Fireproof

You don't have to or may not even have the privilege of being able to wait till later to get serious about Jesus. Jonathan Evans warns that spiritual delay is one of Satan's most effective lies.

So one of the tricks of the enemy is to think that you have time and that you can get serious about God later, but I'm here to tell you the time is always right now. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, founding pastor of Oakcliffe Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Urban Alternative. Pressure has a way of exposing what we really believe. It's one thing to follow God when it's convenient, but what happens when the culture demands you to compromise?

Today, Pastor Jonathan Evans takes us to Daniel chapter 3 and shows us what it means to be fireproof, to stand firm when everyone else is giving in. Let's join him. There was a king. And that king... Had a decree.

This king made a golden image. And he said, I want you, everybody, under the sound of my voice, when you hear the sound of music. I want you to bow down to the image that I have set up. And if you don't... I'm gonna throw y'all into this fiery furnace and burn you up.

In other words, he had a threat to make sure that everybody bowed down to the image that he had set up. And then, when everybody bowed down, everybody in the culture, all the peers and all the people bowed down to the golden image that he had set up. There was three. Youngsters. There was three youth.

That decided we're not bowing down to anything you have set up. And they stood against the culture. Let me just say to all of the young people in the room: God is calling you to not stand for the culture, but stand against it. He's calling you to take your stand against the culture. And yes, those three were by themselves, but in a moment, we're going to see they weren't by themselves.

They had power that was walking with them, and these three Hebrew boys stood against the tyranny of King Nebuchadnezzar. They stood up and they took their stand. Listen. You don't have to, or may not even have the privilege of being able to wait till later to get serious about Jesus.

So, one of the tricks of the enemy is to think that you have time. And that you can get serious about God later, but I'm here to tell you the time is always right now. Because evidently God can use you at 15 right now. You can live for people who don't even know you here, or you can live for God who has an eternity in his hands. You have to choose, you have to pick.

And that's not just for the young people, that's for all the people. Because I know 50 year olds that still won't stand. These three Hebrew boys stood against the tyranny of a king. How were they able to do that? They knew that they were in foreign territory.

This is not your home. The book of Philippians tells us your citizenship is in heaven. It tells you in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 6, that we are already seated with him in. Heavenly places. That is your home.

These boys understood that they were transferred to a different place that was not their place, and that they're going to stand for the rules of where they're from, not the rules of where they are. We've got to understand that you have been Transitioned.

Now you have the gills of the gospel. You can no longer breathe with the lungs of lust. It's different now. You're in foreign territory and they understood that not only is this is not my home. But this is not our God.

This is not our king. These are not our rules. This is not what we do. Adam and Eve were in a perfect place with a perfect God, and they were perfect people. That was God's place.

The enemy came into the garden and tricked them with that fruit thing, and they ate it, and then they were taken into exile. Because the world was no longer perfect. The world was no longer what God intended it to be. They took them and extracted them. The enemy extracted them into a new world full of sin and a new world in which he rules.

John 12:31 says, The Satan is the ruler of this present world. That's why he could tell Jesus in Matthew chapter 4: bow down and worship me, and I will give you the kingdoms of this world. Because once he took them into exile, he became the ruler. John 16:11 says that Satan is the ruler of this world. Matter of fact, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, it says he's the God of the earth, little g.

And so, what you have is like Nebuchadnezzar took them from Israel, the enemy took Adam and Eve out of God's place and took them into exile. Nebuchadnezzar had different rules and the enemy has different rules. Nebuchadnezzar propped up an idol and Satan props up idols too. He props up the idols of self-promotion. He props up the idols of fame.

He props up the idols of money. He props up the idols of materialism. He props up the idols of body image. He props up the idols of social media and social acceptance. And you gotta understand as a young person and all people.

That those are not my idols. I've got a homeland and we don't bow down to idols.

So you can prop up Self-promotion. But where I'm from, it says, have this attitude in yourself, which is also in Christ Jesus, to regard others as more important than yourself. He can prop up the idols of fame, but you gotta be able to know that where I'm from, only God gets the glory. He can prop up the idols of money. But you can tell him where I'm from.

