Walk through fires
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we service is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
I was driving home from a long day at the hospital last night, and somehow, quicker than the snow flurries landed on my windshield, my mind drifted to my problems: Money, bills, children’s heartaches at school, my husband’s recent surgery and his recovery, money to pay the hospital bills that would soon arrive…. I could go on and on. I slapped myself with some faith real quick and started quoting Scripture. I had been quoting a particular verse all day in order to stay focused:
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“I trust you, God, for all of it! You are my provider, my deliver, my Savior, you are a Warrior, my friend, my counselor, my Father. I will not doubt. I believe!”
Then, God impressed upon me the concept of walking through fires. I understood the above story in more depth. We have all said “walk through fires” in some way, shape, or form. I thought about my circumstances and how I am completely unable to deliver myself from them. I don’t have enough money, time, or strength to manage all that is before me. Thinking about my immediate needs and the intense sacrifices my family and I have made, caused me to realize that the intense fire in which I walk feels just as hot and deadly as the fire described in Daniel.
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
And because I know that we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the rulers, authorities and power of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-18), I am reminded that the three men in Danielle were not fighting against the king, but rather, they were standing up against the evil that sought to make them silent by destroying them. They knew that they weren’t fighting against the king; rather, they were fighting for the Kingdom of Christ. They knew God could deliver them, and they refused to give into the heat they were facing. As a result, they were actually thrown into it!
I am also reminded that right before a victorious battle is won, the enemy will attempt to bind us with his most powerful soldiers – by orchestrating seemingly helpless circumstances, and the heat of the fire will be turned up 7-700 times! If we are willing to be thrown into it for the sake of the Kingdom, knowing that even if we are physically singed within it, God can and will break the ropes and chains that bind us in the physical realm while simultaneously delivering us physically and spiritually! And when His servants are willing to sacrifice it all, He gives them back everything that was lost – and then some!
Let us not be surprised when things are bad and they get worse. Let us not be discouraged because of the intense heat of the fire. Rather, let us celebrate, praise, persevere and trust God to help us walk through that fire, knowing sure well that He is in it with us, and that He will deliver us from it – unsigned!
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a song of the gods.”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the straps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair on their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
When the crowd crowds around you after victory has been achieved and/or success has been granted, be sure to point them to your provider, deliverer, Savior, Warrior, friend, counselor, and Father and likewise encourage them to walk through fires and believe!
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
Originally published Tuesday, 23 June 2020.
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