God says, “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (Isaiah 43:2)
Fire represents challenges and troubles. This world is full of trouble, and our lives can be full of challenges. But God promises to be with us in these challenges and bring us through safely, as long as we keep trusting in him.
Trials are part of the Christian life. The Bible says that we should not think it a strange thing when we face difficulties (1 Peter 4:17).
Some Christians believe that if they are faithful to God, they won’t face problems. The prosperity gospel says that Christians don’t need to go through trouble but should be rich and comfortable as a sign of their faith. This is a false teaching that contradicts the New Testament.
“As many as are godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Paul said we are “appointed” to trouble (1 Thessalonians 3:3).
Daniel was faithful to God and received powerful revelations. But he ended up in the lions’ den. But God brought him out and stopped the lions’ mouths.
Jesus went through trouble. Jesus is our master, and if we follow him faithfully, we will be like him (Matthew 10:12-13). However, at the end of it all, he rose up from the dead.
Fire can have two effects on us. It can make us worse or it can make us better. When the world goes through fire the world is destroyed. When Christians go through fire, they are purified.
Fire shows us what is reliable. When we go through the fire, some friends may leave us. They liked us when we were comfortable and happy, but when we faced problems they left. The fire also reveals the garbage of our lives. When we’re in the fire, we discover things we need to get rid of. When we were comfortable those things were a regular part of our lives, but after we went through the fire, we saw that those things were causing problems. Sin is one thing that doesn’t endure the fire. To be strong in the fire, we need to get rid of sin.
Our faith is tested in the fire (1 Peter 1:7). Before going through the fire we may have trusted in many things. But after going through the fire, other things were stripped away. We saw we didn’t need those things, and they couldn’t be relied upon. Our faith was purified from other things and became more focused upon God.
Satan attacks our faith when we’re in the fire (1 Thessalonians 3:4-5). He wants us to give up our faith. No doubt about it, the fire is a time of testing. But hopefully we will see that nothing and no one can bring us through the fire except God. Therefore when we are in the fire we will continue to trust in God and give him and opportunity to act in our lives. Our faith will become purified like gold as other things are stripped away.
God promises that when we go through the fire, we will not be burned. When a person is burned, they get hurt or destroyed. It’s normal to get burned while in the fire, which is why the world gets burned when they are in the fire. To get through the fire and not be burned is supernatural, and this is the work of the Holy Spirit.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went through the fiery furnace, they came out alive. They weren’t burned, and the smell of smoke was not even upon them. They experienced supernatural deliverance because they were trusting in God. And there was a 4th man with them in the fire – the Son of God (Daniel 3:24-26).
God is with us. He says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 43:5). He says, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Even in the midst of the fire, God is with us. He will protect us. He will comfort us. He will bring us through the fire safely as we hold on to him. And he won’t allow us to be tested beyond what we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
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