The Fiery Furnace Of Conflict
00:00:00 Terry Taylor
I don’t know if you all ever walk through anything, but on the outside everything should be falling apart, but yet there’s a peace on the inside. Hallelujah. Only God can do that. Only Jesus can give you that because he is the Prince of peace.
00:00:16 Terry Taylor
Hallelujah. So tonight we’re going.
00:00:18 Terry Taylor
To be talking.
00:00:19 Terry Taylor
About the fiery furnace of conflict, the fiery furnace of conflict last week, we did an introduction to.
00:00:31 Terry Taylor
This teaching on how to navigate through conflict with the Kingdom mindset Church, we have to have a Kingdom mindset because if we don’t.
00:00:41 Terry Taylor
We’re going to get ourselves in a mess.
00:00:44 Terry Taylor
We have to stay on the right track. We have to.
00:00:48 Terry Taylor
Obey what the Lord tells us to do, because if we get in our flesh.
00:00:53 Terry Taylor
Because that’s why I had Josh sing that verse, that chorus or the the bridge of that song. I know within myself. I would surely perish.
00:01:03 Terry Taylor
But if I trust the hand of God, he’ll shield the flame again. Glory be to God. So tonight after we get done with this teaching tonight, I hope my goal, my objective, is to help us to be equipped to stand in the midst of the fire of conflict.
00:01:24 Terry Taylor
And tonight, we’re going to look at what does the Bible teach us about the dynamics of conflict? There are many dynamics and conflict. It can swing from one extreme to the other.
00:01:37 Terry Taylor
Many dynamics the different dynamics of conflict. What does the Bible teach us about God’s purpose in the midst of conflict? You know, God can be working his purpose right in the middle of conflict. And you don’t even realize it. Sometimes he sees the bigger picture. We don’t. I have limited vision. That’s that’s why we have to trust.
00:01:57 Terry Taylor
In the Lord.
00:01:58 Terry Taylor
What does God’s power?
00:01:59 Terry Taylor
Look like in the midst of conflict.
00:02:02 Terry Taylor
We’re going to look at that tonight and how do we pursue God’s presence and what does that do for us in the midst of conflict? These are some thoughts that that kind of challenge me. How do we, how do we pursue God’s presence in the midst of conflict? And how does that affect me?
00:02:22 Terry Taylor
How does that help me? So we’re going to look at this tonight. Now our main verse is going to be in Daniel Chapter 3. Many of you all are familiar with that story, but I want to get us.
00:02:36 Terry Taylor
I want to set the stage I want to get us from Daniel Chapter one up to.
00:02:39 Terry Taylor
Daniel Chapter 3.
00:02:42 Terry Taylor
Because there are some, there are some things in here that I want us to see before we get to Daniel. Chapter three. OK, so I’m just going to give a brief overview. So can you guys kind of stay with me here tonight and then I’ll put a few scriptures up on the on their screen here. We’ll look at them together and read those together. But in the book of Daniel Chapter one, it starts out.
00:03:03 Terry Taylor
With King Nebuchadnezzar, now, let me tell you this, I’m probably pronouncing a lot of these names incorrectly. I didn’t have time to try to go online.
00:03:10 Terry Taylor
Figure out the the correct pronunciation, but anyway, King Nabby I like to call him King. Nabby Nabby Kanatzar took some articles that says well, first of all he king Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, he invaded Jerusalem and besieged it. Now, anytime you know a king.
00:03:30 Terry Taylor
To overtake another nation, everything in that nation now belongs to that king, because he conquered it.
00:03:37 Terry Taylor
So he everything, the people, the resources, everything and it goes on to say that King Nebuchadnezzar took some of the articles from the Temple of God and he put them in the treasure House of his God. Now thinking about that like, why would you do that? Probably to couple reasons. This is my guess in my opinion, correct me if I’m wrong or you can have your own opinion.
00:03:58 Terry Taylor
But I think the reason he put it in the temple of his God to show that my God conquered.
00:04:02 Terry Taylor
Your God and.
00:04:04 Terry Taylor
As when I come into worship in my temple, I’m going to see those little reminders that my God is greater. But King Nebby had something coming to him that he wasn’t expecting. He’s going to be taught.
00:04:14 Terry Taylor
A whole different lesson.
00:04:16 Terry Taylor
Because brother Lani believed that this was part of God’s judgment against Israel, allowing them to be conquered. If I remember correctly, I think there was a prophecy about that. So this had to take place. But see that, you know King Nebbie? He thought. Man, I’m really something. But you know what? God is in control.
00:04:37 Terry Taylor
You know, I’m saying so. King Nebuchadnezzar will eventually find this out. He was a hard headed, narcissistic king.
