Have you ever been humbled by life? You know, knocked down off your high horse and left to sit in your failure feeling incredibly human. It’s a deep seeded fear within most of us, and that fear often holds us hostage. We’re so fearful of failure that we fail to even show up and try. We would rather sit on the sidelines watching others than dare step on the fields ourselves and risk failure.

But deep down, I’ve discovered there’s something I’m even more fearful of than failure. I’m honestly afraid of success. If I succeed, then what will I have to do to manage that success? What would be expected of me? Failing doesn’t come with a whole lot of pressures, but success comes with overwhelming pressure. The higher you climb, the harder that fall is.

But God doesn’t want us to be failures, nor does he want us to be afraid of success. What he desires of his girls is to walk in the success he offers while remaining humble. If you can’t be humble in this, then honey, you can’t keep it.

Do you have something you’ve worked hard for today and now you’re taking credit for it? Did you build that? Did you create that? Did you save that? Did you make that happen? Really, did you? Because if it was all you, I can tell you what’s coming next.

Pie. Your pie is coming next. Humble pie.

This week we’ve been reading in the book of Daniel about King Nebuchadnezzar. He didn’t believe in the one true God. He had his own gods, himself being one of them. He was incredibly proud of himself. So proud, he built that massive golden statue of himself and demanded everyone bow down and worship it when music played. And remember, there were 3 young men who refused to worship his statue, and as a result, they faced the punishment of death in a fiery furnace.

Because of their faith while facing the furnace, then because of the King’s own sight of the fourth man in the fire with them, King Nebuchadnezzar became a believer of the true God. Well hallelujah, this man changed!

Daniel 4:2-3, the King sends a message to all the people and says, “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.”

Isn’t that just fantastic! But, here’s what happens next. Verse 4, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.” Que the music … dom, dom, dommmmmm. That’s a problem. We humans simply do not do well will comfort and prosperity. Have you ever noticed that? Our priorities get all jacked up. We start doing stupid stuff. And God gets put on the back burner.

Is that what has happened to you? God got you through that crisis, and now that life is easier you’ve gotten comfortable. In your comfort you’ve gotten soft. You’ve grown just luke warm. You’re not cold, but you’re certainly not on fire for God anymore. Why? Because honestly, it’s just not required. That’s what comfort and prosperity often do. We become self-sufficient and self-centered.

Dom, dom, dommmmmm. My sister, can’t you hear the music?

Sitting in his comfort and prosperity, the King has a disturbing dream. Daniel was specially gifted by God to interpret dreams. The King calls Daniel in and says, “Now tell me what my dream means.” And well, it wasn’t good news. It was a warning. A warning that the King was going to lose his kingdom, lose his mind, and live in the field with wild animals for 7 years. As Daniel is interpreting this dream he says in verse 27, “King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.”

Then, 12 months pass. 12 months to repent. 12 months with continued prosperity to change. But he didn’t. Verse 29, “Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

Dom, dom, dommmmmmmmm. (Can’t you hear the music?)

Verse 31-34, “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.'”

“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as an eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.”

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.”

Verse 36-37, “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

My friends, this is our warning, just as the King received his. HUMBLE YOURSELF, OR YOU WILL BE HUMBLED. You cannot take an ounce of credit for anything the Almighty God has given you, granted you, or made happen for you. Without him, you would have none of it and you could do none of it.

God will allow it to all fall apart so you come back to him. But here’s the thing, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can heed the warning, check yourself, pray for God to cure you of your pride and humbly submit to God. If you do, instead of punishment, you will receive GRACE.

James 4: 6-7, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

May we always remember everything we have and everything we can do is because of God. Satan fell from glory because he fell in love with his gift instead of falling in love with God.

Is your gift getting in the way? Has your power become a problem? Is your blessing now a block? Has your treasure become your target? Has success become your soul’s search? Is your vanity now the vision of your life, blocking your vision of God?

Dom, dom, dommmmmmm, hear the music girlfriend, this is your warning. Something is out of place.

The King was given 12 months to change, but he didn’t. So he suffered for 7 years to be humbled. I do not wish suffering for you or anyone else. I give suffering zero stars, do not recommend. Whatever God is prompting you to give up, turn from or change, just do it. If you don’t, it’s going to eventually fall apart anyway.

God will resist and come against anything causing pride in your life. But where you humble yourself, he will give grace upon grace! And that’s a different music.

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