Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Passing Through Fire

Posted on 17 Jan 2021, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: Passing Through Fire

Text: Dan. 3:17-28

[Dan 3:17] 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.

[Dan 3:18] 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.

[Dan 3:19] Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

[Dan 3:20] And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

[Dan 3:21] Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

[Dan 3:22] Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

[Dan 3:23] And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

[Dan 3:24] 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.

[Dan 3:25] 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.

[Dan 3:26] 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.

[Dan 3:27] 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.

[Dan 3:28] Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.

Introduction

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego literally went through fire and by the power of God came out unharmed.
There are situations in life that are a matter of life and death
There are situations that will strike at the core of your being
When these kind of situations happen, the real you come out
When a man is squeezed, what is inside the man will come out by force
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were squeezed. What was inside them was God and He came out
What will come out of you?
I pray that the Lord will open our eyes to the truth in His Word

Main Topic

Tribulation in the world

Jesus said [Joh 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.
Jesus already warned us that as long as we are still in this world, there will be tribulation, but we are to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.
Know that Jesus had already overcome the tribulation, but we may pass through it.
We are not free from going through tribulations because we are children of God.
It is actually the opposite. We will go through tribulations because we are children of God.
However, know that in the midst of the tribulation, we can have peace
Let me remind us of God’s promise in the book of Isaiah.
- [Isa 43:1] But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. [Isa 43:2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
When we pass through the waters, through the rivers, and through the fire.
We may have to pass through the waters sometimes
We may have to pass through the rivers sometimes
We may have to pass through the fire sometimes
It does not mean that God is missing. It is actually an opportunity for God to show Himself
The good news is that He is with us every step of the way

What to do when the time comes

1. Make up your mind before the fire that you will never deny Jesus (Job, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Esther, and many more)

It is not in the midst of fire that one will decide never to deny Jesus. It must be done before the fire comes.
[Job 13:15] Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
[Dan 3:17] 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. [Dan 3:18] 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 made up his mind to pray, even though he knew he will be prosecuted and sentenced to death
Esther said, if I perish, I perish.
They all made up their minds before the fire came, it is Jesus till I die.
Fill yourself with Jesus, so when they cut you, you bleed Jesus. When they squeeze you, it is Christ that comes out.
Stephen was squeezed by the very church he was serving.
It was Christ that came out of Stephen because he had filled Himself with Jesus

2. No matter the tribulation, Jesus is there with you

[Dan 3:24] 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. [Dan 3:25] 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.
The fourth Man was in the fire. The Son of God was in the fire. Jesus was in the fire.
If you don’t deny Him, He will never deny you
When they bound them, they did not see Jesus
When they dragged them, they did not see Jesus
When they got to the door of the furnace, they did not see Jesus
When they got to the midst of the fire, Jesus showed up
His promise in Is. 43:1-2 was fulfilled before our very eyes
He will fulfill His promises. He will be there with you at all times

3. Learn to see Jesus in the midst of the fire

[Isa 43:2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
[Dan 3:25] 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.
Jesus is in the midst of the fire, but sometimes we do not see Him
If we focus on the fire, we will not see Jesus
If we focus on the heat, we will not see Jesus
If we look for Jesus in the midst of the fire, we will find Him right there with us
[Pro 8:17] I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

4. Hold on to the promises of God

The promises you know are the ones you can hold on to
Here is one: [Isa 43:2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Learn to memorize His promises, what you put inside yourself will deliver you one day
When you fill youself with the Word, if you get squeezed, it is what you are full of that will come out
[Jos 1:8] This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
In other words, fill yourself with the Word of God

5. Instead of being put to shame, you shall be exalted

[Dan 3:27] 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. [Dan 3:28] Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.
[Psa 37:25] I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Conclusion

At some point in this life, we will pass through the waters, through the rivers, and through the fire.
The promise of God is that He is with us every step of the way
However, in the midst of the waters or the fire, the real you will come out
Will the real you reflect Jesus or will it reflect something else
It depends on what you are full of. If you are full of Christ, Christ will come out. If it is something else, whatever it is will come out.
Fill yourself with Christ, fill yourself with His Word.
When challenges arise, it will meet with Jesus and His Word

Sermon

Passing Through Fire