Through The Fire

Isaiah 43:1 & 2 “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that
formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou
art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither
shall the flame kindle upon thee.” These verses tell us how closely he Lord guides His people. He
doesn’t just send us through rivers and floods and fires without being with us personally. It is the fire
we go through that burns off all the things that cleave so strongly to our character. The nature of sin
became so hardened upon the spirit of men that only the fire of God’s love could remove it. Human
effort comes up short compared to the love of God. It is His love for us that even though the heat of the
fire may seem unbearable at the time, burns away the dross in our lives and makes us purified and free
from iniquity. The worldly person will never comprehend the fire of God. They wonder why a
Christian would be so caught up in points of principle to the extent they are. But maybe that person has
been through the fire and has experienced a cleansing in their spirit that the world cannot grasp.
I Peter 4: 1-5 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves
likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he
no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For
the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked
in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil
of you: Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” Here Peter
tells us that we may have at one time been subject to the lusts of the flesh, but the fire of God’s love has
burned these things out of our makeup so we may have fellowship with a just and holy God. We have
been to the altar of God and experienced the Holy Ghost changing us into the image of Christ Jesus.
The Lord suffered in the flesh to deliver us from the motions of the flesh. We know by experience that
there is nothing that can compare to the love of God, the blessings of God and the fruit of the Spirit.
Once you’ve tasted of the true Spirit of God you will never want to go back to the motions of sin. The
world around you may shake, rattle, and roll, but there is something solid, something tried within your
heart that cannot be moved. A person redeemed by the blood of the Lamb cannot go back to the ways
of the world because those bridges have long been burned by the fire of the Holy Ghost! Hebrews 10:
38 & 39 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no
pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back unto perdition; but of those that believe
to the saving of the soul.” We are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but are of those who
believe to the saving of the soul. Our look on life is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. We love what He
loves and hate what he hates because the Spirit of God makes us one. If Christ be in you, the motions
of the flesh are burned up. Peter said if you have suffered in the flesh you will cease from sin. So we
must learn to arm ourselves with the same mind Christ had while He was here on earth. He was
equipped with the Word of God, not the philosophy of man.
Unless the fire of God has refined you, you will never stand the tests that are to come. It is when
we experience the God of the Bible, the Living God, Jesus Christ Himself, walking in and with us, that
we can truly say, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
There were things that happened to the disciples that we may never know of; experiences that
took place when Jesus gave his life for us that we read about and think that we would never react the
way they reacted, until the Spirit of God brings us through those types of fires. Zechariah 13: 7-9
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd. And against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of
hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the
little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be
cut off and die; but the third part shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the
fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on
my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my
God.” Their great Shepherd was smitten before them and the Word of God scattered them. But it was
the third part that came through the fire. It was the third part that stayed in the upper room until the
Promise of the Father was given. It happened to be the day of Pentecost, when the fire of the Holy
Ghost fell on all them that were there that day. Many leave before the fire falls on them. Why? I never
could figure that one out. What is more important than to receive the Holy Ghost? Without the power
of the Holy Ghost we can do nothing for God or man. Without His Spirit abiding in us we are helpless
and hopeless. It comes as a fire and sets on all that believe; those that seek Him with all their hearts and
all their strength. It is the Spirit that burns up all other fires in us, for He is a consuming fire.
There are things people go through that only the Lord can help with and bring them through. So
it is vital we have His Spirit in us and with us. Daniel 3 tells us of 3 certain Jewish men who were
accused to the king of being disobedient and rebellious. Of course, the accusers were blinded by their
own jealousy. But none the less, they made a serious accusation that the king and others believed.
Verses 13-15 “Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake
and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods,
nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear
the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery , and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye
fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast
the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver
you out of my hands?” Doesn’t that sound like the day we live? We worship golden images and fall
down to the music of the world. These accusers enraged the king so much that the king lashed out at
the God of the Hebrews. When people bring into question the integrity of God among His people, you
can be sure He will not stay silent on your behalf. Verses 16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this
matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,
and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that
we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image that thou hast set up.” No matter what,
they will not bow down to the golden image the world set before them. That golden image could be
financial, religious, or philosophy. It is an image that looks and seems right to the world, but contrary to
the ways of God. It is exalted higher than the Almighty in the minds of certain people, and these
children of God would not fall into that trap. They would rather die than to bow down to that image.
Verses 19-23 “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was
changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake and commanded that
they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he
commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their
coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace
exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the
midst of the burning fiery furnace.” They fell down bound in the greatest fire imaginable. So hot
were the flames that the very ones who cast them into the furnace were slain by the heat! It’s amazing
that just because they stood for their belief in God that such venom would be hurled at them. Verses 24
& 25 “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said
unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered
and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, and
walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son
of God.” The king saw the Lord with His people! The governors saw the Lord standing with His
people! It changed the heart of these men that the Lord Himself would be in the midst of the fiery
furnace. The Son of God has a different form than any other. Revelation. 1:12-18 the description John
gave of our Lord Jesus. His feet were as fine brass, as if they were burning in a furnace. He knows
trouble and He knows victory. I can trust the Savior through every trial and turmoil. He is the one that
will deliver His people that trust Him. It will never be by our own strength and power. Our victory has
always been and will always be by the Spirit of God. Though you may go through the fire, the Lord is
with those that stand for Him.
Later on in the chapter it says that the king called these men out of the midst of the fiery furnace,
and the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was a hair of their head singed, their coats weren’t
changed, nor had the smell of the fire passed onto them! The very things that had them bound were the
only things the fire burned off of them. Some of the hat trials we go through won’t necessarily hurt us if
we stand for God, but we will have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Malachi 3: 1-3 says, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall prepare the way
before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger
of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may
abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s
fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify
the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering
in righteousness.” If your trials are hot and you feel like lying down and giving up, let me tell you,
“NO!” Call on the name of Jesus and He will complete His work in you. Let all the doubts, and sins,
and unbelief be burned up and He shall bring you forth as gold! He will walk with you in troubles and
testings and help you find your way!
May God bless you today. If our church can pray for you or be a blessing to you, please don’t
hesitate to call, because we know God answers prayer! Our church is the Full Gospel Lighthouse
Church, located at 624 Torringford West Street in Torrington, CT 06790. Our phone number is 860-
489-4137.