Daniel 3

You are never responsible for the way others see or react to you, but you are responsible for how you carry yourself and the impression you create!
These boys were shaken by the circumstances they were in but were not stirred out of their faith.
Are you yearning for stability amid the gritty circumstances of life? Is your life shaken by obstacles at work, challenges in marriage, chronic health issues, or a rebellious child? You know… those things that keep you awake at night. Are you shaken to the core?
Most people wear their problems and despair like a coat for the world to see. They allow their faith to be stirred by whatever threatens them and unfortunately many succumb to the problems.
How many of us have ever been shaken by life’s challenges like these boys?
What kind of shaking will it take for us to reject the Lord when threatened?
People are threatened daily with all kinds of things, “if you don’t do this, if you don’t do as you’re told, this will happen to you.”
How many of us will stand firm in our faith when faced with such gruesome threats as these boys faced?
They were shaken but not stirred- Vs 16, we don’t care! We have no fear, not moved, nor threatened enough to serve your gods.
We must be determined to focus on God, regardless of the threat, not to be troubled.
The enemy always has plans to steal, kill and destroy the children of God with whatever he likes, from sickness, relationship breakdown, loss of income to stagnation, all of which the Lord expects us to hand over to Him instead of allowing them to shake us.
Will people see and know something is wrong from looking at you?
These boys were shaken as they were bound and thrown in the furnace, BUT they were not stirred as they walked amid the flame, praising the Lord.
Nebuchadnezzar heard them praising in the furnace and was astonished because they should be screaming in agony.
Why!
Because the Lord walked in the furnace with them, psalm 23:4.
They were not shaken, only their bounds were burnt, their clothes didn’t burn, nor did they smell of smoke.
I vowed when I understood this chapter that I could be shaken as many of us do by the storms of life but I’ll never allow it to stir me, no matter what I go through, nobody will ever tell from my expression, clothing and body language, I will never allow despair to smell on me or allow affliction to burn me.
John 8:36 says we have been set free, every bound has been burnt.
The enemy uses all kinds of chains to bind us in the furnace of life, but we must allow the Lord to keep us anchored by His word and Spirit, so we are not stirred.
These boys didn’t argue with the king, they didn’t beg, they stated the truth and their faith in God. There is no use in our arguing as if we could be shaken from our principles, faith, and spiritual integrity. The enemy will always drag us in front of the “king,” but Jesus says not to worry about what to say, The Holy Spirit will empower us. Matthew 10:19.
Shalom