When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you. Is:43:2
Your current situation may seem like as if you are going through fire, worse than you have ever faced before. You may feel like your dreams, ambitions, hard work, success, relationships are all burned up and turned to ashes. You might be just giving up saying this is too much for me to handle. I cannot trust GOD any more and I am not going to rely on HIS Word.
I would like to encourage you, don’t give up yet!
The GOD we serve is so faithful that according to HIS promise in Isaiah:43:2 , “When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,Nor shall the flame scorch you.” He says HE is with you no matter what.
This reminds me of the 3 champions in the Bible- Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who never gave up their faith in GOD even when they were about to be thrown into the fire, they challenged the King.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If 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. 18 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.” Dan:3:16-18
The zeal they had for GOD even when threatened to be thrown into fire is absolutely mind blowing. How may times do we lose our faith when confronted with trials and failures in life? Do we hold on to GOD knowing HE is with us in the fire or do we panic and easily give up?
Do we stand for JESUS when our faith/religion is put to test or do we easily compromise?
It is good to analyse our lives today, seeing where we actually stand. For some of us, its a matter of faith and trust but for others it can be a time of refining.
GOD Himself says that HE refines us for HIS Glory.
I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering. Is:48:10
But why does GOD refine us? See the below verse,
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. I Pet: 1: 7
Our beautiful hope remains that we are not alone and that JESUS is with us. I would like to conclude with verse 6 from the same chapter.
So be truly glad.There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. I Pet:1:6
We serve a faithful GOD who will never abandon us. Be encouraged that no matter how many times your furnace is hotter than others, the GOD of the Universe is with you and that you will come out victorious without your clothing scorched or the smell of the smoke.
Hallelujah!!!There is a wonderful joy and crown for each one of us!
Have a joyful day!!!
[Verses to Meditate]
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.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of 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! Dan:3:19,24-27
Spiritual Nuggets 4 U 