Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On
Learning How to Honor God in Success
(Daniel 4.1-9, LB)
Pastor Jerry Rice September 6, 2020
This is the proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar the king, which he sent to people of every language in every nation of the world:
Greetings! I want you all to know about the strange thing that the Most High God did to me. It was incredible—a mighty miracle! And now I know for sure that his kingdom is everlasting; he reigns forever and ever.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in peace and prosperity, when one night I had a dream that greatly frightened me. I called in all the wise men of Babylon to tell me the meaning of my dream, but when they came—the magicians, astrologers, fortune-tellers, and wizards—and I told them the dream, they couldn’t interpret it. At last Daniel came in—the man I named Belteshazzar after my god—the man in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, and I told him the dream.
“O Belteshazzar, master magician,” I said, “I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery is too great for you to solve. Tell me what my dream means…
Three Lessons Learned
I. Success has been the _____________ of many ______________!
“I tell everyone among you not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think”(Romans 12:3, ESV).
II. Few can _________________ the _________________ of man!
“A hot furnace test silver and gold, but people are tested
by the praise they receive”(Proverbs 27:21, NCV).
III. Before every _______________ there is a ________________!
“The one who manages the little he has been given with faithfulness
and integrity will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more”(Luke 16:10, TPT).
Three Things got Nebuchadnezzar in Trouble
1. He got ________________ & ________________ in his success!
“I Nebuchadnezzar, was living in peace and prosperity…I was taking it easy, without a care in the world”(Daniel 4:4 LB/MB).
2. He did not pay ______________ to the _______________ signs!
“So then, Your Majesty, follow my advice. Stop sinning, do what is right, and be merciful to the poor. Then you will continue to be prosperous”(Daniel 4:27, GNT).
3. He got _______________ and _______________ in his success!
“Twelve months after this dream, I was walking on the flat roof of my royal palace and admiring the beautiful city of Babylon, these things started happening to me. I was saying to myself, ‘Look how great Babylon is! I built it as my capital city to display my power and might, my glory and majesty.’”(Daniel 4:29-30, CEV/GNT).
Three Steps to Nebuchadnezzar’s Recovery
1. HE _______________________ UP!
“At the end of seven years I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned”(Daniel 4:34a, LB).
2. HE _______________________ UP!
“My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High God and honored him who lives forever, whose rule is everlasting, his kingdom evermore”(Daniel 4:34b, LB).
3. HE _______________________ UP!
This is the proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar the king, which he sent to people of every language in every nation of the world:
“Greetings! I want you all to know about the strange thing that the Most High God did to me. It was incredible—a mighty miracle! And now I know for sure that his kingdom is everlasting; he reigns forever and ever”(Daniel 4:1-2, LB).
