Introduction: Sometimes believers are moved by their past
and wretched situations that the flesh is always dominating their lives even
when the spirit pushes them to worship the true God. At times our poverty, our
sickness, our difficulties become too important to us that we lose focus on
God. This is just proof of a deprived mind.
In chapter 2 of Daniel, Daniel interpreted King
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and indicated that the King was the head of gold. King
Nebuchadnezzar bowed down and worshiped Daniel when his dream was interpreted. I
think Nebuchadnezzar conceived the idea of this image from his dream in chap 2
and as he fell down before Daniel, he surely thought the people will do same to
his image of gold. He wanted the people to focus on worship but his pagan mind
moved him to a wrong direction.
There are many people like this in the church who want to
worship God but because of their deadness to tradition and the flesh they tend
to always steal God’s glory. They think they are doing the right thing but they
are lost, they are not true worshipers. They are like Nebuchadnezzar. The
question we are asking is which God will deliver you? Your past maybe a
stumbling block to your future prosperity.
a)
Unresolved past will meet you again
There are certain habits that continue to destroy your Christian
life because you did not solve it for ones when you received Jesus Christ. You
cannot escape your problems. You have to solve the problems else you’ll meet
them again on your way.
There are many who after receiving Christ say yes I abandon
fornication, I abandon stealing, I abandon lies telling, witchcraft,
corruption, negligence etc but they have done nothing to make their old friends
know about their stand. Yes you no longer fornicate but that your lustful
partner does not know that you are now a child of God. Those your stealing
friends do not know that you have changed. When they will meet you again, you’ll
have to encounter them again.
Verse 8 of our text says certain Chaldeans came and accused
the Jews. These are the priestly group of religious leaders who were previously
spared from death by Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chap
2. They now seek accusations against Daniel’s friends in order to kill them.
They told the king that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have refused to bow down
before the golden image the King made.
The Bible says Nebuchadnezzar was in rage and fury that 3
friends of Daniel had challenged his orders.
b)
True worshipers challenge worldly
orders (vs 13_14)
The three young men were determined to stay in faith. They
were ready to bear the consequences. We are called to carry our cross when we
follow Christ. The apostles did the same, they were never afraid of death or
beatings or what so ever because they knew the God they served. Acts 4:28,29 tells us how the disciples
prayed to be bold even to death. Though Peter and John manifested great
boldness, they and the disciples asked God to grant them more boldness to
proclaim the gospel in hostile conditions.
Nebuchadnezzar asked the three Jews, is it true you do not
serve my gods, nor worship the golden image I made? If you are ready, just bow
down and worship when you hear the sound of the harp or music and that will be
well for you. But if you do not, If you do not, I will through you into the
furnace of fire.
c) Worshipers carry their cross vs 15
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were threatened to death,
just because of their worship to God. Are you threatened by your family, your
friends or at work because of your Christian life? Nebuchadnezzar made a fire
to consume those who refused to worship his golden image. Can you understand?
He made a Hell to consume those who were rebellious. If that were today, I’m
sure many people sitting here today will go and bow down to that image because
they do not want to die, not even by fire. Many Christians today say “Suffering
is not my portion”. That is not a true follower of Jesus. He says you
must carry your cross and follow Him. I now see why many Christians are running
from one prophecy to another. Others are running from one “ngambee” man to another for charms to make business, for
protection etc. Some for their healing and they say that it’s God’s way or plan
for their life. Never, that is your way not God’s.
What is the Hell you are going through now? Is it sickness,
poverty, marriage, bareness or what? Are you asked to worship another God in
order to pass through these difficulties? Are you asked to do things that your
spirit is telling you don’t? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced Hell in their
lives but they were delivered because of their faith.
d)
Who is that God who will deliver you?
Vs 15-17
Maybe Satan, or friends or coworkers are asking you this question
in your difficulties? God always uses
the wickedness of the wicked to accomplish his purpose. It happened to our Lord
Jesus Act 4:28. God uses Satan’s
work to work against Satan. Because of this work of God, all things are working
together for the good of the salvation of men (Rom 8:28)
The young men said to Nebuchadnezzar “We do not need to give you an answer about this”. They had already
determined their response and answer to any threats. They trusted in God for
their deliverance. If God did not deliver them, they will still not submit to
false gods.
e)
The son of God, Jesus is the one who
will deliver you.
When the three Jews refused to worship the image of the
King, he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times more and commanded mighty
men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to cast them in to
the burning furnace.
In his mind he was sending them to Hell, the Bible says the
heat was too much so that it consumed the soldiers who went to throw Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego. I tell you, your enemies will not find you if you remain
in Christ.
Looking in the furnace, the King saw four men unbound
instead of the three who were bound. He says “behold, I see four men loose and walking in the midst of the fire. And
they are not harmed. And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
Verse 25 King Nebuchadnezzar confessed that he saw the son of God. Jesus came
to the fire and protected the three men in their Hell and the Bible says when
they came out, they were not smelling smoke, they had no wound, they were fresh
as from an air conditioned room because Jesus was with them.
You can also receive your own miracle today because Jesus is
still alive. He came, was crucified on the cross for your sins. The Bible says
in Isaiah 53:5 that by His stripes, by His wounds we are healed. Your healing
was initiated more than 2000 years ago. Your deliverance has not started today,
but Christ paid for it since. You just have to accept this gift from Him and it
will be yours. Jesus was raised from the death for you to live a free and
Christ-centered life.
Why are you still facing Hell in your life when you have
been freed? If you want to experience what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
experienced today in your life, just surrender your life to Jesus. I’m not
making a campaign for Jesus, He does not need a campaign. I’m not begging
people to Jesus either. I’m not manipulating people to Him. If you are not sure
you truly received Jesus Christ and you want to receive Him today as your
personal Lord and savior, raise your hand up and we’ll pray together. The same
Jesus who was raised to life and ascended to heaven is coming but to judge this
time. I do not care what people think but I care about what God thinks. Raise
your right hand if you want to surrender your life to Christ. You want to be delivered
from the power of sin, from your sickness, from your difficulties? You first
need Jesus. No amount of prayer will help you if you do not have Jesus in your
life.
If you are not sure Jesus can save you, put down your hand. We
are neither playing with God nor begging people to Christ. But if you are sure
Jesus will save you, keep your right hand high up and we’ll pray together. You’ll
repeat after me as we pray
“Lord Jesus. I recognize
that I’m a sinner. I acknowledge that I’m worthless and dead in sin. I believe
that you came and died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, come into my life and
take control over my life. Be my master. Lord Jesus, heal my soul and my body
and give me peace and freedom. Thank you Jesus”
No comments:
Post a Comment