Facing the Fire
Daniel 3
From day to day, week to week, year after year, we will all face some unpleasant moments in life. Life events are often compared to a roller coaster. You are up one moment and down the next moment. You can be on top of your circumstances at 10:00 a.m. and your circumstances can be on top of you at 10:00 p.m. or before. Life can be hard! It does not matter who you are, nor what you have or think you have. The truth of the matter most of us are not as important as we think we are, nor do we have what we think we have. Life can be difficult no matter how saved you are. Life can be difficult for both saints and sinners; holy and hellish, life can be hard. All of us, whether we like it or not are going to have to face difficult times, we all are going to have faced heated situations and fiery predicaments. Even Jesus, the only begotten Son of God had to go through trials. Jesus declared to his disciples that if they would do it to a green tree he knew that an old dried withered tree would not be exempt. Therefore, he states that we shall have tribulations. And since I know the base of the immutable words of Jesus that I am going to have trials, fiery situations and moments of difficulties, the question is not will I face these moments but the most appropriate question is not will I face these moments, but rather how do I face these moments? I know it’s coming and I know that the moments of the difficulty are I must make up in my own mind, how I’m going to face the fiery and heated moments of life.
In the passage of scripture that I read to you in Daniel 3, we see a fiery, heated situation taking place. The setting of Daniel 3 is during Babylonian captivity. God had permitted King Nebuchadnezzar to invade Jerusalem and destroy the city and the temple and carry some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to Babylon. The king was selective in those that he chose to carry to Babylon. He chose only the best and brightest, the intellectuals, those who had potential to help make him more powerful. Those that the king chose were the best and the brightest, those with the most potential and possibility from his perspective. Therefore, he chose 3 young men by names of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Even though the king chose more than these three, they are no doubt the most distinguished ones taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. Scholars and Theologians suggest that these young men where in their late teens. Most of us are probably not familiar with them by the names of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. We are more familiar with the names they received in Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Even though they change their names they could not change their character on the inside. Even though they change the label that had been given t them in Jerusalem, it did not change what had been given to them by God on the inside. The lesson we learn from this is that it does not matter what you call me, I know who I am. Call me what you want to, I know what I am underneath the skin and what you call me does not change me. Stop tripping over what other people call you because as long as you know you are a child of God. It does not change your Christian character. This was evident that it did not change these 3 boys because they refuse to worship the pagan Gods set before them. What is really interesting about this whole situation is that King Nebuchadnezzar used music as his major instrument in trying to get the boys to bow. He put together a live band to play in order to try to get these boys to bow to things outside the will of God. Music has always and continues to have a tremendous influence on our culture. Let’s take a look for a moment at the influence of music. Music has a tendency to mess with our minds. The enemy still uses music today to try to influence our thought process. Some music today promotes the use of drugs and alcohol, calls our beautiful mothers and daughters the “B” word and calls everybody else the “N” word. Music is influential. When I look around in here today many of you owe a lot to Luther Vandross. You have who you have today because Luther helped you make your move. Some of us may not have been born if it had not been for Luther Vandross, Usher, Smokey Robinson and some others. Music is influential. I could come in here every Sunday and just get up and go to preaching, but we try to use music to get us to hear and see the love of God and what God will do in your life. Therefore, when the preacher stands to preach your heart is open and more receptive to the message that God wants to send. Music must be a priority even in worship because the right music gives birth to spiritual mobility and vitality. God used music in the Old Testament with Joshua at Jericho when the trumpet music played something happened. The walls came down.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down and worship when the music was played. The King is informed of their unwillingness to bow down and worship his image and calls them in and offers them another chance. The three young men refused to bow and submit to the King’s plan. When you bow to the King of Kings you can stand to all other Kings. When you are submitted to God, you will not submit to the devil’s will.
