January 5th, 2026
by Skott Jensen
by Skott Jensen
The King’s Table
Against the Grain: Finding Strength in Holiness
The start of a new year often brings fresh resolve. We make declarations, set goals, and determine that this time things will be different. Statistics tell us that most New Year's resolutions fail by the second week, but that doesn't mean we should give up on positive change. The question isn't whether we'll face challenges, but how we'll respond when our world turns upside down.
When Everything Changes
Imagine being thirteen years old and watching everything familiar stripped away. Your home city besieged. The sacred vessels from your place of worship carried off to a foreign temple dedicated to strange gods. Then you're marched over 800 miles from everything you've ever known, brought to a land called Babylon, and told you're being re-educated to serve a foreign king.
This was Daniel's reality. He didn't do anything to deserve it. Life simply happened, hard and unrelenting. Yet in the midst of this upheaval, Daniel made choices that would not only preserve his faith but transform an entire kingdom from the inside out.
The book of Daniel isn't just a Sunday school story about a lion-taming, fire-walking hero. It's a raw account of a young person navigating impossible circumstances while refusing to compromise his identity in God.
The Silent Trap
King Nebuchadnezzar had a strategy for controlling the young captives from conquered nations. He offered them the best of everything: royal food, fine wine, and a three-year education program that would prepare them to serve in his court. On the surface, this seemed generous. Who wouldn't want access to the king's table?
But this wasn't about nutrition or kindness. It was about control and indoctrination.
The same silent trap exists in our world today. We're bombarded with messages through our screens, social media, and culture telling us what to think, how to live, what will make us happy. The world offers what appears to be the best, most satisfying options. Yet when we consume what the culture feeds us, we end up spiritually malnourished.
Research shows that certain behaviors, like viewing pornography, can literally rewire our brains in just 21 days. The world's offerings come with hidden costs, creating dependencies that weaken rather than strengthen us.
The kingdom of Babylon even tried to change Daniel's name from "God is my judge" to Belteshazzar, which meant "Bel, protect his life"—invoking one of their pagan gods. They wanted to erase his identity and replace it with one that served their purposes.
But Daniel remained Daniel. He knew who he was and whose he was.
The Power of Resolve
Here's where Daniel's story becomes intensely practical for us: "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank."
That word "resolved" means he laid it on his heart. He pondered it. He preconditioned himself.
We often feel trapped by circumstances, as if we have no choice but to give in to temptation or compromise. But Daniel shows us a different way. Before the moment of testing arrived, he had already made his decision.
This is the power of preconditioning. If you're prone to certain addictions or behaviors that pull you away from God, you don't wait until you're in the moment to decide. You resolve in your heart beforehand. You set up guardrails. You filter your internet. You condition your eyes not to look. You prepare your heart against the love of money.
Daniel's holiness wasn't about perfection; it was rooted in his identity. He knew the difference between holy and profane. He understood that some things leave a residue, even if they appear harmless or beneficial on the surface.
Our vocabulary matters too. If we're constantly speaking sickness, defeat, and limitation over ourselves, we're eating at the world's table. Instead, we can speak healing, victory, and the truth that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
Evidence of God's Working
Daniel proposed a test: Give him and his friends just vegetables and water for ten days, then compare their appearance to those eating the royal food. It was an audacious request that could have cost him everything.
But here's what happened: After ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men eating the king's food.
This wasn't just about diet. God intervened when Daniel sought after Him. When we desire God above all else, He makes a way. He provides wisdom, strength, and favor with the right people at the right time.
By the end of the chapter, we discover that Daniel and his friends weren't just healthier—they were ten times wiser than all the magicians and enchanters in the entire kingdom. Their holiness didn't hold them back; it propelled them forward.
Living Against the Grain Today
What does this ancient story mean for us now?
First, your past doesn't define your future. The world may have given you labels—addict, failure, broken, unworthy. But God gives you a different name, a new identity. Walk in that truth.
Second, when the world offers its shiny things promising joy and fulfillment, remember that following God's ways leads to genuine nourishment. You won't be spiritually malnourished when you feast on His Word instead of the culture's empty calories.
Third, holiness is not optional for those who want to walk closely with God. This doesn't mean perfection—it means a heart that longs after the Lord so much that sin loses its appeal. When we do fail, we repent and receive His cleansing. But our aim is to be set apart, different, holy as He is holy.
Daniel lived in a foreign land but discovered God was with him all along. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was capturing young men for his kingdom's benefit, but God was actually positioning His people to transform that kingdom from within.
The same is true for us. When we resolve to follow God's ways even when everything around us pushes against it, we become agents of transformation. We become sharper, stronger, and wiser than those who conform to the world's patterns.
This year, push away from the world's table. Seek the Lord. Follow His plan. The result won't just be personal victory—it will be kingdom impact that extends far beyond what you can imagine.
If you haven’t started the Daniel Plan, then I encourage you to start and unlock the windows of heaven for a greater intimacy with God.
The start of a new year often brings fresh resolve. We make declarations, set goals, and determine that this time things will be different. Statistics tell us that most New Year's resolutions fail by the second week, but that doesn't mean we should give up on positive change. The question isn't whether we'll face challenges, but how we'll respond when our world turns upside down.
When Everything Changes
Imagine being thirteen years old and watching everything familiar stripped away. Your home city besieged. The sacred vessels from your place of worship carried off to a foreign temple dedicated to strange gods. Then you're marched over 800 miles from everything you've ever known, brought to a land called Babylon, and told you're being re-educated to serve a foreign king.
This was Daniel's reality. He didn't do anything to deserve it. Life simply happened, hard and unrelenting. Yet in the midst of this upheaval, Daniel made choices that would not only preserve his faith but transform an entire kingdom from the inside out.
