Don't Fall for Fear, Stand in Faith
By Bishop Keith A. Butler

September 26

2 Corinthians 2:11

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. (KJV)

Staying in fellowship with God through prayer and studying the word of God keeps you steadfast in tough situations. Intimidation is a tough situation that Satan uses to knock you off of the word of God. But as long as you are aware that this is a trick of the devil, you can do what is necessary to maintain your victory every time.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Hebrew boys who served the Lord faithfully. Satan used intimidation through their king to get them away from serving God. He tried to scare them into worshipping some other god. But they would not have it, because they believed in worshipping God "the most high God" only.

King Nebuchadnezzar told them that if they didn't bow down and worship his foreign god when he said so, that he would place them in the burning fiery furnace. That is just as Jesus said in Matthew chapter 4. He said affliction and persecution come for the word's sake. Intimidation is a form of persecution. He'll get your boss on the job to intimidate you by way of threatening your position because of your Christianity.

Physical fear or financial fear are reactions of the flesh. That type of fear affects your flesh because, if you don't do what the king says, or what the boss says, maybe he'll have mercy on you and he maybe he won't. Maybe he'll strip you of your position and maybe he won't.

But never forget what happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They didn't care what the king threatened; they were not bowing down to his golden image. They had confidence that their God would deliver them. And they were thrown into the furnace. And when you stand up to the devil, you might find yourself in the furnace. But don't forget, first of all, you won't be there by yourself. And don't forget that the One in there with you has the power to hold back the fire from touching you. And when that king looked in the furnace, he saw a fourth man that looked like the Son of God. That means that the Son of God will be with you in the middle of the fiery furnace when you refuse to bow to worldly intimidation, and stand on the word of God.

Scripture Reference: Daniel 3:1-26