Apostle Allison Smith Conliff focuses on the spiritual necessity of holiness, discipline, and perseverance. Using the Book of Daniel as a primary text, the preacher describes Daniel’s fasting and divine visions to illustrate how believers must seek clarity and strength through sacrificial prayer. The message warns against the dangers of sin and worldly distractions, specifically highlighting the importance of integrity in leadership and the sanctity of marriage. Members are encouraged to pursue a surrendered life and remain vigilant against hostile spiritual forces that oppose their progress. Ultimately, it serves as a call for the congregation to rely on divine intervention and maintain a righteous mission statement to fulfill their destinies.

Key Points:

The biblical account of Daniel’s fasting and visions provides several requirements and benchmarks for modern spiritual leadership, emphasizing sacrifice, integrity, and spiritual sensitivity.

The Necessity of Sacrifice and Fasting: Daniel’s three-week period of mourning and fasting, where he abstained from "tasty food," meat, and wine, serves as a model for leaders seeking "great victories" through "great sacrifices". For a modern leader to receive a "download from heaven" to edify the church or the nation, they must be willing to discipline their "taste buds" and move beyond spiritual laziness. Leaders are encouraged to set aside time to be "inclined to hear" God, just as Daniel was, rather than being consumed by worldly distractions or physical comforts.

Purity of Heart and Moral Integrity: A central requirement is that spiritual leaders must maintain "clean hands and a pure heart" to be receptive to divine communication. Daniel’s ability to receive spiritual insights is attributed to his righteousness and "set apart" life. Consequently, modern leaders are warned to:

• Guard against sexual immorality and greed: Leaders are cautioned to protect themselves from falling into "folly" or "loose living," which can destroy the vision God has for their ministry.
• Avoid "double standards": A leader must not appear "prim and proper" in church while living a "loose and wild" life in private.
• Maintain "the order of righteousness": This involves guarding the heart against the "issues of life" and maintaining discipline to prevent the "flesh" from ruling over the Spirit.

Seeking Clarity and Divine Understanding: Understanding a vision is as critical as receiving one; Daniel "understood the message" and had "an understanding of the vision". For modern leadership, this means waiting for clarity before moving forward, as acting on an unclear message or with "off" timing can be destructive. Leaders are expected to be "awake in the things of God" so they can recognize when God is speaking, even if those around them do not perceive the vision.

Vision and Mission Execution: Drawing a parallel to Daniel’s focus, the Apostle states that leaders must not only have a vision but also a "mission statement" to execute it. A leader without a mission or a plan to put things in "proper order" may fail to accomplish what God has placed within them. Spiritual leadership involves the diligent execution of God-given goals rather than just having good intentions.

Humility and Surrender: The account of Daniel’s physical weakness and trembling during his vision informs a requirement for humility in leadership. A leader's life should be a "surrendered life" to Christ, where they lead through the "expression of the character of Jesus Christ" and love for people, rather than a desire for popularity or personal gain.

The Apostle emphasizes that God strengthens the humble leader, just as an angel strengthened Daniel when his own strength failed.

Rec. Date: 5th May, 2024