00:04:44 Terry Taylor
So anyway, the king ordered Ashe Pinza, who was the the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites that they had captured from the royal family, that they could train them in the Babylonian ways and language over the next three years.
00:05:03 Terry Taylor
Now again, I’m leaving out a lot of details, but this is just a general overview.
00:05:08 Terry Taylor
- Because again, once a king conquered another nation, everything all the spoils goes to him. He can do whatever he wants. So he said bring me some of those Israelites. Bring me some of these people in from the royal family. He was looking, he said.
00:05:22 Terry Taylor
You may bring.
00:05:22 Terry Taylor
Me. The good looking ones. Bring me the smart ones. Bring me the ones that’s good in science and math and.
00:05:27 Terry Taylor
These things like that.
00:05:28 Terry Taylor
He wanted the cream of the crop.
00:05:31 Terry Taylor
So in this midst of people that was brought to King Nebuchadnezzar, there was four people that you all are familiar with. Among those people that were brought were Daniel, Hananiah, Michelle, and Azariah.
00:05:47 Terry Taylor
Now listen, you might not be familiar with some of those names, but you will be in just a moment. You’ll see why in verse seven of Daniel chapter one. It says the chief official gave them new names.
00:05:58
Right.
00:05:59 Terry Taylor
To Daniel, the name Belshazzar Belshazzar to Hannah Naya, he gave the name Shadrack to Michelle. He gave the name meshack, his name went.
00:06:10 Terry Taylor
Too far off.
00:06:11 Terry Taylor
And to Azariah Abednego, now it’s one thing church to be conquered. It’s another thing.
00:06:19 Terry Taylor
To lose your whole identity.
00:06:22 Terry Taylor
You’re losing your identity and verse eight, it says. But now listen. So part of the training was was once these people were picked out for the King’s court, I want his his main people here. I want you to take these guys and I want you to.
00:06:36 Terry Taylor
Train them for the.
00:06:36 Terry Taylor
Next three years and the.
00:06:38 Terry Taylor
King’s portion off some of his food and and delicacies the Bible says.
00:06:43 Terry Taylor
And whine for these people being trained, he’s like, I want them to have the best, but in verse eight it says this that Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the Royal Food and wine.
00:07:01 Terry Taylor
Because I’m sitting here thinking, well, now, why would he do that? What what would he be thinking for? First of all, here’s a Kingdom key. I want you guys to remember if you want to write it down, you can. One of the Kingdom keys from this is what Daniel said to do when we’re in the midst of conflict. Resolve not to defile yourself.
00:07:21 Terry Taylor
When you’re in conflict, resolve not to defile yourself. Even though the king changed the names of the Hebrew men here, and even though they plan to teach them things contrary to the word of God, to what they knew was right.
00:07:38 Terry Taylor
They presented them with the food offered to idols. This food. That’s what I’m thinking. Probably this food may have been offered to idols. I’m not sure. The wine they didn’t want to drink because they didn’t want their mind, their thinking to be dull or, you know, make any wrong decisions because they were maybe a little tipsy or drunk or whatever.
00:07:59 Terry Taylor
And they stay true to God and his word. So when the myths of conflict resolve not to defile yourself.
00:08:07 Terry Taylor
That’s why I love that song. Hold on. Our Lord will show up. He’ll take you through the fire.
00:08:13 Terry Taylor
Amen. It’s easy. You know when? When the when the fire is burning around your church, it’s easy to want to give up. I’ve been there. I know how the enemy can work against us. He’ll want you to give up. He’ll want you to let go. But that’s why that song says. Hold on. Hold on. Church. Hold on in the midst. Don’t defile yourself.
00:08:33 Terry Taylor
With the world and the temptations of the devil all right. Kingdom Key #2 right here. Don’t lose your identity in the midst of conflict.
00:08:43 Terry Taylor
Don’t become a person that you aren’t. Don’t lose your identity in the midst of conflict, and don’t become a person that you aren’t. I think Pastor Lane said the other day or last week we’re in here, you know, road rage is a big thing right now and and people good people can get just lose their mind.
00:09:03 Terry Taylor
Have a moment of insanity killing you?
00:09:06 Terry Taylor
Where you can’t even you.
00:09:07 Terry Taylor
Don’t even know what you did or said.
00:09:10 Terry Taylor
So we have to guard ourselves church not to lose our identity, who we are in Christ, who we are representing. Daniel knew that Daniel knew his God. Daniel knew what the Bible said.
00:09:22 Terry Taylor
Daniel had a relationship with the Lord and he didn’t allow. They see we’re in the World Church, but we’re.
