Too Hot To Handle

Oftentimes Christians talk about how they desire to, “Be on fire for God.” But do we realize that “fire” (especially to this flesh of ours) has certain undesirable characteristics, namely: it burns and causes great pain.
Nevertheless, in order for any of us to ever be “Truly be on fire for God” then we must also be willing to allow God to: “Put us into the Furnace of Life” (if that’s what He so chooses to do).
Now I know that’s enough to scare off a lot of Believers who “thought” that they wanted to be on fire for God, but the whole purpose behind all the fiery trials (that we sometimes find ourselves going thru) is all because God is attempting to so temper us so that when the devil comes our way, we’ll just be “Too Hot For Him To Handle!”
One passage of Scripture that attests to this fact is found in Daniel 3. There, we find 3 Hebrew boys, forced to live in a pagan culture, just doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. When suddenly, out of the blue, the king decides to build himself an image and passes a decree that whenever the royal orchestra plays, everyone in his kingdom will fall on their knees and worship his image…or else.
The king’s commands are the “Supreme Law” of the land, and it is either “Obey his law” or “defy it and die.” Nevertheless, these 3 Hebrew boys “Refuse to Compromise Their Convictions” even though they know that such a stand will probably cost them their lives. They respect the temporal powers that be, but only as long as those laws do not violate the laws of God, for their allegiance is first and foremost To Him!
Not that they try to make a big deal of it, they simply refuse to bow when the music plays. But in the kingdom are others who despise these Hebrews. Men who are filled with envy (because these 3 have excelled in their duties before the king). So, under the pretext of loyalty to their king, they go and tell the king of these 3 rebels who openly defy his commands.
The king likes these boys; so much so that he is even willing to give them a second chance. He’ll have the orchestra play, and if they’ll just bow down and worship his image, all will be forgotten. But before the king can ever give the signal for the orchestra to strike up the music, these 3 give the king their reply. They tell him, “We don’t need any time to re-evaluate our positions oh king; for we could never compromise our convictions or sell out our obedience to our God.”
Furthermore, “We also know that if our God chooses, He can deliver us from you. Nevertheless oh king, even if He chooses not to save us, we will not compromise our worship to the Most High.”
Nebuchadnezzar had already had a great furnace prepared for anyone who refused to obey his commands. Now, he is filled with rage at these men’s defiance of his demands. In his anger, he orders the fire to be heated 7 times hotter, and he commands his mightiest soldiers to cast them into the fiery furnace.
But these 3 are “Too Hot To Handle!” The very men who attempt to throw them in the furnace are consumed by the fire long before they can cast their prisoners into the flames.
Scripture tells us that these 3 Hebrews “fell down bound” into the furnace, but they didn’t stay bound for long; for the flames instantly consumed their bonds. Immediately they are free and walking in the midst of the fire!
The king questions his advisors and says, “Did we not throw 3 men into the fire? But lo I see 4 men loose walking in the fire…and the 4th is like the Son of God.”
We are never told whether the 3 Hebrew boys saw Christ or not (although I suspect that they did), but we know that this wicked king and all his advisors saw Jesus Christ Incarnate walking with His children.
Yes, there are times when we all have to walk through the fire. And yes, there may be times that we never see “The 4th man in the fire.” But whether we ever see Jesus or not, you can take it to the bank, He will not let any of us ever walk thru those flames alone!
The very trial that Satan had sent to destroy these 3 Hebrew boys, it soon became “Their Greatest Testimony” for it was “Thru the Fire” that God made these men “Too Hot For Even the Devil To Handle!”
Nobody likes to go to the furnace and nobody like to have to face the fire. Maybe you are the one who now finds yourself in the Furnace of Life right now. And for the life of you, you just can’t figure out, “Where is God in all of this, and why is God allowing all these things to happen to you?”
Just hold on my friend, for if there is no test, there can be no testimony! God may well be tempering you so that soon even the devil is going to find out that “You’re Just Too Hot To Handle!” And never forget, “Even in the Fire” you will never walk alone, for Jesus can always be found in the midst of the fire!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones