How to Stand Firm in a Bow Down World

We don’t face the choice too much… on the low end, you might wonder if you should pray over your food. On the high end, you might be ridiculed at work, etc. You may one day choose to deny Christ or die.

D Bonhoffer - Nazi Germany. Many Christians turned their back. he stepped off the stage from preaching and was hanged. He stated that his old life was ending and his new life was beginning. Tell my family that

MLK - faith was driving him to oppose justice. He stood for something our God stands for.

We need to have that kind of courage in our faith.

Stand Firm

Daniel 3:1–7 NIV

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

image - Word used a lot. Also a sound was used a lot. Images and sounds are cultures way to get you to serve it and not God. Always guard what you see and what you hear. I know this movie mocks God, but it’s just a movie. I know this song mocks God, but it’s just a song.

Daniel 3:12 NIV

12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Toxic Culture - we no longer disagree with each other, we hate each other. This has to change if we are going to remain a great nation.

Daniel 3:13–14 NIV

13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?

Daniel 3:15 The Living Bible

15 I’ll give you one more chance. When the music plays, if you fall down and worship the statue, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown into a flaming furnace within the hour. And what god can deliver you out of my hands then?”

Preparing you - You may be faced with a situation where you may be asked to do something you do not want to do. You may not know what to do. If you refuse, you may lose a job. We can become intimidated … we forget about greater is he that’s in me...

Here is how we stand… next week we will talk about how to love.

Standing firm takes courage.

courage - something in your heart. It’s not not being afraid. You may still be afraid, but you will not bow to that fear.

Daniel 3:16 The Living Bible

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not worried about what will happen to us.

Listen, they were afraid, but they stood.

You will be in situations that will take courage to stand firm when the culture is saying, no… you need to do this...

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is standing from in spite of my fear.

When you stand firm in the face of fear, great things will happen.

Standing firm takes faith.

Faith that God is on your side… will deliver you… will help you. You are not alone.

Daniel 3:17–18 The Living Bible

17 If we are thrown into the flaming furnace, our God is able to deliver us; and he will deliver us out of your hand, Your Majesty. 18 But if he doesn’t, please understand, sir, that even then we will never under any circumstance serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have erected.”

They had a faith that if they were thrown into the furnace, God would deliver them. If he doesn’t, the will be with God. Our God will deliver us from every attack and bring us safely to our heavenly destination. These guys were in a win - win situation. So are we.

If we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything.

Daniel 3:19–25 The Living Bible

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and his face became dark with anger at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that the furnace be heated up seven times hotter than usual, 20 and called for some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and throw them into the fire. 21 So they bound them tight with ropes and threw them into the furnace, fully clothed. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw them in! 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell down bound into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men into the furnace?” “Yes,” they said, “we did indeed, Your Majesty.” 25 “Well, look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire, and they aren’t even hurt by the flames! And the fourth looks like a god!”

Daniel 3:26–27 The Living Bible

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the open door of the flaming furnace and yelled: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God! Come out! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the princes, governors, captains, and counselors crowded around them and saw that the fire hadn’t touched them—not a hair of their heads was singed; their coats were unscorched, and they didn’t even smell of smoke!

When you need to take a stand against the culture, you don’t have to be out of the culture, you can be right in the middle of it.

God will rescue you out of culture. These guys didn’t even smell like smoke.

Standing firm inspires others.

You think they will hate you for standing from… they will love you for it.

ie: Pray for your kids before they go to school. They will faint, but they will appreciate it.

Daniel 3:28–30 NLT

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

God has called us to be a voice in our culture for God

Feed Hungry … Clothe people… comfort those who are down and out…

Be a voice, not an echo.

We do not stand against culture, we stand for something… God.

We need to give people something to live for, not to be against. Direct the energy that’s going to bad things, towards good things.

Living a Stand-up Life on a Bow-down Culture

1. Stand in prayer.

Prayer is not passive… it doesn’t have to be quiet… we need to be noisy prayers.

Ephesians 6:11 NLT

11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Ephesians 6:13–14 NLT

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

We need to pray.

2. Stand for my purpose.

All of hell will try to keep you from doing what God wants you to do. You might think, you are not worthy… join the crowd. I had a bad week… join the crowd.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

3. Stand for God.

Why? He stood for you. He put his life, career, reputation on the line for you.

Matthew 10:32 The Message

32 “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven.

Colossians 3:1 NLT

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

Acts 7:55–56 NLT

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

Jesus was standing at the right hand of the Father.

When I stand, Jesus stands with me.

Altar

Pray for courage… grace… faith… passion of the heart to stand for you.

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