00:09:27 Terry Taylor
Not of it. Hey, man, you’re going to have to. You might be around alcohol all the time. You might be around some of these things. Wait, where you working people using God’s name in vain and stuff like that. But don’t let it defile you. Resolve in yourself.
00:09:41 Terry Taylor
That you’re not going to defile yourself and allow that to defile you, OK?
00:09:46 Terry Taylor
All right, Third Point here. I believe that like Daniel, who determined to remain faithful to God when confronted with conflict that you will be given the strength to stand firm for God if you resolve right now, just determine it. You know, if you go into battle thinking that, I’m probably going to lose. Guess what?
00:10:06 Terry Taylor
You’re probably going to lose, but if you resolve, I’m going into this battle. Come, whatever you know, come high water. Come hades. Come. Whatever the devil throws at me, I ain’t giving up. I’m not defiling myself. And if I have to die, then I’ll die.
00:10:22 Terry Taylor
Amen. That’s the kind of resolve God that I want. I want us to have that kind of resolve. Verse 15. It tells us that the Bible says for the next 10 days Daniel and his I’m calling him the three Bros Shadrack Meshach and Abed Nego. Daniel and his three Bros. They ate vegetables and drink water. Sister, that’s a great thing for E4M.
00:10:41 Terry Taylor
Click for more.
00:10:43 Terry Taylor
10 day vegetable and water diet woo. Hallelujah.
00:10:50 Terry Taylor
And listen to this church at the end of the 10 days, Daniel and his Bros looked healthier and better nourished than the other men who ate the royal food. So guess what happened after that? They took the royal food away from the other people. I say Daniel and his Bros probably weren’t too good a favor, man. They took the wine away.
00:11:09 Terry Taylor
They took the delicate so.
00:11:10 Terry Taylor
So wait now.
00:11:11 Terry Taylor
I got to eat vegetables and drink water all the time.
00:11:15 Terry Taylor
Did you have something sister?
00:11:17
What’s your tip before?
00:11:21 Terry Taylor
.3 is like I believe if you determined to remain faithful to God that he will give you the strength to stand firm.
00:11:29 Terry Taylor
For him, in the midst of conflict.
00:11:35
Pulls the fire on us because of what we.
00:11:37
Just ate ohh.
00:11:39 Terry Taylor
Haley, gently smiling from ear to ear back here. She’s like, finally, somebody’s preaching something that I’ve been telling everybody.
00:11:49 Terry Taylor
We’ll get it one of these days. Sister Julie. Hallelujah. I was listening to one of Julie’s.
00:11:57 Terry Taylor
Live streams and she said, you know, basically the food, temptation is always going to be there. It’s always gonna be there. You just gotta determine, right. You gotta make it resolve. I ain’t gonna do it.
00:12:10 Terry Taylor
Make healthier choices, right?
00:12:12 Terry Taylor
Ooh, I’m preaching out. Just hurts. This hurts.
00:12:16 Terry Taylor
Julie, it’s hurting sister. I don’t like this.
00:12:19 Terry Taylor
Hard preaching. OK, so at the end of the 10 days, like I said, Daniel and his Bros, the three Hebrew men here, they look better than everybody else. So Daniel and his and the three Hebrew boys, they were brought before the king Nebuchadnezzar. And after he talked with them, it says in verse 20.
00:12:40 Terry Taylor
That he found them. Listen to this ten times better than all of the magicians Enchanters in his whole Kingdom.
00:12:52 Terry Taylor
Now God knows how.
00:12:53 Terry Taylor
To make you stand out, church tend to. I mean, you know a little bit better.
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Is one thing 10 times.
00:12:58 Terry Taylor
10 times better.
00:13:01 Terry Taylor
Amen. They looked better. They were healthier. They were wiser.
00:13:05 Terry Taylor
Therefore, they serve before the king, it says. Now we’re in Daniel Chapter 2 where it says Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, Daniel Chapter 2.
00:13:14 Terry Taylor
And it says that he was troubled in his spirit and he couldn’t sleep at night.
00:13:20 Terry Taylor
Verse two tells us that the king gave the command to call all the magicians the astrologers, the sorcerers, the cow dance to tell the king his dream. So they came and stood before the king, the Bible says, and the king said to them, I have had a dream and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.
00:13:40 Terry Taylor
They told the king. Tell them the jury. Tell us the dream and we will interpret it for you. And the king said Nope.
00:13:48 Terry Taylor
The King answered and said to the Chaldeans my decision is.
00:13:51 Terry Taylor
Firm. Listen to this.
00:13:53 Terry Taylor
Church, you’re talking about being put in some conflict right away. If you do not know.
