Where Do You Stand?

Happy New Week everyone,

The word of scriptures really is a tonic one needs to take before leaving the house each morning. I just went through Daniel chapter 3 and was wowed, even though I’ve known this story since childhood. But the word was renewed again when I went through it. And remember nothing in the scripture is fictional, they all happened real life, so it is left for your imagination to take place while going through the scripture.

My focus today is on Daniel 3, the story of the three Hebrews boys—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, popularly known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, about the time they were thrown into the fire, over the refusal to bow down to the golden image. Let me show what got me wowed.

Let’s look at Daniel 3:16-18. Before this verse, it had come to the notice of King Nebuchadnezzar that these three Hebrew boys refused to bow down to the golden image which the King had commanded everyone to bow to the moment they hear the musical instrument, and if anyone object, that person or persons would be thrown into the furnace of fire. That alone is enough for everyone to comply, but these three Hebrew boys refused to bow to the golden image, and were brought to the King because of their disobedience. The king said he would throw them into the furnace and challenged whatever god would save them.

And this is where Daniel 3:16-18 come in: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ₁₇If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” Now, this is the area where I was astounded, verse 18, which says, “But if not, let it be known to you, O king that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Now, how many of you remember the Hebrews were captives in the kingdom of Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar is king? So, to have such audacity would only mean one thing, which is that they know their God, who is God Almighty. No one can have such confidence without placing confidence in a thing or a person.

Why this was astounding was that these were Hebrew boys who were captured along with fellow Hebrews like themselves, who had bowed down, and probably insulting them for their foolish act of standing because they trust in God. And the other astounding thing is that they were living in the old covenant and could be this courageous, how much those in the new covenant, where we are the temple of the Holy Spirit where He dwells, and we have the fullness of Christ in us? This is because their confidence did not fail as God rescued them from the fiery furnace. Then what is that health challenge that we cry about; or what is that financial issue that we grumble over, or whatever problem that we face that is greater than our God?

And don’t get this wrong, God wasn’t dwelling in them then. But He lives in us now under the new covenant. He has erased every form of infirmity and disease for our sake, and we still believe the nonsense report of the doctor over what Jesus has done for us.

The fiery furnace was real, so was God, but one had authority over the other. Likewise, the doctor’s report is real, so it the word of God. Unless you know and recognise who is in charge, then you would bow to the wrong authority. This was what Jesus prayed for in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” You need to know God/Jesus Christ, know that when He said all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, He wasn’t joking. If we don’t get this, then the devil would continue to deceive us, and we would continue to pray for what has already been answered. So, where do you stand?

May the LORD bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you. May the LORD be gracious to you and lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. AMEN.

                    

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

                                          

Log on next time.

For prayers and comments, send them to the comment section below.

GOD BLESS YOU.

PLEASE LIKE AND FOLLOW MY BLOG

Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are gotten from New King James Version (NKJV)