We know that the money is the root of all evil. It doesn't have me even when I have it. He can prop up the idol of materialism. And you have to be able to know. That where I'm from, we seek ye first his kingdom, and then these things will get added to me.

He can prop up the idol of body image, and you can tell him, but where I'm from, I'm already fearfully and wonderfully made. I don't have to do any of that. He can prop up the idol of social media and social acceptance. And that's when you tell him, where I'm from, we're a peculiar people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. I'm not supposed to be like everybody else.

They understood where they were from, and they understood the rules and regulations of where they were from, and they were unwilling. To break it. They were unwilling to step aside from that. They were unwilling to go with what Nebuchadnezzar had set up 15. Fifteen years old.

And the music played and they said. We ain't doing that. Rebellious teens. That are on the right side of history. Rebellious teams that are full of faith.

Because revival comes through the young people. Whenever they decide. They can change the entire culture. And these three dudes had the king's attention. Don't you know whenever y'all decide y'all can get the government's attention real quick?

Don't you know when y'all decide money can start moving in different directions to try to figure out what's going on? Because when your people decide, they get the king's attention. And these young people made a decision. That we will not bow to any false images the enemy sets up. They knew where they were from.

They knew this wasn't their king. This wasn't their God. But let me tell you something. They were well taught. These young people in Daniel 1 Verse three and four, it says, Nebuchadnezzar said, Go get me the youth, and go get me the youth from royal noble families that are wise, that are smart, that have no defects, that are good looking.

Like I want all of the best from God's territory. And I want you to teach all of them the language of the Chaldeans. In other words, I want you to bring in all of the wise and all of the smart youth and all of the good-looking youth and all of the best that are supposed to be working for God. And I want to teach them how the culture works. In other words, we got all of these fantastic poets.

And the enemy wants to take that gift. And he wants to sit you in hip-hop culture so he can take the gift that's supposed to be used for God and put venom on your tongue. Satan has a plan to re-educate you. He wants to take all of our smart intellectual kids. And send them off to secular places and secular universities so that they can start deviating from their faith.

And when they get real strong in the deviation of their faith, then he gives them a podcast mic. He wants to take all of our pretty girls. And make them think the only way you can be cute is to have no clothes on or make sure everything is tight in order to be right. Your homeland says modest. That's what your homeland says!

But the enemy will make you think your homeland is whack. That's how good he is. The internal modest, that's what, why would I do that? That ain't cute. That's the enemy.

Puppeting you. Taking you right out of God's kingdom. He said the good-looking, the ones with no defect, he's puppeting you. And using you for his kingdom. Using you to sway people the other way.

And he likes to use God's people because that's a greater testimony against God. He likes to use God's kids because that's the greatest testimony for him against God. is that we'll look at our own homeland like it's a problem. He wants to take all of our wise kids. And he wants to shift it into street smarts.

So that it'll be a badge of honor when they know how to avoid problems in the police. He wants to take kingdom kids and repurpose them for his kingdom. That's what he wants to do. And these. Three Hebrew boys.

were so staunch in what they had learned from home. They had believed so strong already. See, they were fireproof before they ever hit the fire. When the fires of life and the problems in life come You have two types of people, people who burn up in it and people who are fireproof in it. The only way you can be fireproof is if you're fireproof before the fire gets there.

And here, these three Hebrew boys stood against it because they were well taught. It tells you: give me the wise ones, give me the smart ones, give me the intellectual ones, give me the good-looking ones, give me the best of them, and teach them my language. Because I want them to unknowingly work for me. Jonathan will offer a vital word to parents who are doing their best to raise children in a world determined to reshape them. When he continues in just a moment, don't go away.

My father was 90 when he passed, and I had to walk with him through that aging process, having trouble walking, using a walker, that whole process. The Unbound podcast, hosted by Dr. Tony Evans, explores deep topics to help you feel more centered in your faith. And a lot of children are dealing with aging parents.

So the question becomes: how do we walk with them? Find guidance for difficult times. Listen to the Unbound podcast. The Unbound Podcast with Tony Evans, available now on all major podcast platforms.

