A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a situation that I did not know how to deal with. It was something completely out of my control. I was distraught to the point of tears. I came before the Lord in prayer, but I was so emotional that all I could do was weep before Him – for a good hour! But my Heavenly Father knew what was on my heart (He always does); and when I’d calmed down, the following words just popped into my mind: 1) God is in control – He always is, and He will always be. 2) Nothing can happen without God’s permission – in heaven or on earth.
That same night, my scripture reading was Daniel chapter 3, and the Lord just affirmed His words to me so beautifully through this chapter.
In summary, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had made a massive golden statue. He’d then sent a decree commanding every person in his kingdom to worship that statue when they heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery in symphony (Daniel 3 vs 4 and 5). Those who refused to comply would be thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3 vs 11).
Three Israelite men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, refused to worship the statue and were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar questioned them and gave them one last chance to comply, but they still refused… (Daniel 3 vs 13 to 15).
The next two verses really stood out for me. When asked by the king, “And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” Shadrack, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king” (Daniel 3 vs 16 and 17). Wow! What a bold answer. Such an answer can only be given when you know that God is in control no matter what the situation – and the situation looked grim for the three young men.
Full of fury, Nebuchadnezzar commanded that the furnace be heated seven times more and that Shadrack, Meshack and Abed-Nego be cast into the flames (Daniel 19 to 21). But because God was in control they did not burn! (Daniel 3 vs 24 to 27). Verse 27: “… and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected…”
You see, God commands everything because He created everything (Job 38 vs 4 to 38) – including the fire. So, that fire could not burn the children of God without His permission. Sure, the king could have them thrown into the fire, but unless the King gave his permission, they could not burn because He is the King of kings.
You may be in the midst of the fire right now, that impossible situation you feel is consuming you. The heat is on, and you don’t have a solution or a way out. But let me remind you, God is in control therefore you will not burn! Nothing can happen without God’s permission because He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the name that is above every name, the highest authority in heaven and on earth. Amen!