Daniel 3:1-30 HOW TO FIGHT FIRE: GOD'S WAY I. CONSIDER THE FIRE V. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. A. It Touches The Saint -V. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; John 16:33; These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. Eccl. 2:23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. B. It Touches The Servant - V. 12 these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods (Ill. John Wesley was used to trouble in his life. Brick after Prayer.) 2 Cor .12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. C. It Touches The Separated - V. 12 nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Job 1:1, There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Job 1:8. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
II. COMMIT TO THE FIRE V. 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. A. Remember Your Connection To God - 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace Heb. 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. B. Remember The Control Of God - V. 17 our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, C. Remember Your Commitment To God - V. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 1:8-21, 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. This is a commitment that they took seriously. Here they are faced with their own deaths and still they are determined to serve the Lord. They stood in the day of testing!
III. CONQUER THE FIRE V. 19-30 A. They Overcame By The Presence Of God - V. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God Matt. 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. B. They Overcame By The Preservation Of God - V. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 2 Cor. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; C. They Overcame By The Power Of God - V. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Just ask David about Goliath. Ask Noah about that Ark and that flood. Ask Samson about those blinded eyes and the Philistines. Ask Moses about those 40 years in the wilderness. Ask Joshua about Canaan. Ask Abraham about having to offer up his son. Ask Joseph about the pit, the prison and the palace. Ask Mary about virgins having children. Ask Paul about a Pharisee preaching the Gospel. Ask a dying thief about a saving Lord. (God is able!)
D. They Overcome By The Providence Of God - V. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. E. They Overcome By The Promotion Of God - V. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. Remember Simon Peter? God melted him and molded him and fashioned him into a vessel of great honour and power. Remember Jacob. His name means "heel-catcher, trickster". God renamed him "Israel", which means "a prince with God." After he faced that fire, he was useful to the Lord! Remember Joseph was melted in the fire before he was promoted to the glory of God. I. THEY WOULDN’T BOW (1-6, 12): THAT’S DEVOTION II. THEY WOULDN’T BEND! (15-17): THAT’S DETERMINATION
III. THEY WOULDN’T BURN! (19-27): THAT’S DELIVERANCE