I. This passage teaches us that since we are going to have to face the fire, we must face it with faith. Whatever difficult situation you are going through, realize that you are going to have to face it with faith. You are going to have trouble in your marriage, you are going to have difficulties on your jobs, something is going to go down with the company, something will go bad in your relationship, you are going to go through a financial situation, and sickness is going to come in your home. So when it comes, not if it comes, but when. It’s coming, it’s inevitable. Therefore, I have got to make up my mind that I have got to face the fire with faith. King our God is able, but even if not, he is able, we will not bow (that’s faith!). Our God is able. These 3 boys show us the ableness of God versus the willingness of God. Look at how they say it, our God is able, even if he is not willing. Many people believe that since God has not brought me out, that he’s not able. Just because God has not delivered you out of a bad situation, a bad marriage, a dead end job, sickness still in my home, still unemployed and things are not happening the way I think they should does not mean he is not able. This issue is not that he is able; the 3 boys declare that at this moment God is not willing. God oftentimes wants to produce in us a faith that will trust in his will, more so than his ability. God knows when to bring me out. I would rather be in the will of God than to be anywhere. My faith is in the will of God and that he knows when to bring me out. I know he’s able. God is able – no matter how broke your bank account. God is able – no matter how bleak your future looks. God is able – no matter how bankrupt your business. God is able – no matter how mean your hates are. God is able – no matter how dark your situation is. God is able – no matter how confuse your children maybe. God is able – no matter how high your mountains are or how low your valleys or deep your rivers. God is able. How many today know God is able. Even if God does not do it, even if he does not deliver me, I’m going trust. Even if I don’t get the promotion, even if I don’t get well, even if my situation don’t change, I’m not turning my back on God. I’m not walking out on him.
II. Not only do we need to face the fire with faith, we must learn that we can endure whatever we go through. God will never put more on us than we are able to bear. If I preserve God will preserve. If I keep on keeping on, God will keep me. Nebuchadnezzar turns up the fire seven times hotter when these boys refuse to bow, but they endured it. Rest assured that after you take a stand for God things have a tendency to get hotter. When you make up your mind to do it right, things get hotter. Issues occur on the job, in the home, money issues, folk start acting crazy. The boys were thrown in the furnace but the fire did not burn them. Some preachers say these boys were not burn because they were already on fire. The truth of the matter is that kept them. Somebody here today knows that God is a keep. He that keeps Israel shall not sleep nor slumber. I know in whom I believe and I am persuade that he is able to keep that which I committed to him against that day. All day and all night angels keep watch over me. Trust him in your predicament.
III. Somebody here may be wandering why God would allow us to go through stuff even when we are trusting him. It is because God is always up to something. God is up to something. He has a purpose for your pain. God allows us to go through heated situations for a reason. These 3 boys went through the fire in order to prove to the King and community that God is in control. The text shows us that even when it seems like the person that is over me is in control, he/she is really not. Somebody here maybe going through some fire that’s being inflicted upon you by someone, realize one thing and that is that God is in control. When God is in control, the very ones that are trying to burn you when end up getting burned. The men that went in the fire survive, but the ones who threw them got burned by the fire. That proves that God is in control. You reap what you sow. God often sends his children through the fire to set us free from stuff that has us bound. The ropes burn and set the boys free. God knows hoe hot to allow the fire to get in order to set you free from some stuff. Some folk cannot handle the fire you are going through. God often times takes us through the fire in order to improve our walk with him. Jesus was in the furnace with the boys. God often creates fiery moments to establish the fellowship he needs with us. Jesus always shows up in fiery situations. He will walk with you in the fire.
God often takes us through the fire in order to straighten out the mess we are in.
Straightening Comb Illustration (The comb won’t burn you if you be still.)
God will bring you out of the fire and promote you. The 3 Hebrew boys were promoted by the King. But it wasn’t until after they went through the fire. Somebody here is about to get a promotion but it will not be until you go through the fire. Tribulation is often a set-up for a promotion. You must learn to handle the fire on the level you are on, or you won’t be able to handle on the next level.
When God brings you out, he brings you up. God promoted them in the same place they went through the fire.