The book of Daniel isn't just a Sunday school story about a lion-taming, fire-walking hero. It's a raw account of a young person navigating impossible circumstances while refusing to compromise his identity in God.
The Silent Trap
King Nebuchadnezzar had a strategy for controlling the young captives from conquered nations. He offered them the best of everything: royal food, fine wine, and a three-year education program that would prepare them to serve in his court. On the surface, this seemed generous. Who wouldn't want access to the king's table?
But this wasn't about nutrition or kindness. It was about control and indoctrination.
The same silent trap exists in our world today. We're bombarded with messages through our screens, social media, and culture telling us what to think, how to live, what will make us happy. The world offers what appears to be the best, most satisfying options. Yet when we consume what the culture feeds us, we end up spiritually malnourished.
Research shows that certain behaviors, like viewing pornography, can literally rewire our brains in just 21 days. The world's offerings come with hidden costs, creating dependencies that weaken rather than strengthen us.
The kingdom of Babylon even tried to change Daniel's name from "God is my judge" to Belteshazzar, which meant "Bel, protect his life"—invoking one of their pagan gods. They wanted to erase his identity and replace it with one that served their purposes.
But Daniel remained Daniel. He knew who he was and whose he was.
The Power of Resolve
Here's where Daniel's story becomes intensely practical for us: "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank."
That word "resolved" means he laid it on his heart. He pondered it. He preconditioned himself.
We often feel trapped by circumstances, as if we have no choice but to give in to temptation or compromise. But Daniel shows us a different way. Before the moment of testing arrived, he had already made his decision.
This is the power of preconditioning. If you're prone to certain addictions or behaviors that pull you away from God, you don't wait until you're in the moment to decide. You resolve in your heart beforehand. You set up guardrails. You filter your internet. You condition your eyes not to look. You prepare your heart against the love of money.
Daniel's holiness wasn't about perfection; it was rooted in his identity. He knew the difference between holy and profane. He understood that some things leave a residue, even if they appear harmless or beneficial on the surface.
Our vocabulary matters too. If we're constantly speaking sickness, defeat, and limitation over ourselves, we're eating at the world's table. Instead, we can speak healing, victory, and the truth that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
Evidence of God's Working
Daniel proposed a test: Give him and his friends just vegetables and water for ten days, then compare their appearance to those eating the royal food. It was an audacious request that could have cost him everything.
But here's what happened: After ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men eating the king's food.
This wasn't just about diet. God intervened when Daniel sought after Him. When we desire God above all else, He makes a way. He provides wisdom, strength, and favor with the right people at the right time.
By the end of the chapter, we discover that Daniel and his friends weren't just healthier—they were ten times wiser than all the magicians and enchanters in the entire kingdom. Their holiness didn't hold them back; it propelled them forward.
Living Against the Grain Today
What does this ancient story mean for us now?
First, your past doesn't define your future. The world may have given you labels—addict, failure, broken, unworthy. But God gives you a different name, a new identity. Walk in that truth.
Second, when the world offers its shiny things promising joy and fulfillment, remember that following God's ways leads to genuine nourishment. You won't be spiritually malnourished when you feast on His Word instead of the culture's empty calories.
Third, holiness is not optional for those who want to walk closely with God. This doesn't mean perfection—it means a heart that longs after the Lord so much that sin loses its appeal. When we do fail, we repent and receive His cleansing. But our aim is to be set apart, different, holy as He is holy.
Daniel lived in a foreign land but discovered God was with him all along. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was capturing young men for his kingdom's benefit, but God was actually positioning His people to transform that kingdom from within.
The same is true for us. When we resolve to follow God's ways even when everything around us pushes against it, we become agents of transformation. We become sharper, stronger, and wiser than those who conform to the world's patterns.
This year, push away from the world's table. Seek the Lord. Follow His plan. The result won't just be personal victory—it will be kingdom impact that extends far beyond what you can imagine.
If you haven’t started the Daniel Plan, then I encourage you to start and unlock the windows of heaven for a greater intimacy with God.
Further Questions and Study
Scripture References:
1. **Hebrews 12:14** - "For without holiness, no man shall see [the Lord]"
2. **1 John 4:4** - "Greater is he that is in you than he that's in the world"
3. **2 Corinthians 6:17** - "Touch not the unclean things"
4. **Isaiah 1:18** - Reference to being "white as snow" regarding forgiveness
Questions
In what areas of your life have you allowed the world to 'change your name' or define you by past failures rather than by your identity in Christ?
The sermon emphasizes that holiness is not perfection but a heart that longs after God—how does this understanding change your approach to spiritual growth?
Daniel was healthier and wiser after following God's way rather than the king's way—what 'king's food' might you need to fast from to experience spiritual nourishment?
How can focusing on our relationship with the King of Kings rather than on plans and outcomes transform the way we approach New Year goals and life changes?
1. **Hebrews 12:14** - "For without holiness, no man shall see [the Lord]"
2. **1 John 4:4** - "Greater is he that is in you than he that's in the world"
3. **2 Corinthians 6:17** - "Touch not the unclean things"
4. **Isaiah 1:18** - Reference to being "white as snow" regarding forgiveness
Questions
In what areas of your life have you allowed the world to 'change your name' or define you by past failures rather than by your identity in Christ?
The sermon emphasizes that holiness is not perfection but a heart that longs after God—how does this understanding change your approach to spiritual growth?
Daniel was healthier and wiser after following God's way rather than the king's way—what 'king's food' might you need to fast from to experience spiritual nourishment?
How can focusing on our relationship with the King of Kings rather than on plans and outcomes transform the way we approach New Year goals and life changes?
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