Bible Text: Daniel 4 | Speaker: Blake Nichols | Series: Daniel | The Pressure of Confrontation
 Daniel 4
         There are two ways that confrontation is handled.  On one side, there are those who confront too much. For them it is all about being right and what is truth.  On the other hand, some people run away from confrontation for the sake of keeping peace and pleasing people.  We need to learn the healthy way to confront: TLC (truth in love confrontation).

How to handle the pressure of confrontation:

Know yourself. Remember that we are God’s handiwork and He has given each of us a certain temperament. Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We also have been through different experiences that God can use to minister to others.  Do we confront blindly or with eyes open to the situation?
Walk in the Spirit. Do not walk in pride?  In Daniel 4:8 it tells us that Daniel finally came in response to the king’s command for wise men to come and interpret his dream.  Daniel did not put himself ahead of the other wise men although he knew the true God and thus able to interpret the dream.
Prayerfully confront. Galatians 6:1-3: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.” These verses tell us to restore gently. Satan twists things and tempts us to confront out of pride and harshly.  We need a spirit of gentleness.
Give it to God. God is in control. As we walk in obedience to Him, He will work things out for His glory.  In Daniel chapter 2, Daniel gains King Nebuchadnezzar’s trust when he interprets the king’s dream.  In Daniel chapter 3, the king learns to trust in the God of Daniel and his three friends.  Daniel chapter 4 occurs about 25-30 years later.  The king is willing to listen to Daniel because of the trust built up through the years.  The other wise men were afraid to tell the king the meaning of the dream but Daniel was not. Daniel 4:24-27: 24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

The goal of confrontation is restoration.  When circumstances call for confrontation, remember to do it with TLC.