February 16, 2025 • 11 mins
In this episode, we discuss how standing firm in faith, just like Daniel and his friends, can lead to divine rewards. Babylon tried to erase their identity, but they chose God over compromise. How can we do the same today? Learn how to take your stand in a world that constantly pressures you to conform.
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Episode Transcript
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Greater Guild Announcer (00:03):
Welcome to the Greater Guild Loading
Screen, the podcast where faithmeets geek culture. Pastor
Brandon is your guide fortoday's journey into discovering
timeless truths in a way thatspeaks to geeks, gamers, and
everyone in between. In thisepisode, we dive into the story
of Daniel and
Pastor Brandon Holm (00:19):
his
Greater Guild Announcer: friends, young warriors who (00:19):
undefined
refuse to conform to the worldaround them. When faced with
pressure to blend in, they stoodfirm for God and were rewarded
beyond measure. How can we, inour daily lives, stand out in
faith while surrounded by aculture that challenges our
beliefs? Get ready to explorehow standing strong in faith
(00:40):
isn't just about resistance,it's about influence, wisdom,
and divine purpose. Now let'spress start and jump into
today's message.
Pastor Brandon Holm (00:52):
Welcome, guild members. Gather around as
we embark on an epic quest. Thejourney through time, reach
challenges and into the heart ofunwavering faith. Our campaign
begins in the kingdom ofBabylon. Our four young
warriors, Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azaria are taken
(01:13):
captive.
Stripped of their homeland,their names, and their identity,
they find themselves at acrossroads. Blend in with the
new culture or stand out fortheir true king. In this world,
much like our favorite RPG is weoften face choices that shape
our destiny. Will we conform tothe world's expectations or will
(01:34):
we stand out as faithfulwarriors of our true lord?
Today, we take our first stepsinto the stand series by
exploring what it means to standout in the right way, at the
right time, for the rightreasons.
Now, the setting for adventureagain is Babylon, and is ruled
by the infamous KingNebuchadnezzar. He's a tyrant
(01:57):
who decimated Jerusalem,destroyed the temple, and taken
the best and brightest of theyoung men to serve in his court.
The mission of the enemy isclear though. Complete
indoctrination. We see this inDaniel chapter one verses three
through five.
Then the king commandedAshpenaz, the chief eunuch, to
(02:19):
some of the people of Israel, tobring some of the people of
Israel, both of the royal bloodand of the nobility, Yeasts
without blemish, of goodappearance and skillful in all
wisdom. Endowed with knowledge,understanding learn
understanding learning, andcompetent to stand in the king's
palace, and to teach them theliterature and language of the
(02:41):
Chaldeans. The king assignedthem a daily portion of the food
that the king ate, and of thewine that he drank. They were to
be educated for three years, andat the end of that time, they
were to stand before the king.As you can see, Babylon's
strategy is not merely aboutrelocation.
(03:01):
It was about transformation. Thecaptives were immersed in
Babylonian culture, stripped oftheir former identities, and
rebranded in the image of aforeign kingdom. Their names
which once bore the mark oftheir faith were changed to
honor false gods. Their languageonce used to praise Yahweh was
altered to reflect the ways oftheir captors. Even their
(03:25):
sustenance, their very means ofsurvival, was designed to sever
them from their past and reshapetheir future.
This was not just an exile. Itwas a spiritual battle. The goal
was clear. Conform or be castaside. Babylon sought to erase
their allegiance to the one trueGod and replace it with the
(03:46):
devotion to the empire.
This mirrors our own worldtoday. Right? Where forces seek
to redefine us, dilute ourfaith, and assimilate us into a
culture that is contrary toGod's kingdom. But you know
what? The enemy is cunning.
He does not demand immediatebetrayal. Oh, no. He suggests
(04:07):
gradual compromise. It's just anew name, just a new diet, just
a new way of thinking. ButDaniel and his friends knew that
the smallest compromise wouldlead to a complete loss of
identity.
They resolved not to let Babylondefine them. They would serve in
the empire, but they would notbow to it. They would learn the
(04:31):
language, but they would notforget the word of God. They
would be in Babylon, but theywould not be of Babylon. Now the
question we must ask ourselvesis this.
Are we being shaped by theworld, or are we standing firm
in our faith? The battle is notalways fought with swords and
(04:52):
shields. Sometimes it's foughtin quiet choices in everyday
life. Will we stand out or willwe fade into the crowd? The
enemy sought to change theirnames, erase their paths, and
alter their diet, dedicatingthem to pagan gods.
