Fear, worry, anxiety, and a plethora of other emotions are knocking at each of our doors as we begin another week that looks to be even scarier than the last. I’m not anymore immune to this than anyone else is. Though I’ve continually preached against panic and overreaction, the temptation to do so is attempting to rise up in my own mind. Adding to the fears are the government’s response to lock us all down, through the orders to close restaurants, bars, and prohibit public gatherings. I can get by without going to Cracker Barrel and Bandanas to eat. I don’t drink alcohol, so the ability to go to a bar won’t matter one bit to me. But the straw that threatens to break the camel’s back in my life, is the closing of parks and fishing venues. I need the outdoors. I need to be in my kayak away from the problems of normal life, much less the newest issues we all face in the midst of this craziness. Even worse, my ability to gather with fellow brothers and sisters to worship and pray is most likely going to be taken from us.
All of this contributes to the temptation to let the fear and anxiety win.
But I will not go down without a fight. As a matter of fact, I won’t lose the war. I might get my rear end kicked in a few battles, but the war has already been won by my King, King Jesus. Every day I put on the spiritual armor as we read of in Ephesians 6. In case you forgot what that says or aren’t familiar with it, here it is. We need to do what this says.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
The Sword of the Spirit and prayer are the only two offensive weapons we see in this. And as I stand against the enemy’s attack on my peace, I will yield these weapons with the full force of the Holy Spirit’s power.
The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. I will live and I will pray through it and by it. In the midst of this battle, I am reminded of the story of three men who stood firm against the threat of death. They refused to submit to a king who demanded they worship him instead of God. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their story is found in Daniel 3:8-30. Take a few minutes, open your Bible and read the story. But it can quickly be summed up as this.
They were ordered to worship the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. If they still refused, they were to be cast into a burning fiery furnace.
Listen to their response, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”
I love it. Pure, unadulterated rebellion against the king, who not only wanted to stop them from worshipping God, but also wanted them to worship his man-made god. These are my kind of guys.
But what they said next is of even more importance.
“But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
We must understand something here. God has the power to deliver us from every and any danger this world might throw at us. Scripture tells us that nothing is too hard for God. Look at Jeremiah 32:26-27. This is God speaking. “The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Matthew 19:26 says that “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God would save them from the fiery furnace. They knew with 100% certainty, He could. But even if God did not save them, they were still going to worship the one and only true God, not the false image of the king.
That, my friends, is faith. Faith in God. The kind of faith that says, God, whatever it is you allow to happen today, is okay with us, because we trust you.
The story ends well. More than well, it ends in a preincarnate appearance of Christ, who performs a miracle that changes everything.
Daniel 3:24-25
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
Daniel 3:24-25
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
It gets even better.
Daniel 3:28-30
Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way." Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
Our faith will be tested today. The stock market will most likely crash even more. Some of us will catch the corona virus. Some people will die today. Fear will continue to grow. And our government will continue to ask us to trust them. In a sense, they are like Nebuchadnezzar, they want us to cower in fear and place our faith in them. That is a form of worship.
I am tempted to be afraid.
But I shall stand against the enemy and I will refuse to bow to the world and its false offer of protection.
My God whom I serve is able to deliver me from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver me out of their hand. But even if He doesn’t, if by the end of the week my entire pension fund is gone, if this virus has invaded my body and takes my very breath away, and even if the National Guard sets up a perimeter around my house and tells me I cannot go to church Sunday, I will not worship the king. Instead I will worship THE KING, my Lord, my Savior, Jesus Christ.
I will pray. I will worship. I will read His Holy Word. I will do more than believe in God, I will believe God. And I will not be alone, for Jesus has promised me this.
Matthew 28:20
“I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."
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