Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Of course, the king was furious; so furious that he ordered the heat to be turned up. And what happened?

Daniel 3:24-27 (NKJV)

They were delivered and the king was amazed. This is a prime example of how integrity works.

But did you notice that their deliverance did not come until after they had taken a stand for what they knew was right? In fact, they were not delivered until after they were thrown into the fiery furnace. This is important to see because it illustrates a spiritual principle: Deliverance does not come until after you have taken a stand.

Look at what ultimately happened as a result of their willingness to stand for what they knew was right:

Daniel 3:30 (NKJV)

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

You may not have thought about it before, but these boys demonstrated integrity. They discerned what was right, they acted on it, even at great personal risk. (There certainly was a heavy price to pay.) Because they were acting based upon their conviction, they were not only delivered in such grand style, they were also promoted.

Now, let’s return to the account of Daniel in the lions’ den and take a closer look so that how the prophet acted with integrity is more apparent. This record is found in the sixth chapter of Daniel verse one:

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;

Satraps were rulers or leaders who acted at the behest of the king. They were like his ambassadors, emissaries or representatives.

Daniel 6:2-3 (NKJV)

Living a life of integrity distinguishes you as being a person of excellence because you will always seek to do what is right, which ultimately is what is best. So, it is no wonder that Daniel’s integrity caused him to be recognized, acknowledged, and considered for promotion.

Daniel 6:4 (NKJV)

So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

They were looking for something with which to charge Daniel but, because Daniel let his integrity be his guide in all his affairs and conduct, no fault could be found in him. Daniel was blameless.

Daniel 6:5 (NKJV)

Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

When you have integrity, people know it. You do not have to tell anyone. Like I said, Daniel lived such a circumspect life that his enemies knew they would have to contrive something in order to accuse him of any wrongdoing – and it would have to be something in reference to his God. In other words, they could not attack him for doing anything wrong, so they had to attack him for being and doing what is right.

This is typical. When people cannot find something wrong, they will try to attack what is right. When you operate with integrity, many times your lifestyle will conflict with others. Your integrity threatens them.

Daniel 6:6-9 (NKJV)

So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever!

"All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

"Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."

Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

Again, the price tag had been attached. Doing what was right was now going to cost Daniel something. But look at his response:

Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Daniel knew about the decree. Daniel could have gone home, left the window closed, called upon Jehovah in secret, and no one would have been the wiser. But he opened his window toward Jerusalem and knelt down three times that day – not once, not twice, but three times. Why in the world would he do that? Because Daniel was praying and giving thanks before his God, as was his custom. That was what he did every day. Daniel was consistent. His custom was not affected by the decree that the king had signed. Right was right, and Daniel was not going to change. The person of integrity does not change because the pressure is on.