But Daniel resolved not todefile himself with the king's
(05:14):
food and wine. This was hisfirst stand, And we see this in
Daniel, chapter one verses eightthrough 13. But Daniel resolved
that he would not defile himselfwith the king's food, or with
the wine that he drank.Therefore, he asked the chief of
the eunuchs to allow him not todefile himself. And God gave
(05:35):
Daniel favor and compassion inthe sight of the chief of the
eunuchs.
And the chief of the eunuchssaid to Daniel, I fear my lord,
the king who assigned your foodand your drink. Or why should he
see that you were in worsecondition than the youths who
are of your own age? So youwould endanger my head with the
king. Then then Daniel said tothe steward whom the chief of
(06:00):
the eunuchs had assigned overDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azaria, test your servants forten days. Let us be given
vegetables to eat and water todrink.
And let our appearance and theappearance of the youths who eat
the king's food be observed byyou. Deal with your servants
(06:20):
according to what you see. Nowthis is where we get the idea of
the Daniel fast. We are gonna bedoing that later on, in the
coming, seasons, maybe once ortwice in a season. But for right
now, the reason we're not doingit is because right now, I am
not cleared to do the DanielFast medically, just because I'm
(06:44):
on a major weight loss program.
And we're, you know, I've lost122 pounds, but even my doctor
says it would not be right toseverely alter your diet to what
the Daniel Fast is because itcould be detrimental to the
weight loss program that we'rein right now. Fully understand.
(07:06):
But I will tell you this, theDaniel Fast that we are noticing
here, we will do later on. Now,let's get back to the message
itself, but I want you to noticesomething. Daniel did not fight
back when they changed his namebecause a name is an external
label.
But when it came to hisallegiance to God, that's where
(07:27):
he drew the line. In RPG terms,he refused to accept a cursed
artifact knowing that equippingit would drain his spiritual
strength and bind him to theenemy's power. And this was not
a one time stand. Every meal,every day, Daniel and his
friends made a choice to standout. In the face of opposition,
(07:48):
they displayed wisdom.
They did not rebel recklessly,but presented the diplomatic
solution. Test us for ten days.Give us only vegetables and
water, then compare us to theothers. Daniel and his friends
were tested. And after ten days,they were healthier and stronger
than those who ate the king'sfood.
(08:10):
But beyond physical strength,God gave them wisdom,
understanding, and the abilityto interpret visions and dreams.
And again, going back to Danielchapter one in verses nineteen
and twenty, it says, and theking spoke with them and among
all of them, none was found likeDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
(08:32):
Azariah before they stood beforethe king. And in every matter of
wisdom and understanding aboutwhich the king inquired of them,
he found them 10 times betterthan all the magicians and
enchanters that were in all hiskingdom. Just as in a well
played campaign, standing firmin faith leads to leveling up.
(08:56):
God honors those who choose himover compromise.
When we stand out forrighteousness, God not only
sustains us, but he positions usfor greater influence. Daniel
and his friends were not merelysurviving in Babylon. They were
thriving. Their faithfulness ledthem to places of prominence,
(09:17):
where they could be a light inthe darkness. So as we close
today's session, consider yourown journey.
Are there areas where you areblending in instead of standing
out? Are there choices thatcompromise your allegiance to
the King of Kings? And I wannagive you a challenge. One, pre
(09:38):
decide your values. Resolve nowwhat you will and will not do in
your walk with Christ.
Second, choose wisdom. Standfirm but with grace and strategy
just as Daniel did. Finally,number three, trust God for the
outcome. For when we stand forhim, he stands for us. I'll tell
(10:02):
you, guildmates, the path aheadwill not be easy.
The world will pressure you toto conform, but the call remains
the same. Stand out, stand firm,stand for the kingdom. The vow
was not one in a singleencounter, but in a lifetime of
choices. With God as your guide,you will not only stand, you
(10:25):
will thrive. Now, are you readyto stand out?
Throughout the series, let'sembark on this journey together.
Greater Guild Announcer (10:37):
That's a wrap for today's episode of
the greater guild loadingscreen. Remember, just like
Daniel and his friends, standingout in faith isn't about being
loud. It's about being faithful.It's about choosing God over
compromise, wisdom over fear,and trust over uncertainty. Are
there areas in your life whereyou've been blending in when God
(10:57):
is calling you to stand out?
