Without the Smell of Smoke in Your Clothes

Daniel 3:13-28 “...the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.”

One Sunday morning in a small but powerful church in east Texas I heard a sermon that has stayed with me. The pastor said, “Facts must fall in the face of faith!” Ever since that day I see it happening more and more. When we speak words of faith coupled with our belief in those words, unusual things happen. Fear is moved away. Blessings begin to flow. Resources show up that we never knew existed. I’m convinced that’s what happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

King Nebuchadnezzar was in a rage. He had made a mistake by creating the wrong image from one of his dreams but he couldn’t see it. He had been blinded by pride and by listening to bad advice. So when Daniel’s three friends refused to bow down and worship the image from the king’s dream, the king flew into a rage. His wrath was full blown. When he also asked what god was there that could deliver them, they refused to engage in his conversation of doubt and unbelief to try to convince him otherwise. People are often impossible to reason with in the middle of rage!

What they did do was to state their faith emphatically. “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing fire!” But not only that, “He will deliver us out of your hand.” Whether they lived or died, they knew they were delivered out of the hands of the king and into the hands of their mighty God. As the three held their ground the king grew angrier and ordered the furnace turned up even higher.

It took a miracle to open the eyes of King Nebuchadnezzar. Not only were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego not burned, the fire had no effect on their hair or their clothes. Verse 27 says that there was not even the smell of the fire on them! Plus, there was another person walking around in the fire who looked “like a son of the gods” according to the king.

By the time the three men came out of the furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar was worshiping their God! He said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego! He sent an angel to deliver them who put their trust in Him.”

When cold, hard facts are staring you straight in the face, whether it’s a bad health report or a bank statement with a zero balance, pay close attention to the next thing your mouth says. First your eyes see, then your mouth speaks. Be sure you say words of faith, words that confirm whose child you are and what your God can do. “It doesn’t matter what my eyes see, God is able to deliver me from this situation! I will come out of this without even the smell of smoke in my clothes!” Put your faith words to work today, and whatever facts are heating up against you they will fall at your feet in a pile of ashes!

Copyright Gloria Fisher 2011.
All rights reserved.