00:13:59 Terry Taylor
If you do not make known the dream to me and its interpretation, you will be cut into pieces.
00:14:08 Terry Taylor
And your house shall be made a ash heap.
00:14:14 Terry Taylor
That’s in country terms. That’s a heap of trouble right there. You’re about ready to be in. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive the gifts, the rewards and the great honor. Therefore, tell me the dream and its interpretation.
00:14:31 Terry Taylor
Now church, this kind of conflict, all these fates, fake self-proclaimed prophets and apostles and all these. This would flush him out right quick, wouldn’t it? Ohh, I don’t think I am a prophet. What?
00:14:42 Terry Taylor
Am I thinking?
00:14:45 Terry Taylor
We’re gonna find out if you’re really hearing from God.
00:14:50 Terry Taylor
OK, now look, let’s look here at verse 10 here. Daniel, Chapter 2, verse 10. I believe I got a slide. Can you guys see that? OK, I’ll read it. The Col. Deans answered the king and said there is not a man on Earth who can tell the King’s matter. Therefore, no King, Lord or Ruler has.
00:15:10 Terry Taylor
Ever ask such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean? It is a difficult thing that the king request, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh. They have that right.
00:15:28 Terry Taylor
Not God’s, but the one and true God. Right? It says for this reason the king was angry and was very furious and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. Look at that. So the decree went out and they began killing the wise men. And they saw it, Daniel.
00:15:47 Terry Taylor
And his companions to kill them.
00:15:50 Terry Taylor
Now these fake, you know, wise people here.
00:15:56 Terry Taylor
I’m sure they were wise and some natural things, but.
00:16:00 Terry Taylor
They didn’t have the real goods, they were fake.
00:16:03
Right.
00:16:04 Terry Taylor
They didn’t have they.
00:16:05 Terry Taylor
Didn’t have so because of their lack of not being able to do this. Now they’re going after Daniel and the Three Bros.
00:16:14 Terry Taylor
Alright, we’ll see what it says next here.
00:16:18 Terry Taylor
OK, I think that’s a little bit down later, so.
00:16:21 Terry Taylor
Once Daniel heard this news, now listen. News like that’s going to spread awfully quick. Guess what they’re coming to kill all of the wise men. My goodness, what would I be doing? Running and hiding? Getting out of dodge. I’ll be getting out of that place as quick as I can.
00:16:37 Terry Taylor
But Daniel ask, he said. Can I go and talk to the king?
00:16:42 Terry Taylor
So Daniel was brought.
00:16:43 Terry Taylor
Before the king.
00:16:45 Terry Taylor
And Daniel said he went in. He asked the king to give him some time. He’s like, could you give me some time? He said. Let me basically, I need to go pray. Let me get with my my brothers here and let I’m going to go pray and I’m going to ask.
00:16:58 Terry Taylor
The God the God that I serve to give me not only the interpretation, but the dream that you had and interpret it. So Daniel went home and told Shadrack Meshach Abednego, and they sought the mercies for God concerning the dream and the interpretation so.
00:17:14 Terry Taylor
They wouldn’t perish.
00:17:16 Terry Taylor
With the rest of these wise men, the secret it says the Bible says that was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.
00:17:24 Terry Taylor
Kingdom Key what is this #4? Tonight we must seek God in the midst of our conflict.
00:17:32 Terry Taylor
If we don’t, you’re going to be in trouble. You’re just going to be acting in your own wisdom.
00:17:38 Terry Taylor
Seek God. We must seek God in the midst of our conflict church.
00:17:43 Terry Taylor
Verse 27. It says Daniel was brought before the king and he told the king his dream and the interpretation. And let’s look at this next Scripture right here. It says the king answered Daniel.
00:17:59 Terry Taylor
OK, first of all, Daniel came in and he told him the dream. It was about the the end times here about these nations like his Kingdom is is great right now and has God has allowed him to conquer and there’s other kingdoms that’s going to rise up and things and one kingdom’s going to crush the.
00:18:15 Terry Taylor
Other one so.
00:18:19 Terry Taylor
The Lord revealed that to Daniel. So Daniel goes and shows up in front of Nebuchadnezzar and says the king answered Daniel and said after he told him all these things, what’s going to happen true.
00:18:28 Terry Taylor
Really, your God is the God of gods, the Lord of Kings, and a revealer of secrets. Since you could reveal this secret.
00:18:38 Terry Taylor
Listen to this verse 48. Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all wise men of Babylon.
00:18:54 Terry Taylor
And also Daniel petitioned the king and he set Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
00:19:07 Terry Taylor
Isn’t that awesome? Church. What the Lord can do here?
