Encountering God's Promotion, Part 2

If you are serving the Lord and He lets things go south on you, He had you okay yet. Dr. Tony Evans says sometimes God lets things get a lot worse before they get better.

And if it is His will, it means it has a purpose. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Urban Alternative. We know tough times are inevitable, even if we're right in the center of God's will. Today, Dr. Evans will explain why they might be inevitable because we're in the center of God's will. We'll find out more as he brings us today's lesson. Today I want to look at encountering God's promotion. A promotion is when you are lifted from one level to another level.

Many of you know what it is to be promoted in your job or to be promoted in your experience or to be promoted from the JV to the varsity team to go through things that lift you to a higher level. In our story today from Daniel chapter 3, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego find themselves working in a secular culture. They're in Babylon. Babylon is an evil, pagan, and idolatrous country. Because of Israel's sin, God told Babylon to invade Israel, and they brought out many of the young people back into Babylon to live and to work. Daniel, along with the three Hebrew boys, are part of the group that was brought from Israel to Babylon, and now they have to live their life and do their work in a non-Christian environment.

Well, something happens in the beginning of the chapter, chapter 3. Nebuchadnezzar, the head of Babylon, develops a theo-ego. Theo is God.

Ego is your mindset. He developed a God mentality. He deified himself. It goes on to say in the first nine verses, you'll see seven times, discussion about this image he built to himself. He builds a statue to honor him, ninety feet tall and nine feet wide.

He not only builds a statue, he comes up with a law. The law says that everybody is supposed to bow to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar. He calls all of his leaders together, and he says, I want you all to bow. And then he gives a warning in verse 6. Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

Okay, watch this. If you don't worship, you're going to burn. If you don't worship, we're going to put you in the fire, and I do mean you will be fired. If you do not submit to the norms of this company, this culture, and this government, then you're going to have to pay the consequences for not compromising. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found themselves in a dilemma, and their career was on the line. While all of this is taking place, racism reared its ugly head. A racial dilemma takes place because verse 8 says, for this reason at that time, certain Chaldeans came forth and brought charges against the Jews. So some Babylonians brought charges against the Jews. They didn't like the Jews. They didn't want the Jews working at the company. And the reason they didn't like the Jews is one, they were Jewish, and two, they brought their faith to work. See, they knew they were followers of God.

So let me ask you a question. If you were accused of being a Christian on your job, would there be enough evidence to convict you, or would you be found innocent of all charges? Because your faith is very vague.

You know it, but nobody else does. They were clearly followers of God, and they were Jewish, a bad combination in a secular work environment. Because these three Hebrew boys find themselves on a on a dilemma, because now the Babylonians who work with them, their co-workers, come and say and play politics. You know how politics is in the office.

They come and play politics. They said, oh, Nebuchadnezzar, you got these Jewish guys here, and they won't bow. When Nebuchadnezzar heard that, he said, bring them here. Verse 13, bring Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego here. And in verses 14 and 15, he says, I'm going to give you all another chance. He said, maybe your co-workers are lying on you.

Maybe they don't like you. Now, I like you boys, and you all have done a good job for me, but I ask you all to bow. I ask you to worship the company, worship the image. I want you to compromise your faith for the sake of acceptance in the corporation.

So I'm going to give you all another chance. If you don't bow, verse 15, if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. And what God is there who can deliver you out of my hands? Now, that's the question. What God is there, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, who can deliver you when I make the decision that you no longer work here, that you're going to be demoted, that you're going to be fired?

Who going to help you? He shouldn't ask that question, because a question demands an answer. So let's look at the answer.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded to the king. We do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter, okay? You just asked us a question, and we really don't need to give you an answer. Now, Nebbe, the reason we don't need to give you an answer is because it was already clear before you asked the question where we stand.

So you asking us a question, you already know the answer to. That's why them boys came and told on us in the first place. You know where we stand, but since you ask, our God is able to deliver us. Is that what he says?

No, that's not what he says. He says our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us. See, a lot of folk want to not serve God on Monday through Friday, but want a blessing on Sunday. They don't mention God's name. They're not willing to give testimony to their faith. In fact, they look more like the culture, but when it comes time to being fired, they want to call on God for deliverance.

They said no. The reason we know God is able is because we serve him all week long. Did you know the Bible says when you go to work, the Scripture says you do not work for the boss, you work for the Lord Christ whom you serve. So you ought to go, whether you are a paper pusher, whether you are a typist, whether you are a teacher, whether you are a lawyer, you ought to look at your occupation as service to the Lord through the vehicle of that company. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. So they say we may work for you, but we serve the Lord. The God who we serve is able.

Christians love to quote Ephesians 3.20. Now unto him, who's able? Ain't he able? He's able to do exceedingly abundantly above.

