For years I was parlaysed by fear. Fear of all sorts of things.
I’d been physically attacked numerous times and just about every home I’d ever lived in had been broken into. These incidents left me wounded. Those wounds were doors, wide open, for fear to come in and make a home in me.
Life too had made me fearful. Certain incidents had left me raw, scared and scarred– frightened to try again – terrified to step out just in case… and I lived within the boundaries that fear built for me. The only problem was I wasn’t really living – I was skating from one fear boundary to another – unable to break loose and soldier on to the awesome life that was rightfully mine.
Enter God.
There are many things I can say here – but the long and short of it is this: I can feel God putting me back together. I’m experiencing those doors created by wounds and disappointment, rejection and failure being sealed utterly shut. Fear is being dispelled completely so that Power, Love and a Sound Mind can take their rightful place in my life.
Fear is a devastating state.
It paralyses and it arrests our dreams, aspirations and potential.
So why would I bring this up on what’s supposed to mainly be a business blog?
When we operate from fear – we fail. When we operate our business from a place of fear we fail in more ways than earnings and returns can show.
What I’d really like to share with you is the story of Daniel. I am completely and utterly overwhelmed by the four young men, who shamelessly feared God, in the book of Daniel.
They are Daniel and his three buddies Hananiah, Mishael, Azriah (or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as most of us would know them).
What made these young men so successful was they refused to bow down to fear.
They knew their God and they decided to operate from Power, Love and a Sound Mind.
Fear’s a crazy thing. Not only does it cripple and limit us, it makes us jealous and stingy. It causes us to do or say crazy things because fear and chaos are a package.
There is a wealth of power and knowledge in the book of Daniel – but I wish to highlight these points:
- When Daniel and his friends are taken to Babylon they are commanded to eat what the king orders for them. Daniel and his friends request a different diet because they do not want to “defile” (pollute) themselves. They believe, without any doubt, that their diet will provide far better results than the king’s diet – and it does.
Lesson: we don’t have to pollute ourselves by compromising what we know is right to be successful. We’ll get better results living by our convictions.
- It’s ordered that that everyone worship an image of the king or be burned in a furnace. Daniel’s buddies refuse choosing rather to be burned than worship anyone other than their God. They pretty much say, “God will save us but if He doesn’t we are STILL willing to be burned because we’re not worshipping anyone else.” Um… God saves them. WHOOHAH!
Lesson: Faith is not always about knowing the outcome. Faith is stepping out in what you know is right and trusting that what you believe to be right and true is worth risking your all. God is faithful and He will reward your guts and unshaken trust in Him.
- Years later yet another order is made: No one is to ask anything from any god or man for thirty days – anyone who does will be fed to the lions. Daniel opens his windows and prays, openly, three times a day as he had done before the order was made. He’s thrown at the lions. Um… God saves him. Notice a pattern here?… J
Lesson: Turn to God. Even when the stakes are high and everyone else is bowing to the pressures of this world – don’t you bow too – OPENLY turn to God.
When you read this part of Daniel’s story you’ll find that the order was a trap set up by people who hated Daniel and sought his demise. You will find such people in your job and/or in your business. Pay them no mind. In the end Daniel is not only saved but his enemies are thrown in the den of lions and it is THEM who end being chowed by the ferocious creatures. Ayi shame… Sorry but… Ha ha!
- Daniel and his buddies, despite operating under a different set of rules (that often got them into potentially fatal situations) received promotion after promotion and were continuously successful. Even when governments changed Daniel’s promotions continued.
Promotion has always, and will always, come from God.
You don’t have to kiss anyone’s behind to move up.
You kiss your God (MWAH!) smack on the lips and send Him all your love and adoration. You have no idea the doors He will open for you.
Never ever ever look to people or to situations or to who you think should be in government (or any other position of power) to raise you up.
As a child of the Most High you are ruled by a completely different Government.
God’s Kingdom and governance are fair. He will always do right by you.
I dare you to operate your career and/or your business God’s way.
When you do things God’s way it doesn’t matter who you encounter and do business with – you WILL find favour. Daniel did. All the time.
Hannah’s Prayer
For everyone who has had the pleasure of encountering this awesome God – my prayer for you is that you would hunger knowledge and live out the gift of righteousness that God has given you.
If you have not encountered this God and find us Christians a weird bunch – or don’t believe – or feel somewhere along the long we Christians wounded you (sorry, please do forgive us) or felt at some point that God had done you wrong – my prayer for you is that you would open your heart to what is possible.
There are no bells or whistles; Encountering this awesome God who I’ve spoken about is quite simple: All you need do is believe in who He says He is and choose to agree with what He says about you.
And that is: He is God, who gave Himself that you would be freed from fear. He gave Himself that you would be free and live an abundant life. And if you can believe that and say, “Ok God I get it – I believe you and I want all that,” then my friend it’s a done deal.
To everyone who has graciously taken the time to read this post: May the God of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azriah, the Holy one of Israel, dispel ALL fear in your life. May you live from a place of Power, Love and a Sound Mind.
May He elevate your career and business to levels you never dreamed possible.
May He open you up to the kind of faith and courage these four incredible men had. It’s already in you. All you gotta do is let it out!
Hannah Viviers is the founder of Hannah Viviers Business Training and the author of mommy24.com.
You’re welcome to leave a comment or email Hannah directly at hannahviviers@yahoo.com