“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
I want to encourage someone reading this who is in the fire of many trials. Don’t despise this season. It will only be for a little while. There is wonderful joy ahead if you do not give up. Don’t be afraid. Our Lord is with you every step of the way. He has not left you alone, I promise. The fire is just a test. It is meant to refine you. When you come out of this you will not even smell of smoke. Just stay close to Him in the fire.
Recently I was reading the story again in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue. Right before they were thrown into the fiery furnace the king had them bound up. I received a revelation that sometimes right before some of us go into the fire we are all bound up by something. Maybe it is hidden sin, unforgiveness, unsurrendered areas of our lives, bitterness, anger, hopelessness, or maybe slavery to debt. Whatever it is that has us bound wants us to bow down, surrender, and worship it. In some cases we have given in and these strongholds have become our little gods that we are serving, whether we realize it or not. (Daniel 3:16-23)
Now the king had them thrown into the blazing fire and to his surprise instead of hearing screaming and tormenting agony he looks in and sees FOUR men, UNBOUND, walking around in the fire unharmed and the fourth man looked like a god. (Daniel 3:24-25)
We may often times go into the fire bound but praise God it is the refining and purifying fire that burns off whatever has us bound up. While in the fire is when we learn to draw closest to the Lord for comfort and strength. Then we begin to see what really matters the most in our lives. Those hindrances that had us captive are not what we want to be bound to any more so off in the far they go.
The fire is meant to make us stronger and to build up our faith. Just the other night I was lying down to rest for the evening and I turned the station to TBN. There was man singing and he said, “If I didn’t have a problem I would not know that God could solve them”. No one likes to be in the fire, but we don’t have to despise these seasons. They are opportunities for us to see God’s faithfulness. In the fire we see our Lord’s protective power and His miraculous provisions. Going into the fire allows us and others to see God’s goodness.
Now back to the story of the three young men. The king was amazed! He shouted to the men in the fire, “Servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Everyone there saw that the fire had not harmed them. Not a hair on their heads were singed, and their clothing were not even scorched. In fact they didn’t even smell of smoke! The king made a decree forbidding anyone to talk against their God and he confessed that there is no other god who can rescue like this. Then the king promoted them to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:26-30)
Not only does our faith get built up in the fire but our trials can become a testimony to others as well of God’s faithfulness. When they see how we allow the fire to refine and make us stronger they will rejoice and put their faith in God too. They will have hope when they are going through the fire also.
The last point I want to make is that sometimes we have to go through the fire before our Lord promotes us to higher positions. To whom much us given much is expected and we are given responsibility based on our abilities. Through the fire we learn endurance, patience, longsuffering, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. If we are going to be used by God we have to go through the refining and purifying fire, so don’t despise this season.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4
Be blessed brothers and sisters…
I want to encourage someone reading this who is in the fire of many trials. Don’t despise this season. It will only be for a little while. There is wonderful joy ahead if you do not give up. Don’t be afraid. Our Lord is with you every step of the way. He has not left you alone, I promise. The fire is just a test. It is meant to refine you. When you come out of this you will not even smell of smoke. Just stay close to Him in the fire.
Recently I was reading the story again in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were thrown into a blazing furnace because they refused to worship king Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue. Right before they were thrown into the fiery furnace the king had them bound up. I received a revelation that sometimes right before some of us go into the fire we are all bound up by something. Maybe it is hidden sin, unforgiveness, unsurrendered areas of our lives, bitterness, anger, hopelessness, or maybe slavery to debt. Whatever it is that has us bound wants us to bow down, surrender, and worship it. In some cases we have given in and these strongholds have become our little gods that we are serving, whether we realize it or not. (Daniel 3:16-23)
Now the king had them thrown into the blazing fire and to his surprise instead of hearing screaming and tormenting agony he looks in and sees FOUR men, UNBOUND, walking around in the fire unharmed and the fourth man looked like a god. (Daniel 3:24-25)
We may often times go into the fire bound but praise God it is the refining and purifying fire that burns off whatever has us bound up. While in the fire is when we learn to draw closest to the Lord for comfort and strength. Then we begin to see what really matters the most in our lives. Those hindrances that had us captive are not what we want to be bound to any more so off in the far they go.
The fire is meant to make us stronger and to build up our faith. Just the other night I was lying down to rest for the evening and I turned the station to TBN. There was man singing and he said, “If I didn’t have a problem I would not know that God could solve them”. No one likes to be in the fire, but we don’t have to despise these seasons. They are opportunities for us to see God’s faithfulness. In the fire we see our Lord’s protective power and His miraculous provisions. Going into the fire allows us and others to see God’s goodness.
Now back to the story of the three young men. The king was amazed! He shouted to the men in the fire, “Servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Everyone there saw that the fire had not harmed them. Not a hair on their heads were singed, and their clothing were not even scorched. In fact they didn’t even smell of smoke! The king made a decree forbidding anyone to talk against their God and he confessed that there is no other god who can rescue like this. Then the king promoted them to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:26-30)Not only does our faith get built up in the fire but our trials can become a testimony to others as well of God’s faithfulness. When they see how we allow the fire to refine and make us stronger they will rejoice and put their faith in God too. They will have hope when they are going through the fire also.
The last point I want to make is that sometimes we have to go through the fire before our Lord promotes us to higher positions. To whom much us given much is expected and we are given responsibility based on our abilities. Through the fire we learn endurance, patience, longsuffering, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. If we are going to be used by God we have to go through the refining and purifying fire, so don’t despise this season.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4
Be blessed brothers and sisters…
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2 comments:
What a wonderful word for today. Last night we had a family emergency and I told my beautiful wife that this is only going to draw the person closer to God and reading this is only confirmation. That person is going togo through a season, but it is only that a season and the Lord will transform, renew and bring home a new person.
During this time we need to really focus on this word and understand that His word does not return void.
In Jesus Name AMEN
THANK YOU JESUS!!!
It's That Time
Well thank God we have the Holy Spirit that leads us into truth about our actions and attitudes. I am happy that He is not finished with us and that He who began a good work in us will complete it. May the Lord help us to see when our attitudes and zeal are not being lead by His Spirit. Lord fill us with your love the edifies and encourages others.
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