Only God Is Able to Deliver

Is there anyone in the house today who has ever been in a situation the seemed impossible to get out of. I'm talking about a sticky situation. You know the kind where the more you tried to get away from it, the more your tried to shake it off, the more that thing wouldn't let you go. By chance is there anyone here who has found themselves surrounded by circumstance that seemed like they were going to take you out. My brothers and my sisters has anyone ever had a Job experience whereby if it isn't one thing coming at you it's another and another thing invading your life.

I know that there are some of you here today who are living the perfect life. You've never had to go through anything, you've never had to deal with any difficulties or any hardships or pit falls in your life. Well I want you to know today that if this is you, I want you to know that I’m not being mean on today, I’m not excluding you on today.

But if you are already living this life, living in Paradise, then this sermon is not for you today. But I'm talking to those who have had some sleepless nights those who have gone through the storms and the rain. Those who have dealt with loneliness and despair is there anyone here today who can identify with what I'm saying on today.

And truth be told all of us here today have not lived a perfect life, nor are we living a perfect life but we are striving daily to live and to be examples of Christ.

My brothers and my sisters every day of our lives we should have more of our flesh decaying and more of Jesus being applied to our lives. I'm just trying to help some body today. We all have had some rotten apples and some lemons come our way in this life. And the only reason why you and I are still here today, the reason why we survived all the trauma and drama in our lives was because of God's grace and his mercy.

Oh somebody ought to give God some praise that's a good place right there to open up your mouth and tell God thank you for your grace and your mercy.

You know that it wasn't because you were so good and kind, you know it wasn't because you kept every commandment. But it was all because you were covered by the blood of Jesus, you were kept under the almighty shadow of God. The song writer pinned the song " Oh to be kept by Jesus" is there anybody in here who will open your mouth and shout " Oh it was Jesus who kept me".

Our title for today is “Only God Is Able to Deliver”

Our Scripture is taken from: Daniel 3:1-28

Daniel 3:1–3 NASB95

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

So here in the text today we see that King Nebuchadnezzar has had a golden statue of himself created and not only did he have it created in the image of himself but he had the nerve, he had the audacity to erect and place it right smack dab in the center of Babylon.

But when you think about it, he had the right to do this because after all he was the king. So after this statue was erected and set in it's proper place,

King Nebuchadnezzar then sent out an invitation to celebrate this great occasion. And you know how it is, when we're planning a gathering we plan what we'll have, what time we'll have it and even who we'll invite.

But I have discovered that when we make out our guest list, it can start off very lengthy but then tend to shorten it. In other words we pick who we want to come and who we don't want to come.

But here in the text today King Nebuchadnezzar has planned an event to where he wants to invite everyone he doesn't want to leave out anyone. And if you look at verse 2, you'll discover that he invited everyone. From the rich to the poor, those in authority and those with no authority.

Daniel 3:2 NASB95

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

He invited Christians as well as non-Christians.

King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t exclude anyone.

Now let it be known that even though King Nebuchadnezzar was known as a great king who reigned over Babylon for 43 years, in his personal life he was known as a ruthless individual.

And though he may have been a ruthless person, we can learn something good today out of the invitation that he extended. We all know that good can come out of a bad situation, amen.

What we can learn is that we cannot leave out or exclude anyone from the word of God.

Doesn't matter how bad they are because remember where some of us came from.

Doesn't matter the lifestyle they live because once again, such were some of us. And what we as believers have to learn to do is, we have to learn to look over and beyond all the junk people have in their lives and see Jesus in them and be willing to share the gospel of Jesus the Christ, AMEN

Anyway, so it was commanded that everyone, when they heard the sound of the music playing they were to stop what they were doing and bow down and worship the image.

Daniel 3:4-5 (NASB95)

Daniel 3:4–5 NASB95

4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, 5 that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

Daniel 3:8 NASB95

8 For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.

It was also commanded that whosoever did not obey, would be cast into a hot blazing furnace. But notice if you will starting in verse 8 it states "For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews".

They begin to remind Nebuchadnezzar of the decree he had set forth concerning the protocol of worshipping the golden image. And as they begin to remind him, at the same time they begin to inform him of those who did not follow his command. They begin to tell Nebuchadnezzar that during this time of worship, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had not followed protocol.

Now this right here had me scratching my head because if during this time,

if everyone was supposed to be in worship how did they know what someone was doing

if they were in worship themselves.

You see the Chaldeans instead of following protocol themselves they were up looking around, looking to see who was doing what. And it's the same way today in the church. When the spirit is moving throughout the church, you got folks sitting there being spectators instead of participator.

I don't know about any of you but when God is in this house, I want to receive all that he has for me. I don't have time to try and see what's going on around me, I've got to get wrapped up, tied up in the Spirit of God so that I don't miss out on my blessing.

So here after their accusers have brought them forward and have told that they will not worship the image.

Daniel 3:13 NASB95

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.

In verse 13 we find that Nebuchadnezzar gets mad flies into a frenzy and asked them is it true that they will not worship the image. And what I like about, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, sometimes called the three Hebrew boys is that

with all that they had learned and all that they had been taught they stood on those principles.

And that speaks to us today as believers and tells us that we have to stand on the word of God. When the pressures of the world come our way it's not time for us to do as those who have know hope and give up.

But it's about us taking God at his word and taking him at his promises. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego said …

we will not worship you or your image we are going to stand on the promises of our God.

Just as a reference look at Exodus 20:1-5

Exodus 20:1–5 NASB95

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

So the bible says that when the music played again Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to bow down and if they did not bow down, they would be cast into the fiery furnace. The Hebrew boys said to Nebuchadnezzar, and I’m paraphrasing, we don't care what you say and what you do we will not bow down and worship.

And I like what they said in verse 17 they told Nebuchadnezzar if this be the case if you see fit to throw us in the fiery furnace, We want you to know that the God we serve is able to deliver us.

Daniel 3:17 NASB95

17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

I came to tell somebody it

doesn't matter what situation you are in right now we serve a mighty God who able to save you.

The bible says that He's able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ever ask of think. Just when you think that you can't make it, God steps in, just at the right moment. The Hebrew boys had so much faith in God that they said even if he doesn't deliver us all is well with our souls. What about you?

Daniel 3:23 NASB95

23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

The bible in verse 23 says that when they were casted into the furnace they fell down bound in the midst of the fiery furnace. I think I ought to stop here long enough to let you know that when your in the midst of the fire, when fire is all around you, you need to fall on your knees and go to God in prayer.

Psalm 24:7–8 “7 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.”

Though you may be bound by your situations and your circumstances God is able to deliver you. The Psalm 24:7-8 says "Lift up your heads oh ye gates and be year lifted up ye everlasting doors and the king of glory shall come in". Who is this king it's the Lord strong and mighty, mighty in battle.

Daniel 3:24–25

“24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!””

… tells us that when Nebuchadnezzar got up looked into the furnace he asked the question did we not throw in three men and they answered yes king but Nebuchadnezzar said look I see four me walking in the midst of the fire and the fourth man looks like the Son of God.

Daniel 3:26–28 NASB95

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.

In Closing This sermon is to help you the believer know that no matter how hard, no matter how hot your situations and circumstances maybe, never lose focus on God and His promises that He has made available to us in his word.

I just want to tell you that when the heat gets to hot, don't you move but stay right there and watch God show up and show out and make everything alright. Don't you move, stay right there in the kitchen because He's there with you. Matthew 28:20 gives us this everlasting promise ...

Matthew 28:20 NASB95

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”