To what extent will you follow?

"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 3:18 (NIV)

Wikipedia define furnace as simple as this: “A furnace is a device used for high-temperature heating.” But what does “high-temperature” means? So, to answer the question let us see how the blazing furnace was built in the time of Nebuchadnezzar. It is known that Babylonians knew ironwork to make military equipment and for that reason they used bricks to make a furnace to melt iron. Iron melts at 1538^oC. Hence; the furnace should be built using a different type of brick as brick only cured at 1000^oC. At that time Babylonians used brick kiln, which are required to fire coloured-glazed bricks. Those kinds of bricks can be cured at greater than 1000^oC. Now you know what “high-temperature” means. Now let us see what high-temperature can do to the human body. The normal human body temperature can be as high as 37.7^o. In fact, if it rises to 42^oC can cause brain damage. And exposed to extreme heat? It can drastically increase the internal temperature of the body. Imagine if 42^oC can cause brain damage, what would happen if the body is exposed to 1000^oC heat. Simply, this extreme heat can lead to organ damage and instant death.

Let us assume that the blazing furnace that Nebuchadnezzar ordered to be constructed can produce only 1000^oC. And as soon as he heard that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not fall down and worship the image, “… his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual …” Daniel 3:19. Now, the blazing furnace produces 7000^oC. But, the three Jews did not change their mind. Instead they said; "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 3:18.

I don’t know in what kind of blazing furnace you are in right now. The more you become strong and decisive in your walk with God, it seems the furnace is getting hotter and hotter. It feels like you are thrown into a blazing furnace again and again, but the question is “to what extent will you follow Jesus?” The circumstances telling you that you are dying and the heat is getting stronger and stronger. Despite your circumstances tell to the devil that, “my circumstances telling me I am dying, but I do not serve God only when I fell safe, and if I am not safe the God I serve is able to deliver me from it.” But don’t stop it there. Use the big “BUT” and continue saying, “BUT even if He does not I will not serve you or your idea.” Then without you knowing it, your enemy will see who stand with you in the blazing furnace that he prepared for you.  

While the three are in the furnace Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth person and was saying, “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 (NIV). The same is true when you stand firm and believe in God and in His promises, the people around you come with many different solutions, short cuts etc. When the time comes, they will be amazed by the presence of God in your life. They will say “Look, isn’t that person the one we tried to help her but refused to change her mind, look we can see her living an abundant life now. Who is helping her?” Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and pray the prayer of Habakkuk;

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV).

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “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 3:17-18 (NIV)  

The way you handle tough situations will reveal with whom you are in it to others.