Sometimes God doesn’t prevent the fires in our lives that threaten us. Oh how we wish he would just put them out, and sometimes he does … but sometimes he doesn’t. We’re talking about the times he doesn’t. The times when bad things happen. The times when it’s unfair. The times when God doesn’t deliver us from it, but he sustains us in it.

The truth is, God can prevent the fire or he can provide for us in the fire. I prefer the times he prevents, but we come out better when he doesn’t.

In yesterday’s devotional, we began the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These were the 3 young men in Babylon who refused to bow down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue. The punishment for refusing the King’s command was to be thrown into a blazing furnace, but they would not compromise. They said to the King in Daniel 3: 16-18, “We do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is ABLE to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

We are to never doubt God’s ability, but also don’t assume to know God’s will. I know what I hope God will do with this fire, but faith requires me to trust him even if he doesn’t do what I want. Even if my desires don’t align with his plans, I will trust in him. Does that mean we know for sure the fire won’t touch us or our family, that we won’t be burned, that we won’t lose everything … no, we have absolutely no promises of that. Our promises are eternal promises. Our fires in life must be judged by an everlasting God and an eternal life that awaits.

Trouble was promised in this life and our Jesus has already overcome every trouble. Eternally, trouble will be no more. Here in this temporary life, trouble will come.

If troubling fires surround you, I want you to know the rest of the story. I want you to hear what God can do even when he doesn’t stop the fire. Even when you feel the heat. Even when you fall into the flames, understand THIS IS WHERE GOD IS!

Daniel 3: 19-28 – Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Sharach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. So Shardach, Meshach and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, official, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

Let’s unpack this! Notice how scripture repeats the fact that these 3 young men were most certainly tied up. It says the King ordered his strongest men to bind them, then it says they tied them up. As they threw them into the fire it again says they were securely tied. Then the king says, “wait, didn’t we tie them up” and they reply, “yes, we certainly did.” There’s no doubt that when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire they were tied up. But when the king looks into the fire, he says he sees them UNBOUND, walking around in the fire unharmed.

UNBOUND. They went from most certainly tied up to being unbound. What happened here?

Well, think about it. What was used to tie them up? Rope. So, what happened to the rope? The fire burned it right off!

Sometimes the thing the enemy sent to destroy you actually sets you free. Is it scary going through the fire? Absolutely! But what if this is what finally unbinds you? What if the very thing that has held you captive gets burned off in this trouble? Oh Lord, LET IT BE … SET YOUR GIRLS FREE IN THIS FIRE!

He didn’t save you FROM THE FIRE, but my sister, he’s SETTING YOU FREE IN THE FIRE!

When you’re going through it, it’s easy to ask, “Where is God in all of this?” Well, let me tell you where he is on your hardest of days, darkest of times, and hottest of flames … HE’S RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.

But maybe you just can’t see him.

Scripture never says Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego saw God in the furnace with them. It says the King looked in and saw the fourth man in the fire.

Honey, he is here with you in this. You may not see him, but he is there. He’s going to walk through this with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. THAT IS GOD’S PROMISE in Hebrews 13:5. And that promise still stands today.

He may not get you out of this immediately, but if you have to walk through it, he will walk through it with you. If he doesn’t prevent it, he will provide for you in it. If he doesn’t deliver you from it, he will sustain you in it.

There’s a song called “Fourth Man” and it says:

When I stand in the fire
Your glory burns brighter
When the pressure is real
Your presence is greater
And when I stand in the fire
Your glory burns brighter
You are above it all, but You stand here
Fourth Man in the fire, conquering my fears
You are above it all, but You draw near

My favorite detail in the story is the fact that they were in this scorching hot furnace that was intentionally 7 times hotter than usual, and they came out untouched and didn’t even smell like smoke! You know what this means for us … we can go through it without it getting in us. We can come out of this trouble without being bitter. We can be treated unfairly without becoming hardened. We can be supernaturally strengthened by a supply that never runs out. We can have joy when it doesn’t make sense to have joy. We can find peace in the middle of a storm.

We don’t have to smell like what we’ve gone through. Don’t come out of this a bitter, hardened, angry woman. Come out of this as a girl who has been upheld, a girl who has been strengthened, a girl who has been guided, a girl who has a story to tell. But when you tell your story, don’t focus on how terrible the fire was, you focus on the one who was in the fire with you! You tell of his presence. You tell of his glory. You tell of your fourth man.

No, God doesn’t save us from every fire. And sometimes the story doesn’t end up going the way we want it to go … but never forget, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY. 2 Corinthians 4:18, “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

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