Indomitable: The X-Factor

Indomitable: The X-Factor| Gareth Nicholson | 14 September 2025

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A few weeks ago, I changed gyms. The new one is closer to home, and the kids go for free—a win all around. But in the new showers, I noticed something missing: non-slip tiles. My old gym had them, and I almost wrote to the manager to suggest they do the same.

Then it hit me—don’t we sometimes treat church the same way? We compare our new church with our old one, trying to import what we liked before, rather than stepping into what God is building right now. But the church was never meant to be about our preferences. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” The word church here is ecclesia—not a building, but a people with authority to bring kingdom influence into their city.

That’s what Daniel embodied. Taken into exile at about 15 years old, he lived in a foreign land surrounded by pressure to conform. Yet he stood out because he carried what Scripture calls “an extraordinary spirit.” His influence came not from talent or charm, but from the Spirit of God within him.

But with influence comes opposition. Daniel’s rivals couldn’t find corruption in his life, so they targeted his faith. They tricked King Darius into signing a decree that outlawed prayer to anyone but the king. Daniel’s response? He simply kept doing what he had always done: kneeling three times a day, giving thanks to God. Not begging, not panicking—just gratitude and trust.

This daily rhythm was his keystone habit. Over 67 years, Daniel probably prayed more than 73,000 times. So when a crisis came, he didn’t need a new strategy; he lived out his old one. Gratitude anchored him, and it gave him courage to face the lions’ den without fear.

And God met him there. The same God who shut the mouths of lions also turned a pagan king into a worshiper. Through Daniel’s faith and integrity, an entire empire was pointed toward the living God.

Here’s the truth for us: following Jesus doesn’t mean we avoid the lions’ dens of life. It means God meets us in them. What if the very thing you’re dreading—the stress, the uncertainty, the pressure—is actually the place where you’ll encounter Jesus most deeply?

We are called to live indomitable—impossible to discourage or defeat—because the Spirit of God is within us. Like Daniel, our prayers and gratitude can shape us into people of courage, influence, and integrity who shift culture around us.

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Life Group Discussion Questions

Comfort vs. Calling

1. Where are you tempted to treat church like a gym—choosing it for convenience or personal preference?

   
   

2. How does seeing the church as ecclesia (a people with authority) change your mindset?

   
   

   Extraordinary Spirit

   
   

3. Daniel stood out because of the Spirit of God in him. How do you cultivate space for the Spirit to strengthen and guide you daily?

   
   

   Keystone Habits

   
   

4. What rhythms or habits anchor your faith (like Daniel’s three-times-a-day prayer)?

   
   

5. Is there a simple daily practice you could commit to that would strengthen your spiritual resilience?

   
   

   Facing the Lions’ Den

   
   

6. What’s your current “lions’ den”—a challenge, stress, or fear you’re facing?

   
   

7. How might gratitude in that very place shift your perspective and open space for God’s presence?