It Is Well with My Soul #490 Part 2

INTRODUCTION:

1. Last week, we talked about the tragedies in the life of Horatio G. Spafford.

A. If the life you had yesterday was gone with no hope of ever getting it back, what would you be left with today?

1. This is the question we ended with last week and the question we will begin with today.

A. “It Is Well with My Soul” was the answer for Spafford.

B. He was left with the confidence that everything was going to be OK and trusted in God that He would take care of him.

2. Spafford knew everything was in the hands of the Master and it was well with his soul.

A. How does this concept apply to the Scriptures?

B. Today, we are going to look at people in the Scriptures who said much the same thing as Spafford: “It Is Well with My Soul.”

BODY:

1. SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO

A. This is much the same as it was for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego when Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to be thrown into the fiery furnace.

Daniel 3:15 NKJV

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

1. The three friends responded to Nebuchadnezzar (paraphrasing), ‘If you throw us into the furnace, “It Is Well with my Soul” because we know God is able to deliver us.’

Daniel 3:16–18 NKJV

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.”

2. DANIEL

A. This is much the same as Daniel’s response to King Darius when he was thrown into the lion’s den.

1. The king’s advisors would plot against Daniel and try to find a charge against him.

Daniel 6:4 NKJV

4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

2. They were unable to find anything to charge Daniel with, so they convinced the king to make a law against prayer.

Daniel 6:5–9 NKJV

5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” 6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

3. Then Daniel went home and prayed, even though he know the law was signed and by doing so, he sent a message to the king and his advisors saying “It Is Well with My Soul.”

Daniel 6:10 NKJV

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

4. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den and he was delivered, because it was well with his soul.

Daniel 6:23 NKJV

23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

3. PETER AND THE APOSTLES

A. This is much the same as when Peter and the apostles were thrown into prison for teaching the Gospel.

1. The apostles were doing the work of the Lord and the Sadducees did not like what they were doing, so they put them in jail.

Acts 5:12–18 NKJV

12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.

2. The Lord would send an angel to set the apostles free and instruct them to go preach the Word.

Acts 5:19–20 NKJV

19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

3. The apostles would leave prison and immediately go preach, standing in the temple, and by doing so, they would proclaim loudly, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

Acts 5:21 NKJV

21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

4. The apostles were strictly commanded not to teach in the name of Jesus but the apostles answered, “We ought to obey God rather than men” and by doing so, would proclaim loudly, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

Acts 5:28–29 NKJV

28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

5. The apostles were beaten, commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released.

Acts 5:40 NKJV

40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

6. The apostles departed from the council, rejoicing that they would be counted worthy to suffer for Christ, and they continued daily teaching in His name.

Acts 5:41–42 NKJV

41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

A. The act of rejoicing in the suffering they endured because of Christ and the act of daily teaching in the temple, even though they knew they were going to be persecuted, showed it was well with their souls to be persecuted for the name of Christ.

CONCLUSION:

1. We sing the song “It Is Well with My Soul” but do we truly understand?

A. If we understand, we should be able to say and mean:

1. “It Is Well with My Soul” to be persecuted and suffer for Christ.

2. “It Is Well with My Soul” to suffer the loss of everything for Christ.

3. “It Is Well with My Soul” to lose my freedom or even to die for Christ.

B. If we understand, we will know that God is in control, no matter what happens to us in this life.

1. The question that you must ask to end this lesson—Is It Well with My Soul?