For years, I struggled with a certain Scripture in the Bible, Matthew 22:14. Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” I didn’t understand it. Why would God call many but only chose a few. It didn’t seem fair. But the Holy Spirit opened my understanding to that verse and gave me a revelation that changed my life.
One day, I was reading Isaiah, and this verse jumped out at me. “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10). What does that mean? The chosen are the ones who are willing to go through the fire. This is why many are called but few are chosen because not everyone is willing to go through trials and tribulations and still cling to their faith in God. But when you are willing to go through the fire and still trust the Lord, God will choose you, anoint you, and promote you.
STAND YOUR GROUND
In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego literally went through the fire for their faith in God. King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall, and he ordered all his officials to bow down and worship the statue. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a blazing furnace. So, at the signal, everyone began bowing, except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These are my kind of guys. They refused to compromise. They were willing to go all the way with God.
King Nebuchadnezzar was enraged, and he told the three men he would give them one more chance. “But if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15). The devil will always try to intimidate you to get you to lower your convictions but stand your ground. My mom used to say if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
TWO SIDES OF FAITH
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t flinch. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king” (Daniel 3:16-17). They were convinced that God was powerful enough to save them from the flames, but they did not stop there. “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:18).
There are two sides of faith. Are you willing to serve God on the mountaintop as well as in the valley? Are you still willing to give him praise whether he delivers you the way you think he should or not? You can’t just trust him when everything is going your way. You have to trust him even when you don’t understand. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).
GOD IS WITH YOU
So, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the gold statue, and King Nebuchadnezzar was so enraged, he commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter and ordered his strongest men in his army to bind the three and cast them into the fire. But the fire was so hot, it killed the soldiers as they threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire. God says, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15).
To the king’s shock, the fire did not kill Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He jumped up with his eyes bugged out like a bullfrog. “Did not we throw three men into the fire?” he asked his advisers. “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25).
Jesus appeared with them in the fire. Glory to God! You may be in the fire right now, but God is with you. He said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).
The Bible says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). Your faith in God does not exempt you from hard times. In fact, you will face many trials because of your faith because the enemy is trying to get you to doubt God. But the devil is a liar. You will pass the test and come out more than a conqueror.
DIVINE PROMOTION
Astonished, Nebuchadnezzar approached the fiery furnace and called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. “Servants of the most high God, come out.” “Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Daniel 3:26-27). The scent of smoke was not even on them! That is how powerful our God is. He will bring you out your trials, and you won’t even have the scent of smoke on you.
King Nebuchadnezzar confessed that their God was the true God and commanded everyone in his kingdom to honor the true God “because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort” (Daniel 3:29). And he promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in his kingdom. After you come out the fire, God will promote you. Because you proved that you would be faithful in both the good and the bad, God can trust you with promotion, and he will elevate you for his glory.
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God Bless,
Pastors Sean & Aimee Pinder