00:19:12 Terry Taylor
So because of.
00:19:16 Terry Taylor
Now see God was working a purpose here. Imagine you’re you’re captured. This country comes in and and and and just takes you. You’re thinking, what am I going to do? How am I going to make it? What is my future going to be like? Yet now you end up.
00:19:32 Terry Taylor
In in the King’s court here in the King’s.
00:19:34 Terry Taylor
Palace, however, you want to say that.
00:19:37 Terry Taylor
And now God is going to.
00:19:38 Terry Taylor
Use. You see God’s.
00:19:40 Terry Taylor
Working his purpose in the midst for a conflict, like I said.
00:19:42 Terry Taylor
We can’t see.
00:19:43 Terry Taylor
It but God’s working his purpose through this whole thing.
00:19:48 Terry Taylor
And because they stood firm because they were, they heard from God. Look what happened. Daniel got promoted, but he didn’t leave his Bros behind. He’s like king. I got some Bros here with me. I wait, you know, don’t can. Can I not forget them? Can we do anything for them? And they were promoted to.
00:20:05 Terry Taylor
You. So who in the world would think that in the midst of conflict that you can be promoted? Would think of something like that, a door that God would open up like that?
00:20:19 Terry Taylor
They were just wanting to, you know, I’m sure, save their life. I mean, like any of us. I don’t want to die. This is crazy. This king is just ludicrous. Making these rules, stuff like this, this is insanity.
00:20:31 Terry Taylor
But notice what the Lord did. Notice that out of the King’s mouth, God is, he says, truly, your God is God is the God of gods, the Lord of Kings, right?
00:20:47 Terry Taylor
Look at that. See how God put that in his mind to show.
00:20:50 Terry Taylor
Him that even though.
00:20:52 Terry Taylor
You came and conquered.
00:20:54 Terry Taylor
Israel, my people, our God is still the God of gods and the Lord of gods.
00:21:01 Terry Taylor
Or the Lord of Kings.
00:21:04 Terry Taylor
Now we arrive in chapter three of Daniel.
00:21:09 Terry Taylor
- So you guys tracking with me. Are you with me? OK, so now God’s already done a work here. He’s already brought. Like I said, the Daniel and his three Bros. He’s already used them to.
00:21:24 Terry Taylor
Not only Daniel not only saved his life, he saved the lives of the other wise men and people too.
00:21:30 Terry Taylor
So thank God for him. He saved lives. I mean, it said they started killing these people and he’s like, oh, wait a second. Yeah, let me go pray. And so thank God for God’s mercy through Daniel. Other people were saved. Now, in Daniel Chapter 3, here we arrive on the scene here and again, I’m paraphrasing this for time sake because our.
00:21:48 Terry Taylor
Is going by quickly. Everybody in the Kingdom was there now in Chapter 3 you’d think King Nebuchadnezzar would learn his lesson. And I’m wondering, in just a moment.
00:22:01 Terry Taylor
Well, let me read this, then I’ll make a comment. So everybody in the king was there. The king had had invited all his leaders, all the magistrates, all the rulers of his Kingdom, to come together for the unveiling of his 90 foot statue that he made to honor himself. Now I’m wondering if he thought about that because of the dream.
00:22:20 Terry Taylor
That he had, you know, I never thought of that before. Maybe that’s what he was thinking. I’d have no idea. But anyway, it wasn’t right. He he wanted to honor himself. So he had this 90 foot golden statue constructed as a memorial to himself. And so the party began. And guess what?
00:22:39 Terry Taylor
The law had been passed that anytime that you would hear the music play, you were supposed to bow down to the image as it was unveiled. And while the music played, it says. Everyone bowed down except for three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
00:22:57 Terry Taylor
And of course, there’s tattletales out there. So people said King King. We got some three guys that didn’t bow. They didn’t do what you said to do. So they were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar.
00:23:10 Terry Taylor
And the king was enraged that their rebellion and their refusal to obey his law.
00:23:16 Terry Taylor
That’s not fun, you.
00:23:17 Terry Taylor
Know Brother Steve, maybe when you were younger, you might have been brought into the principal’s office. Like Pastor Tom in.
00:23:23 Terry Taylor
Time or two.
00:23:26 Terry Taylor
There’s nothing like. It’s terrifying to be brought before the principal’s office. But imagine being brought before the king who you just refused to obey what he told you to do.
00:23:37 Terry Taylor
And the death penalty.
00:23:40 Terry Taylor
Is going to be right before you and it says and they were brought before the king and the king. Listen this. He, he he was upset but he gave them an opportunity to change their mind. Now look, guys, if you change your mind, the next time that music plays, just bow down and worship and then we’ll forget this whole thing ever happened. And what the devil?
