Don’t forget….the fire is not the problem

Last week I wrote about the experience of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into a furnace because they refused to bow down to an idol, a false god. (Read in Daniel chapter 3). The furnace was so hot that even the soldiers who threw them in became instant toast. And yet these three men survived.

Actually, they more than survived. Jesus was waiting for them in the furnace. They walked around with Him in there, quite casually, unconcerned as if this was what you did in the fire! Paul describes it well in Romans 8:37…

Romans 8 v 37….NIV starting at “we are more…..

They didn’t just survive an unpleasant experience. They conquered, but only with the help/presence/participation of Jesus alongside them. They came out, through the flames, untouched, unharmed and victorious. But this isn’t just about three men in a tight spot. This is ultimately about God being vindicated. It is about whatever sets itself up against God being shown to be nothing. The devil roars like a lion. Doesn’t mean he is one. Just means he can copy noises. Big deal.

You might not like what I am going to say next, and that’s fine, but I am going to say it anyway….

We, the Church in this nation and in Europe have had many prophetic words about a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit starting in the U.K. and spreading out over Europe. We want it. We long for it. Over the last year God has been challenging the Church in the U.K. about what they do and why. Many churches have simply longed to be allowed to meet again in their buildings, just like they used to. They are missing some of what God is saying. He doesn’t want us just to revert to how we were. How we were wasn’t touching the nation. How we were wasn’t reaching the lost. To be honest the nation wasn’t particularly attracted by how we were – and I can’t blame them.

Now is the time for the Church in this nation to be asking God “how do we change to become the vehicle that carries the raw power of the gospel to the ends of the earth” – starting with our street, our town, our valley, our district….(think Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria and the ends of the earth). We hear the phrase the ‘new normal’. It’s time the Church moved into a new normal. Now is not the time for the Church to be hankering after its old ineffective normal.

It would be nice to think of the Church arising powerfully in a massive outpouring of God’s Spirit and power against the backdrop of life in this country returning to its old normal – the way things were a year ago. I don’t think that’s what is going to happen – and I think we need to be prepared.

We have seen the whole world thrown into a panic over a virus whose effect turns out to be far less than some of the other killer diseases that stalk the planet year in, year out. We have seen governments around the world take unheard of powers to themselves in an effort to ‘defeat the virus’. Now there are a number of international and influential organisations and leaders gathering together who see all this as setting the stage for their ideal of a global approach to government. One global government, with more control over all our lives would be their aim. I am not saying that this is going to happen next week or even next year, but it is likely the direction in which things are headed. Add to that the growing “consensus” and control over what we are allowed to say, which often contradicts the truths of scripture, and it could be that we are heading into some difficult years ahead. The Devil is real, and he stands behind a lot of what we see going on at the moment.

I think the outpouring that God has spoken of, and that we would like to see, is going to come against a backdrop of opposition, fear, trouble and upheaval. We are increasingly surrounded by those in authority who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter – the words of Isaiah. Fiery times indeed!

But don’t forget, the fire is not the problem. We are called to be victorious in the fire and despite the fire. We are called to be more than conquerors. We are not called to be escape artists – either by burying our heads in the sand hoping that things will get better, or by hoping that Jesus will come and rescue us and leave the world to get on with it without us. The point is that He has already rescued us. Now He wants to rescue the world and we all have a vital part to play. We are the Church. It’s time to rise up. Never mind the fire, never mind the pressure to conform or be silent, or to go back to a nice comfortable old normal in our buildings. It’s time to rise up. It’s time to be bold, to be courageous, to go where Jesus goes and do what Jesus does.

It’s past time to get ready. Is God speaking to you? He is re-organising His troops ready for action. Where does He want you? What needs to change? Ask Him …….