Sadly, too many Christians live burdened down by the negative influence of the world. They tune in to CNN (Constant Negative News) or FOX and friends to here how bad things are. They accept this news readily, because they have allowed their faith to become weak and t heir spirit to grow weak from the constant negativity around them.
It would be foolish to deny that we live in a negative world. We live in a world that is full of trouble. I’m talking about REAL problems that exist every where. If existing problems are not bad enough, we constantly face predictions of impending natural, economic, and political disasters—everything from the fall of major governments to the burning of the planet due to a depleted ozone!
What is a Christian to do?
First, we can take comfort in the fact that nothing in the world today is news to God; nothing is taking Him by surprise. In fact, He warned us about our difficulties in John 16:33, “. . .In this world you will have trouble . . .”
Now these words were written in red! HE said trouble was surely to come—but praise God that is not all He said. He added the following encouraging words: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye mighty have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus told us to take heart, to be of good cheer---in the midst of the storms. Yet instead of having a cheerful attitude, Christians often become negative themselves. They complain until they become weary, hopeless, and negative as the world around them.
In the natural, because of all the trouble in the world, we have smart bombs, home security systems, law enforcement agencies, prisons, hospitals, medical personnel, all to “help” us feel at peace. But despite all man’s assistance, people are still fearful and crying out for help. Many of them are grasping for hope, yet at the same time, saying, “what are we going to do? It’s hopeless. We can’t win.”
The question of the day may be this: “Is it really possible to remain positive in such a negative environment, when things looks so bad around us?
To answer that question, let’s look to the Word of God for the answers.
All throughout the Bible you will find those who “kept the faith” and refused to be influenced by the darkness and negativity that surrounded them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three such men.
These young Hebrew men were living in exile serving as administrators over the province of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. They enjoyed the favor of God, even in captivity. All was well until one day a decree went out from the king: that at a certain time, when the music played, the entire province had to bow and worship the image he had had erected in his honor.
When the time came and the music started, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego refused to pay homage to the golden image. The penalty was to be cast into a burning furnaces!
The king became angry at the three bold Hebrews, yet he gave them a second chance to do what they were commanded. He said, “Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound….ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15)
Those three brave young men did not bow! Look at their reply: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
There is a theological debate about verse 18, some say that the three Hebrews were unsure about their faith in God’s willingness to deliver them. They say, “First the three were in faith, saying, ‘God will deliver us.’ Then they got out of faith, saying, ‘But if He doesn’t. . .’
The truth being told here is that their strong commitment to God and His Word strengthened their resolve not to worship that image—even if the burning furnace awaited them. Their faith said God would deliver them; their commitment said it didn’t make any difference whether He did or did not—they were not going to worship the golden image!
Simply put, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith spoke in verse 17; their commitment spoke in verse 18. This verbal response to the king had nothing to do with a lack of faith, but it had everything to do with a total commitment to do the right thing in honor of the One they served. Their strong commitment produced in them a strong confidence that He would deliver them and God did exactly that.
In further reading, the king got red faced mad and had that furnace heated seven times more. The heat that was supposed to kill the three men, overcame and killed the men who cast them into the fire!
Later, the king with a bewildered look on his face said, “Did not we cast three men, bound into the fire?” His advisors said, “Yes sir!” The king responded, “I see four men, loose, walking around in the fire. They’re not hurt, and the Fourth man is like the Son of God!
Nebuchadnezzar called them forth from the fire and when they emerged not a single hair was singed. Their clothing didn’t even smell like smoke. The Bible says that the people gathered to see these three men “. . . upon whose bodies the fire had no power!” (Daniel 3:27).
We must be committed to God and His Word to successfully walk this walk of faith in the face of negative circumstances. Walking by faith is not something we just “try.” We must take God’s word like a dog with a bone! We must have the attitude, “sink or swim, I’m going to believe God. No matter what bad circumstances is going on around me, I will not give in!”
This level of commitment to God and His Word is a big part of faith that we haven’t seen as clearly as we should. But we need to realize that God honors steadfastness.
Another example of commitment found in the Bible is the story of Daniel.
Daniel 6:3 says, “ . . . because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”
During the reign of King Darius of Babylone, Daniel was placed as one of the three rulers or presidents over 120 princes who officiated over the entire province. Of these three, Daniel was favored by the king.
The other two presidents and the 120 princes were jealous of Daniel, and sought a way to find something to use against him before the king. They could not find fault with him because he was faithful to the king and without error in the administration of his duties. They plotted against Daniel by tricking the king to sign a decree that contradicted the law of Daniel’s God. The decree said that for thirty days, anyone who prayed or made petition to any god but the king would be cast into a den of lions.
What did Daniel do when he discovered that the decree had been established and the proclamation made? He went into his house, and “with the windows open, he prayed to his God” (Daniel 6:10).
The men who conspired against Daniel wasted no time in telling Darius that Daniel had done. But the king was so distraught because he favored Daniel, that he looked for a way to deliver Daniel from his impending execution. Ye the decree was written “according to the law of the Medes and Persians,” which mean it could not be changed (Daniel 6:8, 12, 15).
So the king commanded his servants to throw Daniel into the den of lions, but notice what Darius said to Daniel, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” (Daniel 6:16).
Read on in verses 18-23
Why did Daniel have so much confidence in God while facing this life threatening circumstance? Because he served God continually. He knew God. Daniels faith for deliverance was born out of his commitment to God. Because of his attitude, Daniel had favor with God and the lions did not harm a single hair on his head!
Look at verse 24 to find out what happened to those who plotted against Daniel. The king commanded his servant to throw them into the same den of lions, along with their families. The Bible says, “the lions had the mastery of them” and killed them all.
This story shows that it pays to stay committed to God. Serving God continually can change things for us; we can be spared in the midst of trouble too. Despite any disaster that comes against us, we can come out unscathed if, like Daniel, we stand for God, believing He is wiling and able to protect us!
All throughout the pages of your Bible we continually hear the voices of men and women of God raising up a cry, “God is able!” They were tested, and tried, yet like the men mentioned in this lesson, they would not give in. They were pressed by trouble on every side, they made a decision to never allow the pressure to alter their faith in God’s ability to protect and to save them.
IF we could ask Abraham, David, Moses, Joshua, Paul, Peter, and John if God is indeed able, we’d hear them answer at once “YES! OUR GOD IS ABLE!” Sarah, Hannah, Ruth, Deborah, and Mary would also join in the proclamation!
We need to make the same declaration, exalting the name of our God and the power of God over all the darkness and negativism the world tries to bring. We should continually proclaim, “OUR GOD IS ABLE!”
Some people in the world have the attitude (and this has gotten into the church), “you can’t with them all. You have to take the good with the bad. You have to accept some defeat. So why not be satisfied with your lot in life?”
But there is a way to live a positive lifestyle in God—an overcoming, victorious lifestyle! The Bible says, “All things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). The Lord has made provision for us to live above and beyond any adverse circumstances that may surround us.