Well, we're excited to bring you today's message from Pastor Jonathan Evans, part of his special eight-message series called All Eyes on Jesus. In a culture that constantly pressures believers to compromise, this series reminds us what it means to stand firm with our focus fixed on Christ. When your eyes are on Jesus, courage replaces fear. And conviction outweighs comfort. to help you continue growing in that kind of faith.

We are offering the complete All Eyes on Jesus series on CD, USB flash drive, or digital download as our way of saying thanks for your gift and support of this ministry. And for a limited time, we'll also include Jonathan's powerful book, Your Time Is Now. which challenges you to stop shrinking back. and start stepping boldly into God's purpose for your life. Together, these resources will strengthen your resolve, deepen your trust.

and help you live with unshakable confidence. Request your copy today at tonyevans.org. or call 1-800-800-3222. But don't wait. This special offer won't be available long.

Again, that's tonyevans.org. or by phone at 1-800-800-3222.

Well let's get back now to more from Jonathan Evans.

Now disclaimer. Disclaimer. Just because you're godly parents. does not automatically mean you will have godly kids. We are called to do our best, root them in the word and prayer.

But God is the only one who can save, and God is the only one who can dispense this level of grace and mercy to round up kids. God was a perfect father? He created perfect people, and he had a perfect environment, and Adam and Eve still messed it up. Yeah. That doesn't mean he's a bad father.

That means those kids made a bad choice. If you're doing the best that you can as a godly parent, It comes a place where the kids are gonna have to make their own choice about their own faith. I tell my kids all the time, on Judgment Day, that's a day daddy can't help you. Yeah. You're going to be there by yourself.

I'm going to be over here by myself. And we're just going to get whatever it is. Because you cannot ride the coattail of daddy's faith with Christ. Eventually you're going to have to have your own. But if you are bowing down to the same images, stop it.

Because that means you're not doing your best. And you're not operating like a king's parent, royal and noble, making sure your kids know what time it is and where their home is at. Verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar. We do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

Yeah. You mean to tell me? That there was more maturity in 15-year-olds than all the adults in the culture. Verse 17. If it be so.

If you're going to throw us in the fire, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us out of your hands, O king.

Okay. Let me tell you Nebuchadnezzar's fatal mistake. At the end of verse 15, Nebuchadnezzar says, You will be cast into the midst of the blazing fire. And what God is there that can deliver you from my hands? God said, huh?

Y'all remember the Titanic? Even God can't sink this ship. What God is there that can deliver you out of my hands? They were servants of the king. They thought it to be as treason.

For them to go against their God and bow down to the images that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

So they said, Our God, whom we serve. The question is: are you in church or do you serve God? Because a lot of people are in here, but they ain't in here. Beginning in verse 18. God will deliver us.

But even if he doesn't. But even if he doesn't deliver us. We still are not going to bow down to any idols you set up. Oh, you rebellious teens you. What you mean, but even if he doesn't.

The level of faith of these young people is on a whole nother level. Our God will deliver us. I believe. But even if he doesn't, I still won't bow. It is not faithless.

To appeal to the sovereignty of God. People will say If you pray, but then you put a butt. And you say, but if you choose God not to. Then I'm going to go with that anyway. And they'll say, well, then he won't answer your prayer because you didn't have faith.

Mm-hmm. God is not a slave to your faith. He is activated by your faith. But he can do whatever he wants. These boys Appealed.

to the sovereignty of God and were full of faith. How do I know they were full of faith? Because they said, even if you don't, we're still going to walk like Christ. Even if you don't, I'm still not going to be cultural. Even if you don't, that means when you pray, you're not faithless if you appeal to the sovereignty of God.

I have cancer and I want you to heal me. But even if you don't, I'm going to worship you anyway. I need finances to come through, but even if you don't, I'm still going to be faithful. I need my child to come back, but even if they don't, I'm still going to walk it out. I want my this to be done, but even if you can pray the prayer that I need this from you, God, but if you choose to do something different, I'm still going to walk by faith.

That's a Christian. That's the hard part. That you're going to say, but even if you don't, Lord, I'm still going to walk this thing out. I'm still going to be faithful. I'm still going to finish the race.

