Even If!

 When I had left Taiwan in August 2020, it was because I had become sick.  I had been in the hospital for a long time; Thirty-five days, actually.  Churches all over the world had been praying for me, at the time, but I continued to get sicker.  I started out with one thing, but it developed into Covid and then into pneumonia.   I had tubes down my throat and all kinds of IVs.  I was in intensive care and my doctors were telling my family, to have my daughter come back; even they thought I would die. 

All of my friends in Taiwan thought I would die; everyone but me.  I just kept thinking, “When I get out of here…”  I had other plans, and death didn’t really fit into them.  I don’t know that I had great faith, maybe it was just the lack of oxygen to my brain.  It was a huge trial for me, but somehow, I managed to stay optimistic.  One Friend told me: 

“You were dying!  You won’t admit it, but I saw it with my own eyes.”

Yet, here I am…still alive.  It’s an actual miracle, I’m sure of it.  God delivered me, just like Meshach, Shadrack and Abed-Nego.  That’s what I want to post about today – God’s deliverance from trials.

Daniel 3:15-25 NKJV

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

People Have Always Struggled

How many times in your ife have you faced things that you thought were insurmountable?  How many times have you faced circumstances that seemed impossible?  When lie throws things at us we try to solve those problems in our own ways, don’t we?  We think we have to find a solution by our own intellect.  The Bible calls it our own understanding, but is that what God is thinking?  Is that what God is looking for from us?  Look at what the Bible says:

Proverbs 3:5 NKJV

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

Trust in God, lean not on your own understanding.  Some things are beyond our ability to figure out.  Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, how could they figure out a way to escape their circumstances?  They’re tied up; they’re being tossed into a fiery furnace.  There’s no way they can solve this dilemma with their intellect.  They have to trust in God.

What about you?  Maybe you’re facing fiery trials in your marriage, in your finances, maybe even in your health.  Where are you looking for deliverance?  Is it in the world?   

“The government will save me!”

There was a huge hurricane that just recently made landfall in North Carolina.  Western North Carolina was destroyed by the hurricane and then flooding that followed.  People were waiting for the government, but it took a week before the government showed up. Meanwhile, people had no food, no electricity, no communications.  Hundreds, maybe even thousands died waiting for the government to save them.  Former President Ronald Reagan once said: 

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help!”

That’s kind of a funny thing for a president to say, but it points out that if you’re looking for help from the government to help, they can let you down.

Are you looking for deliverance from inside yourself?  If you are, then let me ask you a question.  Have you ever been wrong before?

Are you looking for answers from science?  You know they used to think all the planets orbited the earth. But not now…Science can also be wrong.

The only one who’s never wrong  is Jesus.  He’s the creator of everything.

John 1:1-3 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

If He created everything, then He understands how it works, and He can solve any problem you’re facing. 

God is With Us!

In Exodus 33, God is telling Moses that He wants him to lead His people to the Promised Land.  Moses is nervous, though, and He demands of God, “Who will you send with me?” 

Exodus 33:12-13 NKJV

Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people."

He doesn’t want to face this all alone.  He knows that he’s not up to it, but look at God’s answer:

Exodus 33:14-15 NKJV

And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

God said, “I will be with you!”  Moses said, “If you don’t go, I don’t want to go either!  That should be our prayer when we’re faced with some daunting circumstance.  “I can’t do this without you God…I need You to help me through this!”  God says He will be with us through trials!

Look at this example in Acts Chapter12:

Acts 12:5-10 NKJV

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Peter was in prison.  Herod planned to kill him.  Peter was chained between two guards.  There were two others standing outside the doors.  It would have been impossible for Peter to escape by himself.  Even if he was able to escape the chains, he would still have to get by the guards at the door.  This was an impossible situation, but God was with him.  God moved supernaturally and sent an angel to help him escape.  God used the angel to cause the chains to fall off.  He helped him to pass by the guards at the door unseen and brought him to the place where the others were praying for him.  God did all of this for Peter and He will do it for you, as well. 

There’s one more thing that I think is important to see.  God delivered all of these people.  All of them were in the will of God; all of them had faith that God would deliver them. 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego said to Nebuchadnezzar, “God will deliver us!”

Moses said, “If you’re not coming with me, then I don’t want to go!”

Peter, even though, he thought it might not be real, got up and followed the angel!

All of these are expressions of faith, but did God solve all of their problems immediately? No, even though they had faith in God, they still had to go through the trial. 

Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego still had to face the fire!

Moses still had to stand in front of Pharaoh and say, “Let my people go!”

Peter still had to go to prison!

In the end God brought them through it.  We sometimes have to face difficult circumstances, but we are not alone.

Daniel 3:24-25 NKJV

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

The three men weren’t alone in the furnace, Jesus was there with them.  I think that’s extremely encouraging.  We think we’re all alone when things go wrong.  We think no one else is going through what I’m going through.  “I’m out here in this wilderness all by myself,” but we’re not.  We are never alone.  Jesus said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you.”  Don’t you think that’s comforting?  When I have to face something uncomfortable, I’m always glad when my wife is with me.  She can give me the confidence to face things, sometimes. 

When I have to face impossible situations, I’m glad that Jesus is with me, like He’s promised.  He gives me strength and confidence. 

Philippians 4:13 NKJV

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Jesus has the strength, and He can loan it to me!  We can have faith in Him. 

Prayer is Key!

James 5:16b NKJV

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Prayer is the key to deliverance from all of our trials.  This is why in our church services we pray for our fellow believers.  We pray for those who are sick.  We pray for those who have needs.  We pray for our leadership.  We’re calling on God to help us.  We’re calling on Him to be a part of our lives.   We’re looking for His blessing, leadership and guidance.  We need him in our lives and circumstances. 

When I got sick, it was during CFM Prescott Bible Conference.  Someone mentioned it to our fellowship leader Pastor Greg Mitchell, and he made an announcement during the prayer requests that I needed urgent prayer! Remember, everyone thought I was dying. 

People all over the world watch that conference on the internet.  So, everyone joined in that prayer.  I got a text from a friend in Panama that said, “The whole world was praying for you last night!”

I really believe that all of that prayer was key to me surviving that sickness, because I know that God answers prayer.  When Peter was in prison all the saints in Jerusalem were praying for him.

Acts 12:5a NKJV

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. (emphasis mine)

Look at what the Bible says about prayer:

Matthew 21:22 NKJV

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

It doesn’t say that Some of the stuff you ask in prayer, I might do for you. It says, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believing you will receive.”  It may not be immediate.  Peter was rescued from the prison just before Herod had him killed.  The Hebrew men were in the furnace before being rescued. 

God was faithful to deliver them and answer their prayers.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  That means He is still faithful to answer prayer  We can believe God to deliver us because God is faithful still!