Take time this week to reflect,resolve, and stand firm. If this
message spoke to you, be sure tosubscribe and share this episode
with someone who needsencouragement. You can also
connect with us online to keepthe conversation going. Until
next time, stay bold, stayfaithful, and as always, stand
(11:17):
out for the kingdom.
Welcome to the Greater Guild Loading
Screen, the podcast where faithmeets geek culture. Pastor
Brandon is your guide fortoday's journey into discovering
timeless truths in a way thatspeaks to geeks, gamers, and
everyone in between. In thisepisode, we dive into the story
of Daniel and
Pastor Brandon Holm (00:19):
his
Greater Guild Announcer: friends, young warriors who (00:19):
undefined
refuse to conform to the worldaround them. When faced with
pressure to blend in, they stoodfirm for God and were rewarded
beyond measure. How can we, inour daily lives, stand out in
faith while surrounded by aculture that challenges our
beliefs? Get ready to explorehow standing strong in faith
(00:40):
isn't just about resistance,it's about influence, wisdom,
and divine purpose. Now let'spress start and jump into
today's message.
Pastor Brandon Holm (00:52):
Welcome, guild members. Gather around as
we embark on an epic quest. Thejourney through time, reach
challenges and into the heart ofunwavering faith. Our campaign
begins in the kingdom ofBabylon. Our four young
warriors, Daniel, Hananiah,Mishael, and Azaria are taken
(01:13):
captive.
Stripped of their homeland,their names, and their identity,
they find themselves at acrossroads. Blend in with the
new culture or stand out fortheir true king. In this world,
much like our favorite RPG is weoften face choices that shape
our destiny. Will we conform tothe world's expectations or will
(01:34):
we stand out as faithfulwarriors of our true lord?
Today, we take our first stepsinto the stand series by
exploring what it means to standout in the right way, at the
right time, for the rightreasons.
Now, the setting for adventureagain is Babylon, and is ruled
by the infamous KingNebuchadnezzar. He's a tyrant
(01:57):
who decimated Jerusalem,destroyed the temple, and taken
the best and brightest of theyoung men to serve in his court.
The mission of the enemy isclear though. Complete
indoctrination. We see this inDaniel chapter one verses three
through five.
Then the king commandedAshpenaz, the chief eunuch, to
(02:19):
some of the people of Israel, tobring some of the people of
Israel, both of the royal bloodand of the nobility, Yeasts
without blemish, of goodappearance and skillful in all
wisdom. Endowed with knowledge,understanding learn
understanding learning, andcompetent to stand in the king's
palace, and to teach them theliterature and language of the
(02:41):
Chaldeans. The king assignedthem a daily portion of the food
that the king ate, and of thewine that he drank. They were to
be educated for three years, andat the end of that time, they
were to stand before the king.As you can see, Babylon's
strategy is not merely aboutrelocation.
(03:01):
It was about transformation. Thecaptives were immersed in
Babylonian culture, stripped oftheir former identities, and
rebranded in the image of aforeign kingdom. Their names
which once bore the mark oftheir faith were changed to
honor false gods. Their languageonce used to praise Yahweh was
altered to reflect the ways oftheir captors. Even their
(03:25):
sustenance, their very means ofsurvival, was designed to sever
them from their past and reshapetheir future.
This was not just an exile. Itwas a spiritual battle. The goal
was clear. Conform or be castaside. Babylon sought to erase
their allegiance to the one trueGod and replace it with the
(03:46):
devotion to the empire.
This mirrors our own worldtoday. Right? Where forces seek
to redefine us, dilute ourfaith, and assimilate us into a
culture that is contrary toGod's kingdom. But you know
what? The enemy is cunning.
He does not demand immediatebetrayal. Oh, no. He suggests
(04:07):
gradual compromise. It's just anew name, just a new diet, just
a new way of thinking. ButDaniel and his friends knew that
the smallest compromise wouldlead to a complete loss of
identity.
They resolved not to let Babylondefine them. They would serve in
the empire, but they would notbow to it. They would learn the
(04:31):
language, but they would notforget the word of God. They
would be in Babylon, but theywould not be of Babylon. Now the
question we must ask ourselvesis this.
Are we being shaped by theworld, or are we standing firm
in our faith? The battle is notalways fought with swords and
(04:52):
shields. Sometimes it's foughtin quiet choices in everyday
life. Will we stand out or willwe fade into the crowd? The
enemy sought to change theirnames, erase their paths, and
alter their diet, dedicatingthem to pagan gods.
