Faithful In The Flames Of Persecution

Do you sense the persecution is heating up?

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. — Daniel 3:19-23

I doubt that you and I will experience something like this during our lifetime. I could be wrong, but I think there's almost no chance.

Yet, we'll all encounter immensely hot moments in our lives—moments when we feel powerless and overcome by someone who has the upper hand. This could happen on the job, at home, or in the courtroom. It might happen before a boss, a spouse, or a leader. But let’s realize that most of the time, this happens when we've done something wrong.

But that is not the situation here. This fiery test had nothing to do with sin. These men never sin against God. Instead, they stood up for God, which demanded taking a stand against a king who proclaimed to be a god. These men chose to do what was right and righteous and were suffering for it at the hands of a cruel, self-righteous, and angry man.

Now that we might experience.

At some point, every one of us suffers for doing what is right and righteous in this life. We will suffer the fury of our Nebuchadnezzar. At present, this could be happening to you. If so, you shouldn't back down, especially if you have done what is right and have been righteous. Instead, this moment could be your moment. It is a time for increased faith in God, who is taking you to the edge of the flame. It's only here at the edge of the flame that the possibilities of natural solutions are entirely removed. These moments require more faith and more resistance to evil, but in the end, they result in a more glorious and supernatural work of God.

So, if things are heating up in your life right now, hold on in faith longer. Stand up for God and against evil. God might be waiting to provide a supernatural solution revealed through you that turns the powers and people toward him.

God, give those men whose lives are standing at the edge of the flame greater faith. Strengthen the Spirit within them so that they pay attention to every action and every word. May they be right and righteous in every way. In Jesus’s name, amen.