Basketball Illustration (Never Flat Basketball)
Daniel 3
From day to day, week to week, year after year, we will all face some unpleasant moments in life. Life events are often compared to a roller coaster. You are up one moment and down the next moment. You can be on top of your circumstances at 10:00 a.m. and your circumstances can be on top of you at 10:00 p.m. or before. Life can be hard! It does not matter who you are, nor what you have or think you have. The truth of the matter most of us are not as important as we think we are, nor do we have what we think we have. Life can be difficult no matter how saved you are. Life can be difficult for both saints and sinners; holy and hellish, life can be hard. All of us, whether we like it or not are going to have to face difficult times, we all are going to have faced heated situations and fiery predicaments. Even Jesus, the only begotten Son of God had to go through trials. Jesus declared to his disciples that if they would do it to a green tree he knew that an old dried withered tree would not be exempt. Therefore, he states that we shall have tribulations. And since I know the base of the immutable words of Jesus that I am going to have trials, fiery situations and moments of difficulties, the question is not will I face these moments but the most appropriate question is not will I face these moments, but rather how do I face these moments? I know it’s coming and I know that the moments of the difficulty are I must make up in my own mind, how I’m going to face the fiery and heated moments of life.
In the passage of scripture that I read to you in Daniel 3, we see a fiery, heated situation taking place. The setting of Daniel 3 is during Babylonian captivity. God had permitted King Nebuchadnezzar to invade Jerusalem and destroy the city and the temple and carry some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to Babylon. The king was selective in those that he chose to carry to Babylon. He chose only the best and brightest, the intellectuals, those who had potential to help make him more powerful. Those that the king chose were the best and the brightest, those with the most potential and possibility from his perspective. Therefore, he chose 3 young men by names of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Even though the king chose more than these three, they are no doubt the most distinguished ones taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. Scholars and Theologians suggest that these young men where in their late teens. Most of us are probably not familiar with them by the names of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. We are more familiar with the names they received in Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Even though they change their names they could not change their character on the inside. Even though they change the label that had been given t them in Jerusalem, it did not change what had been given to them by God on the inside. The lesson we learn from this is that it does not matter what you call me, I know who I am. Call me what you want to, I know what I am underneath the skin and what you call me does not change me. Stop tripping over what other people call you because as long as you know you are a child of God. It does not change your Christian character. This was evident that it did not change these 3 boys because they refuse to worship the pagan Gods set before them. What is really interesting about this whole situation is that King Nebuchadnezzar used music as his major instrument in trying to get the boys to bow. He put together a live band to play in order to try to get these boys to bow to things outside the will of God. Music has always and continues to have a tremendous influence on our culture. Let’s take a look for a moment at the influence of music. Music has a tendency to mess with our minds. The enemy still uses music today to try to influence our thought process. Some music today promotes the use of drugs and alcohol, calls our beautiful mothers and daughters the “B” word and calls everybody else the “N” word. Music is influential. When I look around in here today many of you owe a lot to Luther Vandross. You have who you have today because Luther helped you make your move. Some of us may not have been born if it had not been for Luther Vandross, Usher, Smokey Robinson and some others. Music is influential. I could come in here every Sunday and just get up and go to preaching, but we try to use music to get us to hear and see the love of God and what God will do in your life. Therefore, when the preacher stands to preach your heart is open and more receptive to the message that God wants to send. Music must be a priority even in worship because the right music gives birth to spiritual mobility and vitality. God used music in the Old Testament with Joshua at Jericho when the trumpet music played something happened. The walls came down.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down and worship when the music was played. The King is informed of their unwillingness to bow down and worship his image and calls them in and offers them another chance. The three young men refused to bow and submit to the King’s plan. When you bow to the King of Kings you can stand to all other Kings. When you are submitted to God, you will not submit to the devil’s will.