That's a Christian. And they were willing to go with it. Even if you don't. We gonna stand on our two feet for the gospel.

Now, you got to understand as I get ready to conclude. This made Nebby hot. Because if you've ever experienced a rebellious young person, Oooooooooooooooooo And he the king and he and they like no. And they just looking at them and not blinking. Can you imagine them just looking at you like this?

Yeah. So Nebuchadnezzar in verse 19 said, Okay. Turn up the fire seven times hotter. Oh. Crank that thing up.

And he tied them up by their clothes. They were bound. And then he told his two men, throw them into the fire. The fire was so hot that it slew the two men that threw them in. Because God can make it to where your enemies get slain by their own devices.

So he threw them, threw them into the fire. And Nebuchadnezzar sat back on his throne like I tried to tell him. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded. When he looked Into the fire and said, Hey guys, I thought we threw three of them in there. Verse 25 says, and he said, look.

I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the presence of the fourth is like the son of the gods. Oh yeah. No.

Sorry, Nebby. The presence of the fourth was not a son of the gods. But he was the Son of God. Yeah. How do you get in there?

What Nebby saw. He got a new name. When Nebbisa Was a Christophany. A Christophany is Christ's presence before he became flesh in the Old Testament. How do I know this is Christ?

Because they were in the midst of the fire and they were not being consumed.

Well, that takes me back to Exodus 3 when there was a bush that was on fire that was not being consumed. And the angel of the Lord was in the midst of the bush, and it said, God spoke from the bush.

So now I know that God was in the bush, and he thought he saw one of the sons of a God. No, no, no. You saw the son of God, a Christophany in the Old Testament, and these boys would not be consumed by the fire because God was in it with them. The testimony of Christianity is not that there are no fires. He did not save them from the fire.

He walked with them in the fire. And when you can walk in the fire, And you can be unbound, unmoved. Unchanged is because you really are walking with Jesus Christ. Is there anybody that will make some noise and say, Jesus? I will follow you even in the fire.

Do I have a witness up in here? There was an enemy in Matthew 4 that told Jesus to bow. And Jesus said, I'm not doing that. And that enemy got mad. And the enemy threw him in a furnace called the grave.

And the enemy sat back on his throne and thought that he won. But then, three days later, he looked. And after three days, he saw the Son of Man, the Son of David, the Son of God, and God Himself. Getting out of the grave, another word, destroying the scorch of the fire of the grave. And he invites anyone who's afraid of that furnace, call the grave to come to him.

Because one thing about fire. Where it has been burned once. It cannot be burned twice. And Jesus has already taken the burn. Jesus has already overcome the fire.

And he says in Isaiah 43:2, if you'll walk with me, you will go through the fire and not be scorched. You will experience the flames, but you will not burn. Because where it has been burned once, it cannot be burned twice. Is there anybody in the house that is or wants to be fireproof? This is what God is calling.

Not just our young people too. It's calling the church to. This is the hard part, being fireproof. That you're willing to stand for God. In the end times.

Pastor Jonathan Evans, reminding us that when our eyes stay on Jesus, the fire doesn't consume us, it refines us. Today's message is part of his impactful series, All Eyes on Jesus. An eight-lesson collection designed to help you live with bold faith in a culture that often challenges it. If you'd like to own your own copy of these full-length messages on C D, USB flash drive, or digital download, just make a request and in thanks for your donation toward the Alternative Broadcast Ministry. We'll send the entire collection to you, along with Jonathan's inspiring book, Your Time is Now.

It's a resource that encourages you to stop hesitating and fully embrace God's calling on your life. Simply visit tonyevans.org. You'll find all the details right on the home page. or call 1-800-800-3222 where our team is ready to help 24-7. That's 1-800-800-3222.

or online at tonyevans.org. You know, some moments in life stick with us because of how they made us feel. not because we fully understood them at the time. Tomorrow, Jonathan brings us alongside three disciples who stepped into one of those moments with Jesus. an experience that left them seeing him differently.

and still makes a difference for us today. I hope you'll join us.