connection with the only wise God, the Almighty God. They have built another altar in their hearts and have thereby embraced and enthroned other idols as gods in their subconscious minds. Read Matthew 19:16–30.

You don’t really have to be aware that you have put your confidence and hope in another god (be it a spirit being, a human being, or a material thing) before you start noticing that God has ceased honoring your prayers and place of worship. God is a jealous God, and He doesn’t want you to have another god besides Him, so once your heart moves away from God and finds solace in a man, material things, or Satan, He will also withdraw from you.

Some “once upon a time” good pastors are now fake pastors because they have abandoned their secret place with God and have now put their trust in other strange powers.

It is time to return to God today by searching your heart to know where your hope lies and whom you pledge your allegiance to (2 Corinthians 13:5). Once you repent and run back to God with a pure heart, He will restore your peace and your relationship with Him, and your life will become more meaningful to you again.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Daniel 9:2 KJV

In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

There are three words that almost all Christians are familiar with, but very few pay attention to them and only a few practice them. These words are Reading, praying, and Thinking. These words sound so simple and easy to pronounce, but it takes determination, discipline, and dedication to get them done.

Daniel just gave us an insight into one of the reasons he stood out in his day and one of the secrets to his wisdom and high level of understanding: He reads a lot.

It was from the books that he understood the number of years for which it had been prophesied that Jerusalem would be in desolation for seventy years. When he discovered that the seventy years were getting closer, he began interceding on behalf of his nation. The reason we sometimes stay too long in unpleasant situations is because we have not yet activated our reading mode.

I have heard it over and over that readers are leaders, and the Bible also confirms that God places a high premium on knowledge. The following verses serve as proof for this:

Joshua 1:8 KJV

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Hosea 4:6 KJV

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Isaiah 5:13 NKJV

Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJVAE

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

What really is the essence of education (whether formal or informal)? I believe it’s to acquire knowledge and gain skills that will set you apart from the crowd. In the same way, there are so many things we will never understand about God if we are not ardent readers and doers of His word.

The book of Daniel 11:32b mentions that those who know God will be strong and do exploits. The first thing knowledge will give you is strength, and that’s why we often say that knowledge is power.

The second thing knowledge will do for you through the power you have received is that you will have the capacity to achieve great things (Daniel 11:32b). Therefore, if we are not reading, we will lack knowledge or have insufficient knowledge, and without good knowledge of a thing, you are far away from doing exploits.

An increase in wisdom is a product of acquired knowledge. How much of the Bible do you know as a Christian? How often do you spend time studying the Bible and other inspirational books?

David the King, in the book of Psalm 1:2, admonishes that the scripture should be studied day and night. He also tells us the level of exploit that we will be exposed to if we do it. Psalm 1:3 says anyone who studies the word of God day and night shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, and whatever he or she does shall prosper.

Psalms 1:3 NKJV

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

In Joshua 1:8, God revealed a secret: Whoever will engage in the study of God’s word day and night shall make his way prosperous and have good success. If we believe that God does not tell lies, then why are we not doing it (studying the word) daily?

Joshua 1:8 NKJV

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Why do we allow distractions to steal from us what has already been written and documented concerning us? When you don’t know what has been written concerning you (about a particular matter), you will not know your rights as a child of God (even though you are born again), and you will lack the capacity to lead others to God’s kingdom because you will not be able to share God’s word correctly. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:12; 2 Timothy 2:15.

Let’s be people driven by knowledge by consciously acquiring it every day. We should not allow a day or a week to pass us by without paying the price of reading edifying books (that can draw us closer to God) and the Bible. I pray that the grace to be able to achieve your goals of engaging God’s word daily will be released to you in Jesus name.

If you gain anything from today’s discussion, kindly share it through the comment section or send a mail to gsany03@gmail.com.

Daniel 8:27 NKJV

And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

In the above scripture, Daniel just recovered from a sickness that came upon him due to how frightened he was after his night vision. The vision was beyond his understanding, and it was somehow scary. However, as soon as he recovered from the sickness, he resumed the king’s business, not considering the fact that he needed more rest.

God is our king, and he has given us life in order to accomplish a purpose. It is very sad, however, that many have abandoned the king’s business for their personal businesses.

The king’s business (God’s business) is anything that God has endowed you with in order to advance kingdom service. Singing praises to God, the composition of spiritual songs, the writing of Christian tracts, the writing of books, intercession, preaching God’s word, evangelism, etc. are some of the king’s businesses. We have abandoned what is crucial to God while we are encumbered with what can only serve our flesh: what can provide us with money, food, and so on. We have forgotten that Jesus did not ask us not to do our own business; he only asked us to seek the kingdom of God first. It means that in whatever we are doing, we must be doing it as if unto God, and it must not in any way be our excuse for not studying our Bible or keeping good fellowship with God.