But Daniel resolved not todefile himself with the king's
(05:14):
food and wine. This was hisfirst stand, And we see this in
Daniel, chapter one verses eightthrough 13. But Daniel resolved
that he would not defile himselfwith the king's food, or with
the wine that he drank.Therefore, he asked the chief of
the eunuchs to allow him not todefile himself. And God gave
(05:35):
Daniel favor and compassion inthe sight of the chief of the
eunuchs.
And the chief of the eunuchssaid to Daniel, I fear my lord,
the king who assigned your foodand your drink. Or why should he
see that you were in worsecondition than the youths who
are of your own age? So youwould endanger my head with the
king. Then then Daniel said tothe steward whom the chief of
(06:00):
the eunuchs had assigned overDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azaria, test your servants forten days. Let us be given
vegetables to eat and water todrink.
And let our appearance and theappearance of the youths who eat
the king's food be observed byyou. Deal with your servants
(06:20):
according to what you see. Nowthis is where we get the idea of
the Daniel fast. We are gonna bedoing that later on, in the
coming, seasons, maybe once ortwice in a season. But for right
now, the reason we're not doingit is because right now, I am
not cleared to do the DanielFast medically, just because I'm
(06:44):
on a major weight loss program.
And we're, you know, I've lost122 pounds, but even my doctor
says it would not be right toseverely alter your diet to what
the Daniel Fast is because itcould be detrimental to the
weight loss program that we'rein right now. Fully understand.
(07:06):
But I will tell you this, theDaniel Fast that we are noticing
here, we will do later on. Now,let's get back to the message
itself, but I want you to noticesomething. Daniel did not fight
back when they changed his namebecause a name is an external
label.
But when it came to hisallegiance to God, that's where
(07:27):
he drew the line. In RPG terms,he refused to accept a cursed
artifact knowing that equippingit would drain his spiritual
strength and bind him to theenemy's power. And this was not
a one time stand. Every meal,every day, Daniel and his
friends made a choice to standout. In the face of opposition,
(07:48):
they displayed wisdom.
They did not rebel recklessly,but presented the diplomatic
solution. Test us for ten days.Give us only vegetables and
water, then compare us to theothers. Daniel and his friends
were tested. And after ten days,they were healthier and stronger
than those who ate the king'sfood.
(08:10):
But beyond physical strength,God gave them wisdom,
understanding, and the abilityto interpret visions and dreams.
And again, going back to Danielchapter one in verses nineteen
and twenty, it says, and theking spoke with them and among
all of them, none was found likeDaniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
(08:32):
Azariah before they stood beforethe king. And in every matter of
wisdom and understanding aboutwhich the king inquired of them,
he found them 10 times betterthan all the magicians and
enchanters that were in all hiskingdom. Just as in a well
played campaign, standing firmin faith leads to leveling up.
(08:56):
God honors those who choose himover compromise.
When we stand out forrighteousness, God not only
sustains us, but he positions usfor greater influence. Daniel
and his friends were not merelysurviving in Babylon. They were
thriving. Their faithfulness ledthem to places of prominence,
(09:17):
where they could be a light inthe darkness. So as we close
today's session, consider yourown journey.
Are there areas where you areblending in instead of standing
out? Are there choices thatcompromise your allegiance to
the King of Kings? And I wannagive you a challenge. One, pre
(09:38):
decide your values. Resolve nowwhat you will and will not do in
your walk with Christ.
Second, choose wisdom. Standfirm but with grace and strategy
just as Daniel did. Finally,number three, trust God for the
outcome. For when we stand forhim, he stands for us. I'll tell
(10:02):
you, guildmates, the path aheadwill not be easy.
The world will pressure you toto conform, but the call remains
the same. Stand out, stand firm,stand for the kingdom. The vow
was not one in a singleencounter, but in a lifetime of
choices. With God as your guide,you will not only stand, you
(10:25):
will thrive. Now, are you readyto stand out?
Throughout the series, let'sembark on this journey together.
Greater Guild Announcer (10:37):
That's a wrap for today's episode of
the greater guild loadingscreen. Remember, just like
Daniel and his friends, standingout in faith isn't about being
loud. It's about being faithful.It's about choosing God over
compromise, wisdom over fear,and trust over uncertainty. Are
there areas in your life whereyou've been blending in when God
(10:57):
is calling you to stand out?
Take time this week to reflect,resolve, and stand firm. If this
message spoke to you, be sure tosubscribe and share this episode
with someone who needsencouragement. You can also
connect with us online to keepthe conversation going. Until
next time, stay bold, stayfaithful, and as always, stand
(11:17):
out for the kingdom.
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