(Read Daniel 3:28,29)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Today’s message will flow in the same vein as yesterday’s. Let’s pick up the story where we left off.
The Bible says, “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and refused to obey my command. They were willing to die instead of serving or worshiping any other god. So I now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language group who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other god can save his people like this.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God uses miracles as a witness to unbelievers.
a) A miracle is a deviation from or a superseding of the known laws of nature; a supernatural event.
b) God doesn’t perform miracles as some sort of sideshow or circus act. The manifestation of His supernatural power serves as proof of a living God.
c) Whenever you see a miracles in the Bible, it is most-often followed by the amazement/astonishment of unbelievers, causing them to believe in the true and living God.
2. Sometimes people need to experience God’s power more than once.
a) God clearly wanted to move in Babylon and to freely influence the nation, God needed to reach the king.
b) God first used Daniel to supernaturally discern and interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. This caused the king to bow down before Daniel and say, “I know for sure your God is the God over all gods and the Lord over all kings. He tells people about things they cannot know. I know this is true because you were able to tell these secret things to me.” But that did not last, so God manifested His power before Nebuchadnezzar again.
c) The second time Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego… Now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language group who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other god can save his people like this.”
3. God will perform the supernatural through you in order to reach unbelievers.
a) In chapter 2 God used Daniel supernaturally. In chapter 3 He performed a supernatural act with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In both cases His children were the tools, but they were not the target. God was attempting to reach Nebuchadnezzar.
b) God will use you as a tool in order to reach His target – the world.
c) When God uses you supernaturally, most of the time it has nothing to do with you. God simply uses you as a conduit of His glory so people in the earth can know Him for themselves.
4. Take the focus off of you.
a) Many times Christians don’t see themselves performing the supernatural because of their internal faults, flaws and failures. But just thinking this way is flawed. The only perfect Human was Jesus. Other than Jesus, every other person God has ever used has been an imperfect, flawed and faulty human.
b) Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not perfect, they were just willing.
c) God is not looking for your ability, He is looking for your availability.
d) You don’t have to be perfect to be used of God. If God only used perfect people, then no one would be used on the planet.
e) God chooses to work through flawed humans by grace — completely unearned, unmerited and often undeserved.
f) The Old Covenant was based on works and the spotlight was on man working for God. The New Covenant is based on grace and the spotlight is on God working for and through man.\
g) Grace takes the focus OFF of you and puts it squarely on God!
*** If God could use Hebrew slaves to reach a pagan king, then what is it that He can’t do through you today? If you are willing, He is able!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You have blessed me richly and placed me in a position to reach the world. There are key people You want to reach through me. I remind myself this morning that they are Your target and I am simply Your tool. So I give myself over to You, to be used of You for Your glory. If the world needs to see the supernatural, You are more than capable of performing the supernatural through me. I am Your child and by faith I declare that signs, wonders and miracles are performed through me. Not because I am perfect — for You and I both know I am far from perfect — but only because of Your grace and because You want to reach the lost. So here I am Father, all that I am and all that I am not, is Yours. I am willing and You are able. Speak through my vocal chords, think through my mind, and operate through my limbs, that the world may see Jesus in me… by Your grace and for Your glory! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