Oh, you can ask or think. We love the quote that God is able, but we leave off the last phrase, according to the power that works in you. So that's not a blanket promise. It assumes something is working inside and he's just going to do some more outside. It means you being a Christian not on Sunday, but you're a follower on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and you're just celebrating on Sunday because serving him is your way of life, even at work. So don't be looking for God's promotion and looking for God's encounter and looking for God's experience if you're only serving him on Sunday. The God who we serve, because that's what got him in trouble in the first place. Their co-workers knew that they served the Lord. But because we serve him, the God who we serve is able to deliver us.

But then that's only one half of it. Because in verse 18 he says, but even if he does not. We don't like that verse. We like that he's able verse.

That's the verse that makes you shout. He's able, I know he's able. He can fix it. He's powerful so he's able, but he's sovereign so he can choose. In other words, you never let God's omnipotence, his power, cancel out his sovereignty. God must have the option in any situation to choose what the right thing is to do at that moment and sometimes he does not. And you need a theology that covers when he doesn't. Because if you don't have a theology that covers when he doesn't, then you're going to be mad at him when he doesn't because somebody told you from the pulpit he's able. Somebody told you, I thought you told me God is able, but maybe they didn't tell you if he does not. And you need to know that. That there are times when God doesn't let you escape from being fired. When he doesn't let you escape from the firing or the tragedy or the difficulty.

So you got to keep both intention and about both you must say the same thing because they say even if he does not, let it be known to you, okay. We respect you. We're going to work for you. We are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. You don't have to play the company game, illegitimately. Because once you do that, you're saying this company is my source. This boss is my source.

I got to play the game. Meaning compromise the faith, not be strategic. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about compromising your faith. If God lets you go through the fire, you have to understand the only reason that happened is it had to pass through his fingers first.

Okay, watch this. Nothing negatively happens to you when you are standing for God that God doesn't have to approve first. Let me say that again because this is theology you need to know. If you are serving the Lord and he lets things go south on you, he had to okay it because he's sovereign. And if he okayed it, it means it's his will. And if it is his will, it means it has a purpose. But you need to know that about God when things go south. I know it's easy to praise him when he's able.

But will you take your stand when he does not? When Dr. Evans comes back in just a moment, he'll have more on how to hold on when things get hot on the job. First though, I want to tell you about a brand new book he's released that digs deeper into stories like the one we've been hearing today. It's called Kingdom Encounters, and it reveals how you can have the same kind of one-on-one experiences with God that you read about in the lives of people like Moses, Daniel, Abraham, and others. We want to help you learn how to set your faith on fire and keep it burning, so we'd like to send you a copy of Kingdom Encounters as our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching coming your way on this station. Along with it, we'll include CDs and instant digital downloads of all eight full-length lessons in his current teaching series, Divine Encounters. Get the details and make the arrangements before time runs out by visiting tonyevans.org, or call our 24-hour resource center at 1-800-800-3222, where team members are standing by to help you.

That's 1-800-800-3222. We'll get back to Tony's teaching right after this. Jesus said that others will know we follow him by our love. Love shows up in unity, unity at home, at work, at church, in the community, and across the nation. It's the keystone of our spiritual victory as a church and country. Unity is best began through the power of prayer. Get practical help to release the blessing of unity in your life and in our land with Dr. Tony Evans' new book, Stronger Together, Weaker Apart, Powerful Prayers to Unite Us in Love.

Visit tonyevans.org to get your copy today or anywhere Christian books are sold. Well, if Nebuchadnezzar was kicked off before, he didn't lost it now, because it says in verse 19, then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered. Okay? It's written all over your face. You don't have to say a word. It's just he's contorted.

He's contorted. Who do you think you're talking to? I'm kidding.

You said it respectfully. Do you know who I am? Guess what he does? He is so hot, no pun intended, he is so hot, he gave orders in verse 18 to heat the furnace seven times more than it was already heated.

Now, it was already hot enough to burn him to death. This is like your boss saying to you, look, if you don't do this, not only will I fire you, I will see that you never work in this kind of business ever again, because I'm going to tell everybody else who you are and what you do, and I'm going to get the word out so that nobody will ever hire you in this industry again. You done made me so mad, I'm going to fire you, and I'll make sure nobody else hires you. Don't have nobody calling here asking for a recommendation, because I'm going to make sure that you get the worst possible recommendation that I can give anybody. So don't even bother to have somebody calling here, because I'm going to ruin your life to completion. I'm going to burn you up, because I'm the man here, and I control the culture, and I control the decisions, and I control who gets the job, and I control who gets the raise.

