Where Do You Find Your Freedom?
“Going through the fire” is a phrase common to many
Christian circles. Those who use it are usually saying they (or others) are in
a season of testing or purification. It’s not generally an eagerly anticipated
season of the Christian walk.
I’m experiencing such a season right now. It’s exciting, because anytime Daddy starts working in my life, I know good will result. But it can also be painful, as old things are exposed and dealt with.
As I was wrestling with some of these things last night, Holy Spirit brought the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3) to my mind. They are the ones who walked away unscathed from the fiery furnace.
I was particularly struck by verses 24-25:
“Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, ‘Didn’t we throw three men, bound hand in foot, into the fire?’ ‘That’s right, O king,’ they said. ‘But look!’ he said. ‘I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!’”
As I read and re-read that passage, He gave me a picture. I began seeing all the ropes that have bound me being charred by the flames. I realized that the fire is the place where freedom comes, even from the things we bound ourselves with. It’s in the fire that we get to walk freely with Jesus, because everything that’s not of Him gets consumed.
Suddenly, I’m not so eager to leave the fire. Instead of looking for the exit, I’m now looking for Jesus walking nearby. . .
I’m experiencing such a season right now. It’s exciting, because anytime Daddy starts working in my life, I know good will result. But it can also be painful, as old things are exposed and dealt with.
As I was wrestling with some of these things last night, Holy Spirit brought the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3) to my mind. They are the ones who walked away unscathed from the fiery furnace.
I was particularly struck by verses 24-25:
“Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, ‘Didn’t we throw three men, bound hand in foot, into the fire?’ ‘That’s right, O king,’ they said. ‘But look!’ he said. ‘I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!’”
As I read and re-read that passage, He gave me a picture. I began seeing all the ropes that have bound me being charred by the flames. I realized that the fire is the place where freedom comes, even from the things we bound ourselves with. It’s in the fire that we get to walk freely with Jesus, because everything that’s not of Him gets consumed.
Suddenly, I’m not so eager to leave the fire. Instead of looking for the exit, I’m now looking for Jesus walking nearby. . .
Jesus is the common denominator. He is everything and everything by Him is transformed! He is all that you just described and that dying to self in the fire is the test. I know the fire.
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