Faith Tested

We are in our faith series, friends, and in my previous two messages I made the comments that faith and hope go together like biscuits and gravy, and that faith and obedience are inseparable as water is to life. And today I will make the statement that faith, for it to be true, must be tried and tested. And that's the title of my message today, friends.

Faith, tried and tested. And my text can be found in the book of Daniel, in chapter 3. You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends, as we look into the story of three men of faith, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three Jewish exiles were literally put into a furnace of affliction to try and test their faith, because for faith to be true, it must be tried and tested.

Let me ask you, friend, how do you know you have a skill unless you test it? How do you know you have a talent in a sport unless you go try out for the team? When I was in high school, I tried out for both the golf team and the gymnastic team, and the competition was stiff at this big school. But I worked hard and used my ability that God gave me and made the cut. But I wouldn't have known if I was any good unless I was tried and tested against my peers.

The walk of faith is very similar. For faith to be true, it must be tried and tested. The Christian life boils down to two words, trust and obey, like the old hymn says.

Now I want us to look at these three men of faith as they stood up against an angry king and impossible odds. Old King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, and he demanded all his subjects to fall down and worship it, and if you refuse, you die. Let's pick up our passage in verse 12, friends.

Here now is the word of God, and may the spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his holy word. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon. I will pause there.

These Chaldeans tell King Nebuchadnezzar that three of his subjects are refusing to bow to the image, and he goes into a rage and demands that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to his throne room, and when they're there, he yells at them and says, 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? Why, he throws down the lancet of a channel to them on God Almighty, and the three men of God answer, 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. I will stop there. Now friends, I want us to see three aspects of the faith life from our passage today.

Number one, they demonstrate a uncompromising faith. When I look around at the modern church of our day, I see an institution that has compromised herself with the world, and that's why the church has no influence upon a godly society today, because of compromise with the world. These three men of faith demonstrate an uncompromising faith in the face of great danger.

Number two, they are willing to suffer for their faith and risk losing everything, including their lives, if necessary, to defend God's honor. Their testimony reminds me of the underground church in China that has counted the cost in following a crucified savior, and the Chinese believers suffer greatly under hot persecution from a communist government. If persecution came to America, would the average Christian be willing to lose all their belongings, all their money, their reputation, and even their very lives for the sake of the gospel? I don't believe there are many who would.

Number three, they believe God is able to save them, and they place their trust in him alone and his providence. They know that the living God they serve is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Let me ask you, friend, do you believe that God is the same God today as he was to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Do you? These three men faced a fiery furnace, and there was no way out.

Why? Because a sovereign God wanted his servants' faith tried and tested for his glory. Perhaps you are facing your own furnace of affliction, and only God can deliver you, and you can only cling to your faith and stand on his word, which declares all things are possible with God, and all things are possible to him who believes. Listen, friends, God will try and test your faith by placing you in various trials and tribulations.

Let me say this about almighty God. God cannot be explained, but he can be experienced. He wants to move on your behalf as you exercise your faith.

I had a day this week where three major heavy weights were on me, and I had no way out but to go to my knees in prayer and earnestly seek the face of God and his favor and deliverance. I beseeched him on these three dilemmas that I was facing that stress-filled day, and while on my knees I cried out to him and said, O great God, the great and dreadful God, I believe you are still the same God as the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and I believe you are able to handle what I face today. And do you know what, friends? He delivered me on all three accounts.

God is faithful. He can be trusted. I'll go to my grave believing that.

There is a coming day, friends, when all of our life's works will be placed into the fire for testing and review. Will it be gold, silver, and precious stones that remain for his glory, or will we stand knee-deep in the ashes of a compromised life? God wants to work his power in our lives. Do we believe him and trust him when our faith is tried and tested? My God is a living Lord who sits upon the throne at the right hand of the Father, and he earned that right by way of a bloody cross.

Do you know him, friend? Do you trust him? Are you willing to suffer for him? Are you? Are you willing to lose it all for him? Are you? I remember one time years ago, I prayed that I would be willing to lay my life down for him if necessary and die a martyr for him, and I still would by his grace and for his glory. For faith to be true, it must be tried and tested, but let us pray.