ROM.8:36-39 "THE OLD TIME RELIGION HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME"
A) Paul was subject to fatal attacks daily! * He was tried with the scourge ... The rod ...
* By stoning ... and in many other ways, but he was more than a conqueror!
* His trials and afflictions were evidence to him that we could stand with angels, principalities,
powers, and even death threatening us!
* He believed that there was nothing above the earth, under the earth, or on the earth that could
separate us from the love of God! * Jude 3 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write ......."
B) Jesus said in Matt.16:18, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates ......."
* The word prevail means conquer. * The devil cannot conquer or defeat the Church!
* Rom.8:37 "We are more than conquerors through him (Jesus Christ our Lord) that loved us."
* The old time religion has been tested and tried but thank God it has stood the test and is still
standing!
(1) IT HAS BEEN TRIED IN THE FIRE - DAN.3:1-6, 14-25!
* Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of
Babylon. * Then he sent to gather all the rulers of the provinces together for the dedication of it.
A) The princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, sheriffs, and all the rulers were there ...
* Then a herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at
the time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of
music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.
And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace." * And so, the king put his new law to the test!
* The music started and all the people, nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped .......
* Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to worship the golden image that the king had set up!
B) They were threatened by death in the fiery furnace! * The king said, "Is it true .......?
* The three men answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer
thee in this matter. 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. 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."
* Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-nego, and commanded the furnace be heated up 7 times more hotter .......
* Then the king commanded his most mighty men to cast them into the burning furnace!
C) The fire burned to death the men that threw the Hebrew men into the furnace!
* Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego fell down, bound, into the fiery furnace, but felt no harm!
* Whatever they were bound with, burned off, and they got up and walked around in the fire!
* The king heard what happened to his mighty men and went to check it out!
* He looked in the furnace and was astonished and said to his counselors, "Did we not cast ......."
* "Lo, I see 4 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."
D) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the furnace .......
* And he said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come
forth and come hither." * They came forth from the midst of the fire!
* The princes, governors, captains, and the king’s counselors gathered for a thorough examination!
E) There was no sign of fire on their bodies, not a hair of their head was singed,
* There was not even a smell of fire on their clothes!
* The king said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his
angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and
yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut into pieces, and
their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after
this sort." * I’m telling you tonight, the old time religion has stood the test in the fire!
* These men came through the fire trusting God! * Old time religion will see you through the fire!
(2) IT HAS BEEN TRIED IN THE LION’S DEN - DAN.6:16-22!
* Darius set over his kingdom 120 princes which should be over the whole kingdom!
* Then Daniel was preferred over the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him,
and the king thought to set him over the whole realm!
A) Then the presidents and princes got jealous and sought to find occasion against Daniel!
* They couldn’t find any occasion against Daniel, any error or fault, forasmuch as he was faithful!
* The only thing they found against Daniel was concerning the law of his God!
* So they got their heads together and come up with a plan to frame Daniel!
* They go to the king and said, "King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the
governors, princes, counselors, and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal
statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for
30 days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions."
B) The king signed the writing and the decree! * Now this is the part I like .......
* The presidents and princes probably told Daniel about the decree and taunted him about it!
* They, no doubt, watched him like a hawk
* But, Daniel knew that the writing was signed, went into his house, and opened his windows
toward Jerusalem, he kneeled down upon his knees 3 times a day and prayed,
* And gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime, and these presidents and princes saw him!
* So these men go to the king and tells him, "Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that
shall ask a petition of any God or man within 30 days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions?"
C) The king answered and said, "The thing is true according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not."
* Then they answered and said, "That Daniel is not regarding you or the decree that you signed.
He is still asking his God for petitions 3 times a day.
* The king was sore displeased with himself and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and he
labored till night to deliver him!
D) Then the presidents and princes came to the king, and said to him .......
* "Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree nor statute which
the king established may be changed."
* So the king had no choice but to cast Daniel into the den of lions!
* The king told Daniel, "Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."
* They cast Daniel in the den of lions, and laid a stone at the mouth of the den!
E) The king goes back to his palace and tries to sleep that night, but can’t!
* Meanwhile, Daniel is down in the den of lions, sleeping like a baby, using a lion for a pillow!
* The reason why the lions didn’t eat Daniel was because Daniel was all back-bone!
* Some say that the lions were old and didn’t have no teeth or claws!
* No sir ... Those lions were starving to death, and you’ll see that in a minute!
F) The next morning, the king goes to the den of lions and cries with a lamentable voice .......
* "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to
deliver thee from the lions?"
* Then said Daniel, "O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lion’s
mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and
also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."
* The king was glad and happy ... commanded Daniel to be brought out of the den of lions, and
commanded those which accused Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions,
* Not only them, but their wives and their children, and the "lions had the mastery of them, and
brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den."
* Thank God, the old time religion has been tried in the den of lions and it stood the test!
(3) IT HAS BEEN TRIED BY GIANTS - 1 SAM.17!
* David and Goliath .......
(4) IT HAS BEEN TRIED BY THE DEVIL AGAINST JOB - JOB 1:1-22!
* Job lost 7 sons and 3 daughters ... 10 caskets in his home in one day!
A) 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 1000 oxen, 500 mules, all gone in one day!
* But Job said, "Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord
gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not,
nor charged God foolishly."
* Then Job was afflicted with boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet!
* Job’s friend called him a hypocrite ... Job said, My witness and record is on high!
B) Even His wife said, "Why don’t you just curse God and die!"
* Job said, "You talk like a foolish woman ...Yea, though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him!"
* Job 19:25 "I Know my Redeemer liveth ... And I know I shall see Him!"
* The old time religion has stood the test against the devil himself!!!
(5) IT HAS BEEN TRIED IN PRISON - ACTS 16:16-25!
* Paul and Silas ... "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the
prisoners heard them."
* The miracle was not the doors swinging open, but the miracle was the prisoners didn’t escape!
* It was tried in the jail ... This old time religion has stood the test of time!
(6) LAST, IN CLOSING ... IT WAS TRIED AT CALVARY - LUKE 23:33!
* Jesus died a terrible death for you and me … Jesus cried It is finished!
* He bowed His head and died ... He was buried!
A) But praise God on the third day He arose from the grave!
* He defeated sin, death, hell, the grave and most of all, He defeated Satan!
* Rev. 1:18 "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and of death." * Jesus said, "Because I live, ye shall live also!"
* Come to Jesus today, ask him to save and forgive you, and join the old time religion that has stood
the test of time!