I'm the man. You're talking about you're not going to bow, because you got some other spiritual commitment. You and I will often be put in a place where we have to choose between the visible king and the invisible king. They tied him up in verse 23 and threw him into the midst of the furnace, still tied up. God didn't deliver them from the furnace. He let them get fired.

But something happens. Verse 24, then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded. He said to his high officials, Was it not three men we cast down into the midst of the fire?

Come on now, help me with my math. Wasn't it one, two, three, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego? They replied to the king, Well certainly king, we put three guys in there. He said, Well come here, come here, come here, come here. Look through this glass. Look, verse 25, I see four men loosed and walking around in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods. You can see that.

You can preach right here. We put in three, right? Yeah, we put in three.

Well, how come? And we tied them up, right? Yeah, we tied them up, okay. Well, why am I seeing four?

So if we put in three, why four? And how they walking around when we tied them up? No, nobody burnt, nobody Okay, watch this. Sometimes when God wants to give you an encounter with him, sometimes he takes you out of it. Sometimes he delivers you from it.

Sometimes you don't have to worry about it, but sometimes he wants to take you through it. Or join you in it, not deliver you from it. Sometimes he wants you to see what it's like when you're in the fire and not being burned by the fire.

You're in the bad situation at work and he's working right beside you. He says, I see four, and the fourth one I see looks like somebody straight from heaven. Sometimes heaven wants to join you in a bad situation without taking you out of it.

He's just going to join you in it. But whether he takes you from it or joins you in it, you have an encounter with the living God because you're supposed to be all shook up, all tied up, all screaming and hollering and worried and depressed. And here you are walking around the fire. Here you are strutting around the fire. Here you are moving around the fire. They're messing with you at work and you're still walking. They're criticizing you at work and you're still praising.

They're making it hard for you and you're still getting it on. Why? Because you know you're not by yourself. Because sometimes he wants you to see what it's like when you're in the fire with the Lord. Why? Why God?

Why you going to do this? I want you to turn to 1 Peter to show you this is not just Old Testament, this is New Testament. He says in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 20, he says, For what credit is there if when you sin you are harshly treated?

You endure it with patience. But if when you do what is right and suffer, for if you patiently endure, this finds favor with God. So if you're doing right and taking your stand, you're making God happy and you're finding favor with God even though you're suffering. Look at chapter 3 verse 14. He says, But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed and do not fear their intimidation.

I don't care who they are or what their title is. Don't be scared of their intimidation and do not be troubled just because they talk in smack and talk in noise if you're suffering for righteousness. Verse 17, For it is better if God should will it so that you suffer for doing what is right rather than doing what is wrong. Chapter 4 verse 16 says, But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. Finally he says in chapter 5 verse 10, After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you by His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

To Him be the dominion. He going to call the final shot. He going to say where this job situation works out, whether there or somebody else. Because remember, your job, your government is only your resource.

It is not your source. Tony Evans will come back in a moment with a final story to wrap up today's message. First though, don't forget to take advantage of that special offer I told you about earlier. You'll get all eight full-length messages in Tony's series Divine Encounters, along with his brand new book, Kingdom Encounters. They're both yours with our thanks when you make a contribution to help us continue presenting this program every day. Again, this special offer runs out soon, so be sure to visit tonyevans.org right away for details. You can also get some in-person help from a member of our resource team by calling 1-800-800-3222 any time of the day or night.

Again, that's 1-800-800-3222. From the moment we're born, all humankind shares a common tendency. We want what we want when we want it.

But in a special message tomorrow, Jonathan Evans says, we jeopardize our future when we grab just what we want today. Right now, Dr. Tony Evans is back with this closing story. A man was on an island one day, and he got shipwrecked on this island and nobody was there. He was out there by himself, and he wondered how was he going to survive on this island? He put some sticks together to make a little hut to keep him away from the inclement weather, and he got in that hut. But through a series of events, the hut caught on fire.

The hut is on fire. He's on this isolated island. A few days later, a boat comes to deliver him from the island. He said, well, how did you know I was on the island?

Oh, they said it was simple. We saw the smoke signals you were sending up to let us know you were here. Sometimes, God lets you catch fire, but it's really a smoke signal.

Saying to God, God, here's where I am, and even though I'm in a fire, I know you know where I'm located. So I want you to go back to work tomorrow and serve the Lord Christ. I want you to go back to work tomorrow and be a Christian on your job, serving with excellence, serving the Lord, but knowing the Lord knows where you're sitting, he knows how long he wants you there, he knows when it's time to move, and he knows the bills that you have to pay. And since he is your source, and everything else is your resource, you can lift your head up high, and even if the rest of the folk don't like you on the job, you just find you a Meshach, a Shadrach, and an Abednego, and you take your stand for God, because God ultimately owns the company. Let's give him some praise in the midst of your promise. Let's give him some praise in the midst of your promise.