Powerless Fire

Once upon a time, in a land closer then we realize, there was King Nebuchadnezzar. One day, he upped and decided to have a huge, golden image made, and ordered the people of his kingdom to worship it. He had a worship band prepared, and a fiery furnace. His herald announced his edict: when the people heard the worship music start, they were to fall down and worship the golden image. However, if they did not, then they would be cast into the fiery furnace. But really, the choice was theirs.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down to this false God. Somebody maliciously squealed on them. King Nebuchadnezzar was furious! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brought before him and he asked them the burning question, would they not worship his gods?

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve  is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'" Daniel 3:16-18

Enraged, Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the furnace seven times hotter then normal. They should have been ash in mere seconds! Instead, They stood in the midst of the flames, with a fourth Man, who looked like the Son of God! Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the furnace, and asked them to come out.

"Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the kings's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them." Daniel 3: (end of) 26-27

I said all of that to get to this: the fire had not held any power over the bodies of those men.

I don't know about you, but their fate didn't sound pleasant. Right up there with these fiery situations:

"And shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:50

"Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14-15

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew something then, that we should know a whole lot better today. The flames held no power over them. Whether or not God chose to save them, the flames could not ever truly harm them. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection means the same for us. If we accept Him as Lord, for all that He is, and give Him our lives, then the flames will hold no power over us. Our names are written in His book. This is why we should be able to stand before the bullies of the world and say, "Yeah, I serve God, and only Him. I won't stop. If that means being tossed into your furnace, so be it. Because it is powerless fire. He has already saved me."

We should be able to say that. Question is, do we? Do we let the flames be powerless?