On the Brink of a Breakthrough

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that
they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Daniel 3:19

Have you ever noticed that it appears darkest right before a breakthrough
comes?  In the natural we understand that the darkest time is just before
the break of dawn.  The Bible even says that "weeping may endure for a
night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). 
 
Right before a breakthrough can be the time of the most intense negative
circumstances and even thoughts!  Thoughts such as God will never do it for
you or it is impossible might constantly pop into a person's head.  Notice
that in today's verse of Scripture in Daniel 3:19, the furnace was turned up
seven times hotter and the battle was the most intense right before God was
going to deliver the three Hebrew boys.  Often we read/hear their story and
assume that their faith was unwavering.  Although their faith might have
been unwavering in their heart/spirit, I am sure that in their minds they may
have battled thoughts concerning if they would get out of their
predicament.  Notice that in the preceding verses, 3:17-18, the young men
said God "will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. BUT IF NOT....we will
not serve thy gods."  The young men did not know for sure if God would
deliver them but they had resolved not to serve the Babylonian gods, to trust
God wholeheartedly, and to rest in Him.  Of course God ultimately delivered
them. 
 
Jesus faced an intense struggle right before His deliverance on the
cross.  The Bible records that He sweat drops of blood and that He even
prayed to His Father God that if it was possible to remove the cup of suffering
which included taking on sin and being separated from God (Luke 22:42-44). 
Nevertheless, He trusted and rested in God and concluded, "nevertheless,
not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).  Of course although He was
crucified, God delivered Him by resurrecting Him and seating Him at the Father's
right hand in heaven!
 
Pastor Creflo Dollar once remarked that adversity should be a sort of alarm
clock to us that we are real close to getting what God has promised and
what we're believing for.  That adversity may be in our actual
circumstances or in our thought life.  The first thing we must do is not
panic in a crisis situation!  Notice that Jesus and the Hebrew boys did not
panic and start saying "Oh my God, what are we going to do?  We are going
to die."  When the pressure is on, we have to make sure that
we don't speak the negative thoughts that Satan brings to our minds or the
doubt and unbelief of other people concerning our circumstances. 
Jesus even taught us to "take no thought saying" (Matthew 6:31).  Although
negative thoughts may come to our mind, we take them by saying them or speaking
them out of our mouths.  That is when those thoughts become a reality in
our minds and lives.  We must ignore our senses in terms of the
negative circumstances that surround us and only speak the Word of God!  We
must also rest in God by praising God.  We should praise God everyday
anyway because He is worthy and not just to get out of a negative situation but
praise ushers in the presence of God into our situation and causes us to
magnify Him more than the seeming problem in our mind.  We must rest
in God!
 
Let us end with Moses's admonition to the Hebrew people when they were up
against a seemingly impossible situation (in front of the Red Sea) and they were
being pursued by the Egyptians behind them.  Moses, "said unto the
people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he
will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye
shall see them again no more for ever" (Exodus 14:13).  Stand still and be
delivered!  Let us utilize these principles that the Holy Spirit has given
us and encourage others to do the same!