Even if He doesn't

Daniel 3:5-6  (NLT)

5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 

6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

1. Be prepared to be tempted. 

Culture pressures us to bow.  If you say yes to Jesus, you're saying no to the world.   Love what you love, but love Jesus more.  If you love it more than Him, it becomes an idol.  

To honor God, we must stand up to stand out.  We must be lights.  Lights are not noisy, but they are great in pushing back darkness.  We must be leaders and not followers.  Leaders don't always go with the flow, but against it.  

We must be Godly when no one else is watching.  We must be strong against temptation.  We can't eliminate it, but we can have the strength of God inside of us.  

We are to be different in order to make a difference.  We can't change our communities if we are just like them.  

Daniel 3:14-18  (NLT)

14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 

15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.[a] But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 

18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

The enemy of our soul will always will keep the door of temptation open.

2. We must be strong in the faith.  

The enemy is against our faith.  Your faith must be tested for it to be trusted.  

A test will reveal what you know and don't know.  God will not test you on what He has not already covered.  

The answer is placed inside of you.  With God, the test is always an opened book.  Keep God's Book, the Bible, open.    

When you fail the test, you get to take the test over and over again until you pass it. 

A.  We must know God can.  

Don't make God small in your test. 

B.  We must believe God will.  

Knowing He can is easy, but our God is willing to help.  He wouldn't even spare His own Son to die for us.  

If God wouldn't withhold His own Son, what would He not be willing to do?

C.  Even if God doesn't act,  don't bow to pressure. 

We must not vacillate in our faith.  Remember to be kind and respectful while standing firm.

  

God does not always work like we think He should.   When God doesn't behave, how do you behave?     When God doesn't act, how do you react? 

Circumstances must not determine our faith.  We must not hang our faith on an outcome; however, we must trust God in unanswered prayers.  

We can never earn a miracle, but it is dependent on the mercy of God.

Daniel 3:19-27  (NLT)

19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 

20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 

21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 

22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 

23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 

27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

The heat set them free and God manifested.   It was Jesus who was with them in the fire.

  

4.  God can be trusted.  

God refines us in the test.   Don't say where is God?  He's right there.  

Mike Haman, Healing Place Church