Are you strong enough to stand the fire?
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Are you strong enough to stand the fire? The fire of temptation, the fire of tribulations, the fire to stand up to stand Satan and his evils. Is your faith in God strong enough to handle whatever comes your way? Everyday Satan throws punches at us to see if we will fail. Fall into his temptations. Fall into his traps. You see he loves that. He loves to hurt the ones that are forgiven and that have chosen Christ. Satan knows what it takes to hook us. He is way to smart of a fisherman to go fishing with out any bait.
Are you strong enough to stand the fire of the world? We all live in a sinful world. Sin all around us. At work, school, and even other family members. It is hard being a Christian in a non-perfect world. But that is okay we will live in that perfect world one day.
Satan doesn’t necessarily want to hurt us physically, but mentally and spiritually. He wants to drag us down on the inside. He wants to get in our heads. " He doesn’t love you if he did that wouldn’t happen." He will bring down your marriage to ruins; friendships will end, and even cause hatred in the church. Satan will do whatever it takes to bring the church down to a pile of rubble. That is his main goal to destroy the church. Bring the church down and Hell’s gate will be flooded with lost souls. If Satan destroys the church who will spread the word of God.
Today’s question is are you strong enough to stand the fire? Do you think God will walk through the fire with you? Will God help you with your problems? Dr. Norman Pearle often said, “The only people without problems are those in the cemetery.” Then with a smile he replied” and some of them really have problems.” Are you strong enough to stand the fire?
(Read scripture Daniel 3)
We first meet Meshach, Shadrach, and Abendago in chapter 1 where as colleagues of Daniel they refused to defile themselves with the tainted royal food and wine. Well their commitment to God was about to be tested once again. Every day we are subject to being tempter to deny their Lord whom we love and serve.
King Neb, who was king of Babylon, has captured the children of Israel. He has brought them to his land to serve out their captivity. He had constructed a golden image, 90 ft high and 9 ft wide. The king has made a decree that all will bow to this god. Those who refuse would die in the furnace. That where are heroes come in. They refused to bow down to the image. They were not going to deny their God. Our GOD. They chose to die in the fire than to turn from their God. This is an example that can help us look at our own trials and struggles and hopefully help us remain faithful during the fire.
Faith in God sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible. I am reminded of a story of a preacher who once asked a young boy “Son I’ll give you an apple if you can tell me where God is?” The boy replied, “Preacher I’ll give you a barrel full if you can tell me where he isn’t!” Just because his presence with us doesn’t mean we will not have our furnaces. But it guarantees he will walk with us.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendago had faith in Christ to stand with them in the fire. Here was courage at the highest order. They were prepared to face death than to deny their Lord. Talk about character. It was Spurgeon who once said “ Character is what you are in the dark.” Yes it was easy to compromise on their faithfulness to God. They made no attempt to excuse themselves. Look at what they told King Neb in verse 17. “ The God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and will rescue us from your hand, O King.”
The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendago was unquestionable. Their God was infinite, powerful, the one true God. The basis of their confidence was their trust in God. The three were not alone in the fire, The Lord was with them. King Neb couldn’t believe his eyes. He expected their bodies to be incinerated upon seconds. But he saw men walking in the middle of the fire unhurt by the blazing flames. He looked again and realized it was four not three. God suspended natural laws and performed a miracle.
The important part to remember is that the Lord was with them. The Lord was with them during their fiery trials. If God is infinite, he must be also the God in the midst of burning fires. C.S. Lewis said “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.” The Apostle Paul said “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” What a companionship. In fact the last words spoken by Jesus to his disciples were “I am with you.” (Matt28.20)
A man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man’s predicament and said, “ It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this.” Next Buddha observed the situation and said, “ Let the man’s plight be a lesson to the rest of the world.” Then Mohammed came by and said to the sinking man “Alas it is the will of God.” Finally Jesus appeared on the scene and said, “Take my hand brother, I WILL SAVE YOU!”
In Psalms, he promised to be our present help in the times of troubles. In the Proverbs, he promised to be our guide and friend. In Matthew, he promised to be with us always, even to the end. In John, he promised to be the comforter. In Philippians, he promised to supply our strengths. In Corinthians we are promised that his grace is sufficient. In Jude we promised that he could keep us from falling. In I John we are told that he hears us. The message of this chapter in Daniel is clear. It is we grow in faith so that when faced with fire we are strong enough to stand. He has assured us that he will provide. His word is one we can count on. Maybe we need to reaffirm our faith today.
Gladys Aylward was a missionary to China more than 50 years ago. She was forced to leave when the Japanese invaded her area. She could not leave her work behind. With only one assistant to help she led a 100-plus orphans over the mountains towards safety. During the adventure out of the war torn country she became depressed and worried. After a sleepness night she faced the morning with no hope of reaching safety. A 13 yr old girl reminded her of Moses and the people crossing the Red Sea. “But I am not Moses” replied Gladys. The little girl replied “ Of course not but God is still God.” When she and those children came through, they proved that once again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God. When the situation seems impossible, just remember to have confidence in God.
(read Exodus 14:13-14,14:29-31)
How wide of an area it does not say. But think about this. To get 3.5 million people across in one night was quite a feat. F.B Meyer once said’ Often God seems to place his children in a tight place, not only will he deliver you but in doing so He will give you a lesson you will never forget.” Here is God’s instructions for us. 1-fear not, 2-stand still, 3-watch and listen.
A young boy was asked by his mother after Sunday school what he had learned. The boy explained “Well Mom our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the people out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers to build a pontoon bridge and let the people walk across. After that he called in on his radio for an air strike to blow up the bridge. His mom replied “ Now Joey is that really what happened?” “Well no ma’am but if told it the way the teacher did you would not believe it.”
What I want to say in closing, is that coming to the Red Sea is just as much a part of God’s plan for crossing it. A predicament in God’s hands is only a highway to the Promise Land. Why does God allow these predicaments to happen to us? Because it is often the only takes these tight places to get us to look up at him!
God can and will suspend all natural laws to protect us. He’s already showed us a supernatural power, to share his love. Are you faithful enough to know God will part the waters for you? Are you strong enough to stand the fire?
