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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Cold Shower | First - Talk myself into it | Now | Just step in… Why? Because it’s not forced behaviour, It’s who I am.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Tempted - You know you shouldn’t but when faced - You just try and resist. Much like trying to force yourself into a cold shower.
What if you didn’t need to fight the temptation anymore?
That’s on table today - that level of Freedom.
Title: It’s not about the Do, it’s about the WHO.
My Hope: This will lead you to have a desire to truly Embrace the character of God
*Pray*
Series | Embrace | Start with end in mind.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Came from Deep Exp David had | Speaking about what happens when Exp come against Character of God.
Week 1 = Fear. Week 2 = Battle.
This series - God asking us to Embrace Him - but also His Calling | Don’t let Fear, Battles - Temptations get in way of God working through you.
Today = Temptation - But take step back see what we are doing before tempted - To prevent being Lured.
Where we going? Popular Story - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Tossed into Furnace - How did they surrender? What is God trying to Teach us?
Start = Daniel 3 - Context - Jeruselum been conquered - Strongest taken to Babylon - Daniel amonst them - King at time = Nebachanezzar (Nebby) - Built Giant Gold Statue (90 ft)
What did he do? Made decree - When you hear Music = Worship Statue;
And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”
What happened? Some ppl came to king = Oi Great king, Live forever - Remember decree - There are certain Jews not following it - Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo = they where bought to king.
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
Gives a warning;
Daniel 3:15 b(ESV)
if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Mat - Where temptation? Important = Tempted to forskae their God.
Look around - world wants you to forsake your God - Compromise here, compromise there - This real battle.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
notice 2 things Here;
1. They knew who they where; Servants of God.
2. They knew who their God was - ABLE.
These are our 2 big questions today - Do you know who YOU are in Christ and who your GOD Is.
Then notice the text - If NOT, They will NEVER - Why?
because they are not trying to serve God - They are SERVANTS OF GOD.
When your identity is clear, your decisions are easy.
can’t cheat - I AM Faithful Husband. Why are you pastor? Because I AM SERVANT.
Enemy = try and put old identity on you - comes out like this;
I’m trying to quit smoking. 30 days since drink. I am a failure.
However, God calls you Forgiven…redeemed.
When your identity is clear, your decisions are easy.
Let’s keep reading.
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.
Their enemies bound them. I wonder if the Enemy has bound you?
Danny - Bound with Rope - Get Danny to hold rope (Sometimes, Bound requires your participation) - Hold Still.
So what do you do? You do what Shadrack, Meshak and Abendnego did
Embrace the Almighty - Surrender the Outcome.
Can;t untie yourself | drop to knees | Pray
They burned - the end - Kidding - Never end with God
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
Could you imagine, being thrown into furnace.
Yet in this place - Ropes broken - require fire to brake bonds? No- but it does require wholehearted surrender and embrace to almighty God - to Narrow Gate;
Jesus;
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Shadrack, Meshak and Abendigo’s obedience to God because of who He is and who they where, allowed them to surrender, regardless of the outcome.
Embrace the Almighty - Surrender the Outcome.
What are we learning - Shadrack, Meshak and Abendigo’s faith, was not built in the fire.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
1. They knew who they where; Servants of God.
2. They knew who their God was - ABLE.
So they where able to ACT when God called for their OBEDIENCE Regardless of the Circumstance.
Here’s the point;
Their Circumstance did not change their commitment because they knew the character of God.
I wonder, What is your Firey Furnace? Golden Statue? Intimidation to your faith? To your Calling?
At some point, you going to be tempted to embrace the World or Embrace God.
Wouldn’t it be great, if we embraced our God and His Calling above everything else, regardless of circumstance?
What sort of Church would we have? Mission? Life? Revival?
Application
Application
So how do we get there?
How do we get to a point where we see golden statue but don’t bow - See firey furnace and if that’s the call, to step into it?
Choose to Embrace all of Jesus, all of the time.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Abide in Him | Morning | Evening | This is not “Pray more” this is “Hand everything over” = Devoted.
2.Be Prepared to be Led.
We have something Shadrack, Meshak and Abendigo Didn’t have - The Holy Spirit in us
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Don’t focus on changing Behaviour - Focus on being Led by the HS.
In bush in brothers car - follow me - Yeah I know - He gets increasingly annoyed - Turned out I didn’t know - Very lost.
Flesh can’t lead you where it’s never been.
The Holy Spirit leads you into PEACE!
3. Embrace who you are in Christ because of who God is
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Have you embraced that Yaweh, God Almighty, is our Perfect, Heavenly Father who cares for His Children?
1, 2, 3.
Close inspo;
Close inspo;
God saw ultimate furnace - And sent Jesus down into it, to untie all the bondage from you.
Went to a Cross | 1st day - Nothing - 2nd day - Hope was fading but on the 3rd day - Defeated death - and because of that
Gates of Hell will not Prevail - Doesn’t matter how dark out there- We have already won.
So when Firey Furnace comes - When den of lion comes - When golden statue looks great - don’t be tempted to get off the narrow path.
I will stand firm for My God why?
Because I’m not trying to be obedient to my God - I AM Obedient to MY God - My God is Good | Redeemer | Provider | Protector and I AM LOVED
I know who I am = Servant of Jesus
I know who my God is = ABLE.
So;
My Circumstance will not change my commitment because I know the character of God.
I am a Child of God who has been set free from the bonds of death
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
When your identity is clear, your decisions are easy.
But Faith is built outside the fire by embracing Almighty.
So that you may praise Him and Worship Him with your entire lives…