Grace Under Pressure: Faith under Fire

As I was reading the passage of Scripture on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace their faith amazed me. Surely our All-Knowing, Powerful God could have rescued them before they were thrown into the furnace. However, God chose to show up with them in the furnace. As I read, the Holy Spirit opened the scriptures up to me that really ministered to me.​

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As I was reading the passage of Scripture on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace their faith amazed me. Surely our All-Knowing Powerful God could have rescued them before they were thrown in the furnace. However, God chose to show up with them in the furnace. As I read, the Holy Spirit opened the scriptures up to me that really ministered to me.
 
You can read the actual story in Daniel 3:9-18. Below is my paraphrased version as He gave it to me:
 
Satan the god of this world has made a decree, that men shall worship him. And who ever does not so falleth down and worship him shall be be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
 
There are certain Believers who know that God has given authority over the affairs of the province and these Believers have not regarded Satan and do not serve his gods, nor do they worship his golden image which he hast set up. So Satan in his rage and fury commanded that these Believers be brought before Him into the fiery furnace. So his demons went about creating trials, storms and attacks to take the Believer’s minds off of the Only True God in hope that  they will thus begin to focus on and worship his false god the golden image.
 
But the Believers of the Only True God, instead praised God saying …If it be so, my God whom I serve is able to deliver me from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver me, Satan. But if not, be it known that I will not worship you in the fiery furnace of trials, storms and attacks which you have set up to distract me.
 
Then Satan was full of fury against the Believers of the Only True God, and he spoke, and commanded the demons to heat up the furnace increasing the trial seven times more. And he commanded his mightiest demons to bind the Believers of the Only True God’s mind with even more financial calamity and division amongst those closest to them to tear up their families and make them feel that the Only True God whom they serve is no longer with them.
 
But the Believers of the Only True God in the midst of the burning fiery furnace fell down and worshipped their God. Then Satan was astonished and rose up in haste, and spoke unto his demons saying, “Did not we cast the Believers into the midst of the fire and increase the heat? Haven’t we done everything we could to wipe them out? They answered and said “True, O Satan”.
 
Then Satan answered and said, “But look, I see them walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt on them and I see the Son of God walking with them.
 
And the demonic princes, governors, and captains, and all Satan’s counselors gathered together and saw the Believer’s upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor was the smell of fire on them.
 
Then Satan hung his head in defeat and spoke saying, “God has done it again, He has sent His Son Jesus and delivered his servants that trusted in Him”.
 
Halleluiah!!! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were confident in God’s ability to deliver and rescue them from any plan man might have. Even still their commitment to God was so strong that they did not waver even if God chose not to rescue them. What faith these men exercised! They trust in God’s sovereignty and that He is in control and whatever He allows to come upon them is ultimately for their good. What a powerful message for us today!

How do you respond when you find yourself under attack from the enemy of our soul? How do you to respond when we are thrown into a fiery furnace? If you are in the midst of what seems like a fiery furnace.... just continue to keep your eyes fixed on the Finished Work of the Cross for the Only True God whom you serve is walking with you, and He will deliver you just like he did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He is simply the Best. He’s better than all the rest. He is the God who changes not!

Halleluiah! If it be so, my God whom I serve is able to deliver me from the burning fiery furnace!