When you go about your business or go to your offices every day and you find it difficult to study God’s word, to compose that song, to write those tracts, to reach out to sinners through your blogs or podcasts, to stand in the gap for the lost in the place of prayer, etc., you should know that you have abandoned the king’s business.

There is no one who works for the king who does not reap a good reward, especially when the king is your father. There are so many worldly songs that we have changed their lyrics and brought into the church, not because spiritual songs are no longer available to ‘download from heaven, but because the set of people that are qualified (the children of God) to download these songs are too busy with personal business or, in many cases, are being attracted by the same thing the unbeliever is seeking daily.

Let us return to Jesus, cast our cares upon him, believe he is able to supply all our needs according to his riches in glory, serve him fervently, and make use of the talents and gitfs (the business) he has given to us. When we do all these things, we will discover that all the things we have been stressing ourselves to possess will come to us without stress.

Romans 12:11 KJV

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord

Daniel 7:21-22 King James Version (KJV)

I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Daniel 7:26-27 NKJV

‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

Have you heard about the Supreme Court of England before? It is the highest court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases. Also, there’s a court system in heaven where decisions are made concerning the affairs of men.

Adam, the first man, was given dominion over the affairs of the earth, but Satan, through his deceit strategy, took away the dominion mandate from man when Adam and Eve sinned against God, and since then he has been the one controlling the affairs of the world. However, through the Lord Jesus Christ, man was restored to God and has been given power over the devil and his cohorts as long as he remains in God and knows his right as the redeemed.

In today’s Bible references, Daniel had a vision where he saw mysteries that were very difficult to understand. One breathtaking point in that vision is when the horn was making war with the saints and was prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days intervened and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High. It means there was a court sitting in heaven where a decision was reached over the matter.

The Bible refers to Satan as the accuser of brethren in Revelation 12:10, and also in the book of 1 John 2:1, Jesus Christ is referred to as our advocate. In other words, there’s a court in heaven where Satan always takes cases or matters concerning believers in order to gain access to their lives or afflict them if their way is not through before God.

In the book of Luke 22:31, Jesus told Peter that Satan had requested him, but he (Jesus) had prayed for him. It means that Peter had been reported to the court of heaven, and Satan had asked for permission to sift him as wheat, but the Lord Jesus had stood for him. There’s a court watching you, and once a decision is made against you, the execution might come very fast.

Also, there’s a court we should report matters to, and if the case is considered to have been adjourned because the blood of Jesus is still speaking mercy for the persecutor but he or she has refused to repent, continue to ask God to intervene in your matter.

Besides the fact that heaven is watching, Satan is familiar with the court system of heaven and will not hesitate to report you for every little mistake, and that’s why you must not play with the place of personal devotion (your quiet time), so that the Holy Spirit can reveal your life to you and make you repent of any unknown sin and return to God.

It is important for us to take three things into consideration about this court of heaven:

First, your way of life, desires, response to things of God, pursuit, etc., are being watched daily by the heavens, and a court can meet over your case without your permission, and the outcome may either be positive or negative based on its assessment. Therefore, it is important for you to live your life to please God.

Second, since people usually use the court as the last resort to resolve critical issues or conflicts, I think it’s necessary that we consciously take some matters to the court of heaven for justice. In order to get these results, you have to engage the heavens with consecrated prayers and be consistent with them. While your prayer should not just be about taking your troublemaker to the court of heaven, you must also develop the habit of praying always as a means of communication with God. Luke 18:1-8

Thirdly, no matter the corruption and injustice in your country or in the world, you should be rest assured that there is a court of heaven that can dethrone a government and raise another one without calling for resolution. The book of Daniel 5 is a good example.

Knowing that there’s a court of heaven that rules over the affairs of men and whose judgment or decision overrides the final judgment of the apex court of this world (as well as the policy of the most powerful country on earth) should be a comfort to us that he who has said a thing concerning us will surely bring it to pass no matter the situation, if we faint not..

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

The value to be placed on any word spoken or promise made to you is not really about what was said, but who said it? God said, “Forget the formal things; do not dwell on the past.” It means that it is your own responsibility to forget about the past, no matter how challenging it may be. God said He would do a new thing, and you will soon begin to experience it. He will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. You have to believe what God is saying today and act upon every instruction He will give you, and New things will be activated immediately.

In this month of August, God will do a new thing in your life and make all things beautiful again. He will do what men considered impossible and give you a new name in Jesus name. Amen. Happy new month!