Title [2.8] God's Power Is Greater Than Our Trials
The great power of God
(Daniel 3:13-18)
God sometimes gives blessings and trials to His children. So, please don't panic when trials come your way. The greater the faith, the greater the trial can be encountered. The loser excuses the problem is too big, but the successful person knows that the bigger the problem, the bigger the success. So, when great trials and great challenges come, we must face them with joy. Don't be afraid of problems and don't try to avoid them.
The three young men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) in today's text knew how to fear God's authority more than the visible authority of Babylon in the face of great trials and problems. Also, they were protected without a single hair cut. Also, even King Nebuchadnezzar repented and surrendered to God's power and began to praise God. What kind of beliefs did they have?
1. It is a clear confession of faith for the future (verse 16).
Verse 16 confesses that our death and life depend on God, not on men, on power, or on King Nebuchadnezzar. The future of my life today belongs to God. Even in the midst of any despair and setbacks, even in a dark environment with no future, when I can confess that my life and future belong to God, there will be no more despair. Even in the face of my problems, God is my master. With the confession that ‘The Lord is the one who does the will of the Lord,’ I hope you will go out boldly in faith.
2. Faith in God's power to save (verse 17).
Trust in the power of Almighty God to solve problems. Is God's saving power the power of God? God's saving love is greater than any problem we have.
3. It is the faith of ‘even if it is not so’ (verse 18).
The ‘depth of faith’ can be roughly divided into three categories. The first is the if-type of 'If you do so'. In other words, it is an attitude of faith that puts conditions in front of God, "If you do this..." In severe cases, they may even turn away from God. These are people whose faith is as shallow as a brook. The second is “As If-type”. It is an attitude of obedience in the presence of God, as if it will happen. They obey God's Word, believing that the faithful God will lead them on a good path, and go on without any doubt. These are people whose faith is as deep as a river (eg, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in Joshua 3). The third is “Even if-Type”. It is faith to believe in God until the end, even if it does not happen before God (Hab 3:17-18). Even though things did not go according to my wishes and my beliefs, they are still people who stand in thanksgiving and praise to God. These are people whose faith is as deep as the sea.
Now we will have to ask each of us. “Even if not, can you trust, praise, thank, and serve God? In the name of the Lord, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may become a person of the Lord who enjoys the greater blessings of faith through the confession of faith to this question.