I. This passage teaches us that since we are going to have to face the fire, we must face it with faith. Whatever difficult situation you are going through, realize that you are going to have to face it with faith. You are going to have trouble in your marriage, you are going to have difficulties on your jobs, something is going to go down with the company, something will go bad in your relationship, you are going to go through a financial situation, and sickness is going to come in your home. So when it comes, not if it comes, but when. It’s coming, it’s inevitable. Therefore, I have got to make up my mind that I have got to face the fire with faith. King our God is able, but even if not, he is able, we will not bow (that’s faith!). Our God is able. These 3 boys show us the ableness of God versus the willingness of God. Look at how they say it, our God is able, even if he is not willing. Many people believe that since God has not brought me out, that he’s not able. Just because God has not delivered you out of a bad situation, a bad marriage, a dead end job, sickness still in my home, still unemployed and things are not happening the way I think they should does not mean he is not able. This issue is not that he is able; the 3 boys declare that at this moment God is not willing. God oftentimes wants to produce in us a faith that will trust in his will, more so than his ability. God knows when to bring me out. I would rather be in the will of God than to be anywhere. My faith is in the will of God and that he knows when to bring me out. I know he’s able. God is able – no matter how broke your bank account. God is able – no matter how bleak your future looks. God is able – no matter how bankrupt your business. God is able – no matter how mean your hates are. God is able – no matter how dark your situation is. God is able – no matter how confuse your children maybe. God is able – no matter how high your mountains are or how low your valleys or deep your rivers. God is able. How many today know God is able. Even if God does not do it, even if he does not deliver me, I’m going trust. Even if I don’t get the promotion, even if I don’t get well, even if my situation don’t change, I’m not turning my back on God. I’m not walking out on him.
II. Not only do we need to face the fire with faith, we must learn that we can endure whatever we go through. God will never put more on us than we are able to bear. If I preserve God will preserve. If I keep on keeping on, God will keep me. Nebuchadnezzar turns up the fire seven times hotter when these boys refuse to bow, but they endured it. Rest assured that after you take a stand for God things have a tendency to get hotter. When you make up your mind to do it right, things get hotter. Issues occur on the job, in the home, money issues, folk start acting crazy. The boys were thrown in the furnace but the fire did not burn them. Some preachers say these boys were not burn because they were already on fire. The truth of the matter is that kept them. Somebody here today knows that God is a keep. He that keeps Israel shall not sleep nor slumber. I know in whom I believe and I am persuade that he is able to keep that which I committed to him against that day. All day and all night angels keep watch over me. Trust him in your predicament.
III. Somebody here may be wandering why God would allow us to go through stuff even when we are trusting him. It is because God is always up to something. God is up to something. He has a purpose for your pain. God allows us to go through heated situations for a reason. These 3 boys went through the fire in order to prove to the King and community that God is in control. The text shows us that even when it seems like the person that is over me is in control, he/she is really not. Somebody here maybe going through some fire that’s being inflicted upon you by someone, realize one thing and that is that God is in control. When God is in control, the very ones that are trying to burn you when end up getting burned. The men that went in the fire survive, but the ones who threw them got burned by the fire. That proves that God is in control. You reap what you sow. God often sends his children through the fire to set us free from stuff that has us bound. The ropes burn and set the boys free. God knows hoe hot to allow the fire to get in order to set you free from some stuff. Some folk cannot handle the fire you are going through. God often times takes us through the fire in order to improve our walk with him. Jesus was in the furnace with the boys. God often creates fiery moments to establish the fellowship he needs with us. Jesus always shows up in fiery situations. He will walk with you in the fire.
God often takes us through the fire in order to straighten out the mess we are in.
Straightening Comb Illustration (The comb won’t burn you if you be still.)
God will bring you out of the fire and promote you. The 3 Hebrew boys were promoted by the King. But it wasn’t until after they went through the fire. Somebody here is about to get a promotion but it will not be until you go through the fire. Tribulation is often a set-up for a promotion. You must learn to handle the fire on the level you are on, or you won’t be able to handle on the next level.
When God brings you out, he brings you up. God promoted them in the same place they went through the fire.
Basketball Illustration (Never Flat Basketball)
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