00:23:59 Terry Taylor
Tries to do to us.
00:24:01 Terry Taylor
Just sweet talk us into doing these kind of things, but they refuse. The Bible says, and they only they. Not only did they refuse, they made a statement to the king explaining why he would not bow down, why they would not bow down to the image. It says in Daniel Chapter 3, verse 16. I think I got a slide for that one too.
00:24:24 Terry Taylor
Nope, not that one. OK, let me go.
00:24:26 Terry Taylor
Back not there yet. Daniel, Chapter 3, verse 16. It says Shadrack Meshach and Abed Nego answered and said to the King, Oak, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter if that it if that is the case, our God whom we serve is.
00:24:44 Terry Taylor
Table to deliver us from the fiery furnace. Look at their resolve right here. Church, and he will deliver us from your hand. Now they’re prophesying it. There’s like our God will deliver us. He’s able to and he will deliver us. But if not, let it be known to you. OK, King, that we do not serve your gods.
00:25:04 Terry Taylor
Nor will we worship the golden image which you have set up.
00:25:10 Terry Taylor
God give us a backbone like that. A resolve like that when faced with this conflict, this fiery furnace of conflict like this. Amen. To be able to stand.
00:25:23 Terry Taylor
For the Lord, and for what he said to do. And of course, as you can imagine, this infuriated King Nebuchadnezzar. So he ordered the fiery furnace church. It was already hot, but he ordered it to be heated up. How many times?
00:25:37 Terry Taylor
See, you guys know the story 7 times hotter because the penalty for not bowing down was to be thrown into the furnace.
00:25:45 Terry Taylor
The fiery furnace.
00:25:48 Terry Taylor
So the scripture says the furnace was exceedingly hot and the Bible talks about the men that bound them to go throw them at. They died because the the flame of the fire was so hot they died trying to throw them into the fire. Can you imagine heat like that?
00:26:05 Terry Taylor
If you’ve ever walked by, you know, a building or something burning something, big man, you can feel the heat from a.
00:26:10 Terry Taylor
Distance on something like that. Depending on the size.
00:26:13 Terry Taylor
Of that fire.
00:26:15 Terry Taylor
So I can’t imagine what this furnace was like. I don’t have any details, but it was.
00:26:19 Terry Taylor
It was hot.
00:26:22 Terry Taylor
So the Bible says that the three Hebrew boys were bound and they were thrown into the fire.
00:26:30 Terry Taylor
And church, this is a great picture for us.
00:26:34 Terry Taylor
Of what conflict can look like in the in our lives sometimes? Amen.
00:26:38
Hey man.
00:26:39 Terry Taylor
I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a conflict where you have felt bound like I.
00:26:43
Right.
00:26:45 Terry Taylor
I’m bound. I can’t move.
00:26:48 Terry Taylor
I’m I’m stuck in the middle of a.
00:26:49 Terry Taylor
Fire. You’ve ever been there before. Anybody ever been there before?
00:26:55 Terry Taylor
I’ve been there. I know. Maybe not to the degree some of you all have have been, but I I know when there’s no hope. There’s like it. There’s it’s only destruction.
00:27:05 Terry Taylor
There’s no way out of here unless God bails me out. There is no way out.
00:27:10 Terry Taylor
I’ve been there before.
00:27:12 Terry Taylor
Have you ever felt your whole?
00:27:13 Terry Taylor
Life or a relationship? Something was going down in flames.
00:27:18 Terry Taylor
Yes, been there too.
00:27:21 Terry Taylor
That’s where the three Bros found themselves.
00:27:24 Terry Taylor
So the king, they they threw him in and the king looked into the furnace, expecting to see three young Hebrews dead, burned alive. He looked in. He was looking to see some. Some piles of human remains. I hate to be so graphic, but.
00:27:41 Terry Taylor
A fire that that.
00:27:43 Terry Taylor
Great. Probably would disintegrate them in no time, wouldn’t you think?
00:27:50 Terry Taylor
So you know the story the King was expecting. He looked in there to see.
00:27:58 Terry Taylor
How? How quick are these guys dead yet there’s no way they can survive this. But when he saw them, he was startled. He turned to those around him and he said.
00:28:09 Terry Taylor
Didn’t we throw how many? Three into the fire, but I see four men. Listen to this walking in the fire.
00:28:21 Terry Taylor
And the 4th looks like the son.
00:28:23 Terry Taylor
Of God.
00:28:26 Terry Taylor
They they went in the fire bound, they went into the conflict bound, but it says they were walking around, they were loose, walking around.
