(ThyBlackMan.com) God gives us strength as we follow His rescue plan, when the battles of life leave us spiritually weak, confused, devastated and drained. He gives power to the faint, the weary and the fallen who may also be destitute. Wait on God for a renewal of strength. Ignore temptations to try illegal bailouts as rescue plans. With renewal of strength, Acts 1:8 tells us how we can be witnesses for God in all parts of the world. Praise God for His everlasting mercy and love. Take time to study Psalms 95:7-8; 1 John 4:4; and Ephesians 6:11-18 for more wisdom from God about our inner strength through His word.
Can we be delivered from battles? According to the will of God, all problems can be solved. We must continue to believe that he can do all things without limit (Daniel 3:17-18) whether He does them or not. Do you remember how Daniel’s three friends thought this way when they were in the fiery furnace? God can deliver us from lions, the heat of flames, from the flooding of high waters and from every evil work of Satan.
Concentrate on Isaiah 43:1-5. This was how the Hebrews already 
knew that God could have saved them. When reading these scriptures, search for faith directed words. Let us review Daniel 1:4 which describe these four young gifted Hebrew men. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel who were captured about 600 BC, taken to Babylon and trained for three years. We might say they were programmed, taught, brainwashed, indoctrinated or schooled to become Babylonians. Reading these scriptures let us know that a rescue plan can use faith.
The Jewish names honored God, but their new slave names honored Babylonian gods. What can we learn from this situation? The Babylonians changed their names, but not their character. They remained loyal to the God of Israel whether they were in Judah of Babylon.
The miry clay (Psalms 40:2) surfaced when King Nebuchadnezzar who thought he had super power, demanded worship of a golden image he erected with the penalty for non-worship being incineration. What were some of the problems? The Jews were monotheists. They worshipped only Jehovah. Most of the masses bowed anyway. God always has a remnant of witnesses. When questioned by the King what was the Hebrews’ reply? “Our God is able …” Later God miraculously delivered them from the overheated furnace. Snitchers, stooges, or even known as bean spillers told what had not occurred! This news enraged King Nebuchadnezzar who gave a final warning (Daniel 3:15). Verse 17 says it with exactness and we can learn how the Hebrews spoke like conquerors with faith in God. What were the miry clay conditions for the fireproof Hebrews?
• Daniel 3:19 Furnace was heated 7x hotter than usual
• Daniel 3:20 Strongest soldiers used to bind the three Hebrews
• Daniel 3:22 Flames slew attendants at furnace; back draft killed them.
• Daniel 3:25 Accomplishments questioned by King. Three men placed; four men seen loose and walking; one looked like the Son of God!
• Daniel 3:6 Nebuchadnezzar called the three men out of the furnace.
• Daniel 3:27 The fire had no power on bodies! There were no burns, no smoke damage or smell and no hair burned.
How was the God of Israel recognized? The King praised our God (Daniel 3:28) and promised severe punishment for all non-believers. The Hebrew men were promoted after this unusual ordeal.
In our time miracles or golden opportunities still occur from God. We too have been saved by God from some near death situation and like King Nebuchadnezzar can come to the spiritual reality that God is to be praised for deliverance!
Written by Gladys R. McElmore
