Worship
“Another in the Fire” by Hillsong UNITED
Scripture
“Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 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. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.” -Daniel 3:19-23 (ESV)
Standing Firm in Babylon
For weeks I have had this story on my mind. Partly because I love every mention of fire in Scripture, but also because I believe this is a NOW word for us.
Mighty weapons are being forged right now in the fire of refinement!
In fact, these aren’t just ordinary weapons; these ones are being fashioned in the hand of God, with the very breath of God. They will demolish strongholds of every kind. They will set captives free. They will be crafted in the secret place with Jesus. They will carry the plans of Heaven to be released on the Earth with a new song in their mouths and their hands trained for battle. It may feel seven times hotter, but seven is a biblical number of completion. With all my heart, I believe Jesus is finishing what He began in you!
Three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were positioned front and center in the culture of Babylon, a culture of self-indulgence, secularism, and self-worship. These men chose again and again not to be defiled but to remain outside of what would not be popular by the vast majority. With every test came a more resolute conviction to be set apart. Then came the ultimate test: the fiery furnace. All eyes on them, they determined they would not bow to the king’s idol. They would not bend a knee to anything or anyone other than God Himself. And before they were bound and thrown, they declared to the king, “‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up (Daniel 3:16-18).’”
Jesus came and stood with them, like He always does. He showed up in the middle of the fire.
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged this when he said, “‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods (Daniel 3:25).”
Jesus stood right in the middle of the fire as these three weapons, cupped in the hand of the Most High God, were being forged. Two glorious moments in this story: when Jesus came to encounter these three guys and how they left the trial, unbound and unharmed, not even smelling like smoke. “They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them (Daniel 3: 27).”
Our guys aren’t mentioned in the book of Daniel after this moment. But Jesus never stops showing up again and again through every story of Scripture, with His presence and power moving from before creation through all of eternity. He brings deliverance and victory and redemption to every believer of Christ and to every act of the enemy, who tries to steal, kill, and destroy the people of God.
I need you to hear these words: If God is for you, who can be against you (Romans 8:31)?
The Bride is being forged in the fire of purity and refinement, and she will come forth as gold. She will not smell like smoke nor will her gown be singed. She will come forth radiant, purified, and ablaze with the glory of God.
Forged for Purpose
“Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” -Isaiah 54:16-17 (ESV)
I would like to interject a new idea as it pertains to this Scripture in Isaiah and our three fearless guys in Daniel. I have researched and researched if the blacksmith and the destroyer are the same person. Nothing I have read confirms this connection, which leads me to this conclusion: God uses anything to make US a weapon in His hand, fit for His purposes. If we read Scripture through the lens of spiritual warfare and we know we have been commissioned to invade the kingdom of darkness and storm the gates of Hell, don’t you think we would be fashioned to not only carry the sword of the Spirit but to be a sword in this hour by the power of His Spirit? Perhaps in a counter move of what the enemy is forging for our demise, God is forging a weapon IN US for the victory, deliverance, and redemption of families, cities, and nations. I would like to think that as much as Paul told Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of the Spirit (2 Timothy 1:6)” that God is breathing His breath on the coals of our lives to bring forth something glorious for His name’s sake that has VICTORY written all over it.
There are certain things that can only come forth through fire for the people of God—to be made like gold and to be made into a weapon to partner with God’s purposes. Both are precious to the Lord. When the hand of God brings you through a fire, you better believe it’s for ultimate redemption and victory! What weapon would God forge that wouldn’t be destined for victory? What person who is purified and comes forth as gold would not have the costliest testimony of redemption? This was Job’s testimony after all his trials by fire!
The Process of Refinement
“‘But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].’”
-Job 23:10, AMP
Not one ounce of what you have endured will be wasted. Not one tear that has fallen in any season—past, present, or future—will fall unredeemed. There is nothing that withholds the victory of Jesus, in the life of a believer surrendered to His purposes. You are coming forth as gold, dear sister. Everything that needs to be purified and made spotless will be made so on the basis of love. And as much as you smell the smoke of fiery trials, your fragrance will not be smoke. You will come through with a testimony of His goodness and power that will be celebrated for all of eternity. Jesus puts His name on our trials because He places His name on us. Our conquering King puts His banner over us, His banner of love. He writes “overcomer,” “victorious,” and “free” on you!
“Harvest is coming. A mighty outpouring is coming, but first the cleansing must come. The Lord is already moving, revival fires are burning in different places, the Spirit of God is beginning to move, but this is a very somber moment in the body of Christ, right now. The degree to which we embrace the cleansing and purging upon the Church will be the degree to which we run with Him in what He is going to do in the earth. That is not the Lord dictating who will run with Him and who won’t; He wants all to run with Him. It’s dependent upon how much we embrace the fire of cleansing and purification that He is bringing. Embracing the purging, embracing His fire and His correction brings us deeper into intimacy with Jesus. It’s a personal revival that’s upon those who embrace what He is doing to cause a deeper yielding and devotion to Jesus. To be all consumed, overcome, and in love with Him at a level never walked in before.”
-Lana Vawser, “I Hear The Lord Say New Era”
A Prayer for Those in the Fire
Lord, I pray for those reading these words today, that both perspective and hope come forth in their spirits. You are doing something miraculous in this furnace that’s been turned up to seven time hotter. You will finish what You have begun in each of our lives; this is what You promised. So, I pray that You would anchor those who find themselves in the fiery furnace, in the greatest encounter of love they have ever known. Purify us, Your Bride, to be ready and dressed for the coming days. Make us weapons for your purposes, Jesus, as we partner with You in this new era. I pray that these women reading this would carry new gifts of healing and deliverance. I pray that these ones would walk about in joy and excitement because these are the most exciting days to be alive in all of history! Sustain them by Your goodness and abundance, in Jesus’ name!
