TOPIC: DO NOT BOW DOWN TO THE DEVIL
Read: Daniels 3:19 -25
Daniel 3:19 – 25 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
And commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
And these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
MEMORISE:
He said, “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).
EXPOSITION
The devil poses many things before believers in order to make them bow down to him. You should try to maintain your position in God. You cannot be a true child of God without being tested and examined by God Your Father. You should not allow little things of today to take you away from the faith. Many believers are facing different challenges that demand choice-making, whether to proceed or to quit. Do not quit. If you quit, you bow down to the devil and anyone who does that can be likened to the victims of dog bite as the world commemorates World Rabies Day today. If you remain in faith and continue serving God, you are the first target or the devil.
But he can never overcome you (Jn.16v33,1 Pet. 3v13).
There are many strategies used by the devil today. He can ask you, “Why is yours too high? Are you the only Christian in the world?” He can even tell you “Bribery is the order of the day; do it, no one sees you.” Do not forget that if no one sees you, God sees you. If God did not reduce His standard in the olden days, He cannot because of any reason, reduce is standard for you. Let us consider what can help us not to bow down to the devil in the time of decision making:
● Determination: when we make determination that we will choose any other God again expect Him, this will help you in time when we need to choose between God and Satan.
● Courage: we need to put on the courage to face the challenges of life.
● Faith: we need to exercise faith in order to stand against the plans of the devil.
Note that, God will not come until the furnace has been heated seven time. Don’t be afraid, the furnace will not heat you. God that helped three Hebrews will help you. Don’t bow down to the devil.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, help me to take a stand for You even in the fire of life.
2. Lord, do not allow the power of the devil to overcome me in life situations.
3. Pray for Christians in Christian-unfriendly zones, that they would be divinely empowered to take their stand for Christ, no matter what ensues.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Proverbs 26:19 – 28:26, Galatians 2:4 – 3:4