27(Daniel 03) Courage to Face Life's Bullies
I. Background
A. They are given a second chance to bow (15)
B. “Who is the God that can deliver you out of my hand?”
C. No second chance needed (16)
D. By this time many would have found a just reason to bow to the image
§ “God, you know it’s not really in my heart to do this, it’s only because I have to.”
§ “God knows I have no choice.”
This is a great demonstration of courageous faith. In it we find five principles.
II. Five Principles of Courageous Faith
A. It cannot be threatened & does not give in to pressure. (16- “We have no need to answer you…”)
§ We need a faith that cannot be threatened or intimated by the world
§ The king was trying to scare them, intimidate them.
§ This is the same spirit of fear and intimidation Goliath tried to put on David; Sennacherib (king of Assyria) tried to put on Hezekiah
§ God has given us victory over this spirit – “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.”
§ Our young people need a faith that does not bow to the pressures around them.
§ Adults need a faith that will cause them to stand for Jesus on the job, in public.
B. It will stand up and face the consequences. (17-“If that is the case…”)
§ You have the power to cast us into the furnace
§ Our faith needs to face the reality that we may go through the fire.
§ Many preachers today want to convince us that nothing bad will ever happen to us.
§ Many people walk around with their head in the sand believing nothing bad will ever come – when it does their faith isn’t strong enough to overcome it.
§ Satan was able to afflict Job; these men were cast into the fire – we must face reality: bad things will come our way.
§ It takes a stronger faith to go through the fire and stand strong for God than it does to escape it altogether – many people today have it turned around the other way.
C. It is subject only to the will of God. (17b- “…God whom we serve is able to deliver us…”)
§ Notice the use of the word ABLE – it means “He has the power, He can do it”
§ People don’t like to use the words “God Can” because it sounds doubtful, unbelieving, or weak.
§ Our lives are always subject to the divine will of God –
· Tow pastors in a third world country are threatened with their lives: one dies, the other survives. Why?
· Two Christian people are in two separate car accidents: one is killed, the other lives. Why?
· Two Christian people are diagnosed with cancer: one dies, the other survives. Why?
§ The outcome of everything in our lives is subject to the divine will of God.
§ These three men know God was able to and we need a faith that knows God is able
· But also realizes that our life is subject to God’s divine will and we leave all in His hands.
· That takes faith.
D. It is confident that God will deliver from the enemy’s hand. (17c- “He will deliver us from your hand”)
§ There is a difference between the furnace and the hand of the enemy
§ They first said “God is Able” and then said “God will”.
§ They had resolved that if God’s will took them into the furnace, He could deliver them.
§ There is a faith that gives sweet assurance that we will be delivered from the hand of the enemy.
§ Phil. 1:20-21 “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
§ Regardless of what life brings our way we are always victorious over Satan, more than conquerors.
E. It remains committed regardless of the outcome. (18- “But if not”)
§ There are many people who put conditions on God
· “I’ll serve you if…, I’ll follow you if…, I’ll live for you if…”
§ “But if Not” faith says “I’ll serve you regardless…, I’ll follow you regardless…, I’ll live for you regardless”
§ It takes a strong faith to say “But if not…”
§ It takes complete trust and security in God.