00:28:35 Terry Taylor
And the 4th one was in the fire. Looked like the son of God. The King said that.
00:28:41 Terry Taylor
Shadrach Meshach and Abed Nego were visited church in the fiery furnace by.
00:28:46 Terry Taylor
A fourth man.
00:28:49 Terry Taylor
Now listen, a fourth man turned that fiery furnace of death into a place of purpose, a place of power and even a place of peace.
00:29:00 Terry Taylor
Now think about that a minute. He turned that fiery furnace into a place of purpose, a place of power, and a place of peace.
00:29:09 Terry Taylor
Now I saw it. Now how in the world can a fire turn into a place of peace?
00:29:14
You know.
00:29:15 Terry Taylor
You’re like, I want to get out of this place. I don’t know about you, but if my bonds were loose and I’m in the middle of a fire and I could run out, I’d probably be running out. But they didn’t do that.
00:29:29 Terry Taylor
Listen what it says. It says they stayed in the fire in the presence of the 4th man.
00:29:36 Terry Taylor
Isn’t that something?
00:29:38 Terry Taylor
They stayed in the fire in the presence of the 4th.
00:29:41 Terry Taylor
Man, let’s see if I got this scripture up.
00:29:43 Terry Taylor
Here there we.
00:29:44 Terry Taylor
Go look at this.
00:29:46 Terry Taylor
Then King Nebbie, he went near the mouth.
00:29:48 Terry Taylor
Of the fire.
00:29:50 Terry Taylor
The burning of the fiery furnace and spoke, saying Shadrach Meshach Abednego servants of the most high God come out and come here.
00:30:02
The king had.
00:30:03 Terry Taylor
To call him out, they stayed in the fire church because the 4th man was in the fire with them. They could stay it and church. We can handle it when Jesus is with us, we can stay in the fire of conflict. How to Elijah and have peace.
00:30:20 Terry Taylor
Amen. In the midst of this conflict.
00:30:23 Terry Taylor
Isn’t that wonderful?
00:30:25 Terry Taylor
This is a great picture of what conflict looks like for the believer in Jesus Christ. There is a place of peace in the midst of conflict only because the Prince of peace is there with us.
00:30:35 Terry Taylor
He said he would never leave us or forsake us, even to the.
00:30:38 Terry Taylor
Ends of the earth, right?
00:30:40 Terry Taylor
There’s a place where we can walk in the midst of a fire and know the Lord’s presence and know the Lord’s power.
00:30:45 Terry Taylor
Of protection and the peace in his presence. Amen.
00:30:50 Terry Taylor
And we can’t remain into the fire until the king calls us out and tell the situation’s over. Until God says enough. Come on out.
00:30:59 Terry Taylor
All right. So the scripture says church now listen, they were in the fiery furnace, probably wasn’t, you know, a few seconds they were probably in there for a little bit.
00:31:07 Terry Taylor
Doesn’t say how long.
00:31:08 Terry Taylor
But you know, 10 seconds in a furnace. That’s plenty for me. But the scripture goes on to say this, the hair of their head was not singed, nor were their garments affected.
00:31:21 Terry Taylor
By the fire.
00:31:22 Terry Taylor
Or the smell of fire was not.
00:31:24 Terry Taylor
No, didn’t even have the smell. Man, we go over to brother Eric’s house on Fridays for his little campfire. Brought Garrison over there. You come home, smell like smoke. And, I mean, I’m sitting you from back from, probably from here to where they are around that. You smell like smoke. So you’re in a furnace.
00:31:42 Terry Taylor
Your clothes aren’t, you know, burnt your hair is not singed. No smell of smoke on you. Only God can do that church.
00:31:49 Terry Taylor
Hallelujah. Let’s look at verse 28 here. Let’s look what the Old Navy said. Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach Abednego, who sent his Angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him. And they would have frustrated. Listen, I like that the king saying this, they have frustrated.
00:32:08 Terry Taylor
The King’s word and yielded their bodies that they should not serve, nor worship any God except their own.
00:32:19 Terry Taylor
Amen. God’s making his enemies declare the truth. Amen. Praise God. Therefore, listen to this. Listen, what happens now? I make a decree that any people, nation or language which speaks of anything amidst against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces.
00:32:37 Terry Taylor
And their house shall be made in ash heap because there is listen. There is no God who can deliver like this. That’s the God that we serve, brothers and sisters.
00:32:50 Terry Taylor
Amen. Who is that 4th man in the fire? We know it’s Jesus and guys. You know what? We live in the grace. The dispensation of grace and the 4th man in the fire. He lives inside of us.
