Mental Toughness
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Mental Toughness
Mental Toughness
1 King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet thick. He set it up on the Dura plain in the province of Babylon.
2 He then ordered all the important leaders in the province, everybody who was anybody, to the dedication ceremony of the statue.
3 They all came for the dedication, all the important people, and took their places before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
4 A herald then proclaimed in a loud voice: “Attention, everyone! Every race, color, and creed, listen!
5 When you hear the band strike up—all the trumpets and trombones, the tubas and baritones, the drums and cymbals—fall to your knees and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown immediately into a roaring furnace.”
7 The band started to play, a huge band equipped with all the musical instruments of Babylon, and everyone—every race, color, and creed—fell to their knees and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Just then, some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up and accused the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!
10 You gave strict orders, O king, that when the big band started playing, everyone had to fall to their knees and worship the gold statue,
11 and whoever did not go to their knees and worship it had to be pitched into a roaring furnace.
12 Well, there are some Jews here—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have placed in high positions in the province of Babylon. These men are ignoring you, O king. They don’t respect your gods and they won’t worship the gold statue you set up.”
13 Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in. When the men were brought in,
14 Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up?
15 I’m giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us.
17 If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.
18 But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
19 Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut off Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than usual.
20 He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace.
21 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched into the roaring fire.
22 Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it,
23 while the fire raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
1 King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet thick. He set it up on the Dura plain in the province of Babylon.
2 He then ordered all the important leaders in the province, everybody who was anybody, to the dedication ceremony of the statue.
3 They all came for the dedication, all the important people, and took their places before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
4 A herald then proclaimed in a loud voice: “Attention, everyone! Every race, color, and creed, listen!
5 When you hear the band strike up—all the trumpets and trombones, the tubas and baritones, the drums and cymbals—fall to your knees and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown immediately into a roaring furnace.”
7 The band started to play, a huge band equipped with all the musical instruments of Babylon, and everyone—every race, color, and creed—fell to their knees and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Just then, some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up and accused the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!
10 You gave strict orders, O king, that when the big band started playing, everyone had to fall to their knees and worship the gold statue,
11 and whoever did not go to their knees and worship it had to be pitched into a roaring furnace.
12 Well, there are some Jews here—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have placed in high positions in the province of Babylon. These men are ignoring you, O king. They don’t respect your gods and they won’t worship the gold statue you set up.”
13 Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in. When the men were brought in,
14 Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up?
15 I’m giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us.
17 If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king.
18 But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
19 Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut off Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than usual.
20 He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace.
21 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched into the roaring fire.
22 Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it,
Daniel 3:1-
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
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.
15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.
17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
eph 6:10-18
The Problem:
22 I truly delight in God’s commands,
23 but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Rom 7:22-25
3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
5 He humbles the proud and brings down the arrogant city. He brings it down to the dust.
3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.
4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.
5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.