00:33:03 Terry Taylor
He’s with us in every conflict, every situation that we’re in. Aren’t you glad about that church? Praise God. Hallelujah.
00:33:13 Terry Taylor
As a Christian, you will experience conflict in.
00:33:15 Terry Taylor
Your own life. I’m. I’m not trying.
00:33:17 Terry Taylor
To prophesied, it’s just the.
00:33:18 Terry Taylor
Fact you will experience it.
00:33:21 Terry Taylor
But remember the 4th man in the fire? He’s not only in the fire with you, he’s inside of you. Praise the Lord.
00:33:30 Terry Taylor
So listen, I I I I hope tonight that we are equipped a little bit better to be able to stand in the midst of conflict.
00:33:40 Terry Taylor
While we are in the fire church, we can find the Lord’s purpose. God, what is this purpose? I don’t see it. I.
00:33:46 Terry Taylor
Don’t understand it, I’m.
00:33:48 Terry Taylor
Sure, shattering me, shaking the bed nego couldn’t figure out why. God, am I going through this fire? But look what happened when they when they resolved not to to.
00:33:59 Terry Taylor
Succumb to yeah, to worship the false God. Look what happens, church. I believe God will honor this when we can stand. I believe at some point God will honor that stance and and then the kings like if anybody speaks.
00:34:14 Terry Taylor
Anything against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, anybody.
00:34:20 Terry Taylor
And he says, any people, any people, any nation, any language, I mean, he’s making a decree, anybody that I hear, I don’t care where you live. I’m coming to cut you in pieces.
00:34:34 Terry Taylor
This is what God can do. Church. Amen. We can experience God’s power.
00:34:40 Terry Taylor
Hallelujah, we can walk in the Lord’s peace.
00:34:44 Terry Taylor
With a Kingdom perspective and mindset, every conflict that we encounter not only can encourage our faith and help us to grow in our faith, but then we can take that and help others who are going through the conflict.
00:34:57 Terry Taylor
And going through the fire as well. Amen.
00:35:01 Terry Taylor
Amen. And I got, I think 11 more one or more slide here I believe.
00:35:06 Terry Taylor
Look what happened again, church.
00:35:09 Terry Taylor
Then the king promoted Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego to the province.
00:35:14
Of Bethel.
00:35:16 Terry Taylor
Another promotion.
00:35:18 Terry Taylor
Isn’t that awesome? Who could think you would get a promotion from a conflict, huh. Look what God can do.
00:35:27 Terry Taylor
Praise the Lord looking for that promotion when you’re in the conflict. Look for the promotion. God, I don’t see the plan. I don’t see it. I don’t understand it. It’s hot. It hurts.
00:35:37 Terry Taylor
I don’t see it, but I you’re in here with me. Hallelujah. I might be bound. But, Lord, I believe you’re going to lose me. Hallelujah. Lord, I know you’re here somehow. Lord, promote me so that I can further your Kingdom. God, not for my fleshly. You know pleasure and things. But for your Kingdom. God use me. Promote me, God.
00:35:57 Terry Taylor
Of your Kingdom and your glory.
00:35:59 Terry Taylor
So every conflict church that we encounter can become a faith building experience. Here’s some Kingdom kings that every conflict you encounter can become a faith building experience. It can draw you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:36:13 Terry Taylor
And I like this though, and it can transform you more and more into his image.
00:36:21 Terry Taylor
Now last slide right here.
00:36:23 Terry Taylor
So this this is this is let me just read.
00:36:27 Terry Taylor
This here what?
00:36:28 Terry Taylor
Do you pursue when a conflict comes your way?
00:36:32 Terry Taylor
Ask yourself that what? What are you pursuing?
00:36:35 Terry Taylor
I didn’t even.
00:36:35 Terry Taylor
Think of this before. Until I started studying this.
00:36:38 Terry Taylor
I’m trying to get out of the conflict. I’m not pursuing anything. My pursuit is Get Me Out. This is hot. This hurts. I don’t like it. I can’t.
00:36:48 Terry Taylor
You know it’s causing damage.
00:36:51 Terry Taylor
And most of the time, church this this is an important key here. Most of the time we pursue A desired outcome.
00:37:00 Terry Taylor
Which that’s OK. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, but the presence of the 4th man in the fiery furnace turned a place of death into a place of purpose and power.
00:37:10 Terry Taylor
The second point here, the presence of the 4th man protected God’s service while accomplishing the purpose of glorifying his name and promoting his servants in the midst of conflict, God can be glorified.
00:37:24 Terry Taylor
Isn’t that something he can be glorified? And thirdly, Jesus Christ is the 4th man in the fire in every conflict you encounter as a servant of God.
